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Major city · United States

Surfside, TexasSurfside Beach

Go for 2 nights if you want a cheap Gulf beach house with your own car; skip if you have no car or want boardwalk nightlife.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Surfside is a small beach town on the Texas Gulf Coast, about 100 km south of Houston, with roughly 6.5 km of sand between the Gulf and the Intracoastal Waterway. It is a drive-in, rent-a-house destination: no promenade, no big hotels, a handful of restaurants and one gas station. Two nights covers the beach, the jetty and a fishing or surfing session; three if you add Galveston or the Bolivar Peninsula.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
avoid Jun–Aug (heat, humidity, crowds), hurricane season peaks Aug–Sep
Airports
HOU · IAH
Nights
2
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Surfside, Texas911 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Surfside, Texas, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or breakfast taco$3–8
  • Beerdraught at a bar / can at the store$5–8$2–4
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–30
  • Budget bedRV site with hookups, a night, per roomUS$45
  • Mid-range bedTwo-bedroom beach rental house, a night, per roomUS$260
  • High-end bedTwo-bedroom beach rental house, a night, per roomUS$500

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$140 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Gulf beaches you can drive on with a permitJetty fishing and crabbingVacation rental housesFort Velasco siteSurfing and kayaking
Airports
HOU William P. Hobby, Houston (Closest big airport; about 1 h 15 min by car via SH-288 and SH-332. Check current rental-car and rideshare options.) · IAH George Bush Intercontinental, Houston (About 1 h 45 min by car; usually the cheaper long-haul gateway.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    not flagged

    17°C (63°F)

  2. Feb

    not flagged

    18°C (64°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  5. May

    Best

    29°C (84°F)

  6. Jun

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  9. Sep

    Care

    31°C (88°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    18°C (64°F)

Best: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Mixed: Sep. Avoid: Jun–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (33°C (91°F)), coolest Jan (8°C (46°F) low), wettest Aug (10 rain days), driest Apr (7). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Surfside, Texas: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

17°C (63°F)

8°C (46°F)

9 rd

Feb

18°C (64°F)

9°C (48°F)

8 rd

Mar

22°C (72°F)

13°C (55°F)

8 rd

Apr

25°C (77°F)

17°C (63°F)

7 rd

May

29°C (84°F)

21°C (70°F)

8 rd

Jun

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

9 rd

Jul

33°C (91°F)

25°C (77°F)

9 rd

Aug

33°C (91°F)

25°C (77°F)

10 rd

Sep

31°C (88°F)

23°C (73°F)

10 rd

Oct

27°C (81°F)

18°C (64°F)

7 rd

Nov

22°C (72°F)

13°C (55°F)

8 rd

Dec

18°C (64°F)

9°C (48°F)

9 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is effectively required: services are spread over several kilometres and the nearest full grocery is over the bridge in Freeport or Lake Jackson. Bikes work for the beach strip. Speed limits and stop signs are enforced closely. The only gas station on the island is in Freeport, and the next one north is at Jamaica Beach.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Galvestongo

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive south over the toll bridge (about $2 each way) and follow the Bluewater Highway

Strand historic district, seawall and restaurants; a full day.

Bolivar Peninsula

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Drive to Galveston, then the free ferry across Bolivar Roads

Ferry queues build on summer weekends; go early.

Houston

caution

Door to door: 1.25–1.5 h

SH-332 west, then SH-288 north

Museums and food, but traffic makes it a long day; better as an arrival or departure stop.

Kemah

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Drive north via SH-332 and I-45

Boardwalk rides and seafood; pairs with a Houston airport run.

Clute

go

Door to door: About 20 min

SH-332 west over the Intracoastal bridge

Nearest full grocery run and the fish market side of the bridge.

Bay City, Texas

skip

Door to door: About 1 h

SH-332 to SH-35 north

Nothing you need that Freeport or Lake Jackson does not cover.

Palacios

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

SH-332 to SH-35 southwest

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep over if you go.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Village beachfront (Welk St to Stanek Dr)

Walk-out rentals, drive-on beach with a village permit; pedestrian beach between Welk St and Thunder St.

County beach north of Stanek Dr

Free beach access and the only legal beach camping; quieter, more exposed.

Bluewater Highway (SH-332) corridor

RV parks, the bar-and-grill strip and the bridge to the mainland; you need a car for everything.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–200 excl. bed
High
$250+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Two-bedroom beach rental house1 × 2 nights × US$260US$520
Food, local transport, entries4 × 2 days × US$140US$1,120
Village beach driving permit, one year1 × US$12US$12
Galveston toll bridge, each way1 × US$2US$2
Groceries and drinks, per person per day8 × US$35US$280
eSIM, about a week of data4 × US$15US$60
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$199
Trip total≈ US$274 per person per day, bed includedUS$2,193

Weekly rates and cleaning fees change the maths; check the rental company.

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Flights and rental car excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or breakfast taco$3–8
Fried seafood plate or burger$14–26
Beer: draught at a bar / can at the store$5–8 / $2–4
Gas, per gallon$3–4 (check)
Surfboard or kayak rental, half day$30–60 (check)
Village beach driving permit, one year$12
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–30

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A low-crime beach town; the real risks are Gulf water (jellyfish, rip currents), summer heat, storms and drinking tap water. Check the beach flags and water-quality signs before you swim.
  • Glass containers are banned on all beaches, village and county; alcohol in cans or plastic is allowed.
  • Driving on or over the dunes is prohibited; a village beach driving permit is about $12 a year, and the county beach north of Stanek Dr is free.
  • Camping is banned inside the village; beach camping is only allowed on the county beach north of Stanek Dr, with vehicles and tents parked on the dune side at night.
  • Tap water has had trihalomethane issues and tastes poor; buy bottled water for drinking and cooking.
  • Portuguese man-of-war and other jellyfish are common in Gulf water; check the flag and water-quality signs at beach entrances.
  • Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov; know the evacuation route signs before you unpack.
  • Seaweed can pile up in thick rafts after storms, sometimes too thick to walk through.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Surfside non-emergency / city offices
+1 979-233-1531
Poison control
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Surfside, TexasSurfside Beach

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Surfside city offices+1 979-233-1531
  • Poison control1-800-222-1222

Embassy

No consulates in Surfside; Houston has the consulates-general and most embassies' regional offices.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Toll bridge, Surfside side to Galveston: about $2 each way
  • Village beach driving permit: about $12 a year
  • Drive Surfside to Houston Hobby: about 1 h 15 min, roughly 100 km (62 mi)

Say or show

  • Where is the beach access? — Where is the beach access?
  • Can I drive on the beach here? — Can I drive on the beach here?
  • Do you have bottled water? — Do you have bottled water?
  • Is the water safe to swim today? — Is the water safe to swim today?
  • Can we get a table for four? — Can we get a table for four?
  • Card or cash? — Card or cash?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Surfside, Texas. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Sep–Nov · avoid Jun–Aug (heat, humidity, crowds), hurricane season peaks Aug–Sep · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 7 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for HOU and IAH: rental-car desks, last sensible arrival hour, rideshare fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: pedestrian beach, Jetty Park, Stahlman Park, the SH-332 strip.
  3. Place pages with verified rules (beach driving permit, glass ban, camping boundary at Stanek Dr) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Hurricane and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources