Surfing Lessons & Surf Board Rentals
Breaker Sports Surf Shop & Rentals – 979-233-8308 (Located next door to our office)
School of Surf – Boards, Rentals & Surf Lessons
Volley Ball
If you have a volleyball set then bring it! Beach Volleyball is great way to get the family involved in something all at the same time. Local shops sell the lower quality sets but you can get a nice one at a sports store in Lake Jackson or your home town before you leave. You can also build your own too.
Flying Kites
The Beach is PERFECT for Kite Flying. Most places on the island carry a small selection of kites or pick one up before you head down. Breaker Sports carries a small assortment of kites (located next door to our office). You can also check the one gas station on the island, Valero.
Horseshoes
This is another great sand activity for the whole family! Think about having a Horseshoe Tournament one day and maybe giving away some small prizes! The whole family will be on the beach all day long.
Surfside Splash Pad
Take your kids out to splash around and cool off!
Beach Combing
Dust off that old Metal Detector that Grandpa never used and start scanning! A strainer of some sort will help to sift out any treasures from the sand. The waves are always uncovering new things in the sand as well as washing them on shore. So you may just find some buried treasure!
Building Sand Castles
Before leaving for the Beach, take a look around the Garage / Kitchen and grab anything that could be used to dig, shape, or mold sand. A few things you might want to grab are buckets of all sizes, shovels, rakes, water can, colander, etc. are great to use on the beach! Or you can stop by any of the local surf shops who carry an assortment of plastic buckets, shovels and nets for catching minnows at the waters edge.
Tips:
- -A rake is great for clearing away any seaweed.
- -Try to use damp sand since it holds better. Sand too soft or dry will not hold its shape. Sand too close to the water will be too wet and loose, plus the waves will wash away your hard work.
Kayaking
During the summer the ocean is normally very calm and perfect for a little paddle out in the open waters. If the surf is up and you don’t feel like battling the waves, then take a stroll around the bays and maybe do a little fishing while you are out there. Don’t have a kayak? No problem, you can rent them from Breaker Sports located next door to our office. They have both single and double kayaks! For a map of the paddling trails click below.
Click Here for Texas Parks & Wildlife’s Paddling Trail for Christmas Bay
Night Walks
A late night stroll along the waters edge can be both an adventure and a relaxing way to end the day. Grab a flashlight and the kids and go on a ghost crab hunt. Maybe you will even see Bioluminescence in the water. When Bioluminescence is exposed to oxygen it will emit light causing the waves to look like they are glowing a neon blue or green color.
Birding
Coastal Birding – Does visiting some of the most well-known coastal birding sites in Texas sound appealing to you, or would you rather visit some off-the-beaten-path local birding hot spots? The coastal birding trail has it all. Plus, conveniences such as boardwalks, parking pullouts, observation platforms, and landscaping to attract native wildlife allow you to get closer to see Texas’s breathtaking birds. With the bays, beach and great weather there are many photo opts with these beautiful birds. So get your binoculars, a Gulf Coast Bird Guide and camera for a great day exploring the island.
Photography Opportunities
If you have a camera then you have to bring it! There are SO many photo opportunities all over the island. There is the Intra Coastal Waterway with Birds,Porpoises, turtles, fish, barges and cargo ships. You can photograph the Bays as the Sun sets over them and all the nesting areas for the birds. The beach of course. There is also a ton of birding trails all within 20 minutes of Surfside! How about hiring a photographer for family pictures on the beach?
Collecting Seashells
The 27 miles of beach here in Surfside is home to more than 600 different species of seashells that wash up on our shoreline every day. Shelling is a fun and educational activity that the whole family can take part in. Before heading to the beach; be sure to grab a bucket or grocery bag and some sun protection (sun block, hat, long sleeve shirt, etc.). After a short walk, you should be able to find all kinds of great finds… shells, sea glass, driftwood, coral, crab shells, fish bones, shark teeth, and other fun things that wash ashore.
After your vacation, you will just need to find a glass jar to display your new found treasures. You can make this a yearly tradition, and after a few years, you will have an impressive collection of shells and stories! So grab your bucket and start shelling!
Tips:
- Shelling on Low Tide is the best time to shell as it exposes the most amount of shells. Check the Tide Charts to see when Low Tide will be.
- Stormy weather can cause more shells to wash ashore, so shelling after a storm is a must.
- Pedestrian Beach is a favorite shelling spot for us.
- Looking for shark teeth? Closer to San Luis Pass will be good as the sharks often feed on fishing coming from the pass.
- Try taking a drive down County Beach and look for big patches of shells. Shells are not always spread out, most of the time they come ashore in piles!
- Look up your shells online when you get home!