The beaches near Houston often undeservedly get a bad rap. Houstonians have plenty of great choices for sun and surf, but the one that stands out is Galveston’s East Beach, a good stretch of coastline that offers both free and pay parking, access to bathrooms and outdoor showers, and occasional live music. Beachcombers can rent chairs and an umbrella if they don’t want to bring their own from home. One more important distinction: Unlike many other Galveston-area beaches, East Beach allows alcohol. When the seaweed level’s low, East Beach has some of the clearest water in the area.
This article appears in Work Hard, Play Hard.