The Texas coast stretches for 367 miles along the Gulf of Mexico between South Padre Island and the Louisiana border. And while the best beaches in Texas don't always come with swathes of sugar-white sand or groves of palm trees like those in Florida or Hawaii, they hold their own charm. An influx of sediment gives the water along the upper coast a caramel-colored hue, but farther south, the water runs clear. In some areas, it’s legal to drive your vehicle along public beaches (watch out for nesting sea turtles and other humans, please!). And when the weather’s right, surfers can catch a wave or two. Another bonus? In Texas, temperatures on a “cold winter’s day” sometimes hover in the 60s or 70s—so you can visit any time of year. We’ve scouted the state and discovered beaches where you can look both ways and hardly see another soul, beaches brimming with seashells, beaches where you can cast a line and reel in dinner, and beaches with grass-thatched beer bars and a laid-back vibe.…