America's beautiful beaches: Texas — experience.usatoday.com

Texas is known for a lot of things — cowboys, barbecue and football, just to name a few — but its 600 miles of sparkling coastline are often overlooked. That's a shame, because the Gulf Coast has a lot to offer its visitors. Birdwatchers and nature lovers flock to Galveston Island — a haven for migratory birds and wildlife such as raccoons, marsh rabbits and lumbering armadillos. The bar scene of South Padre Island draws the Spring Break crowd without fail, and active types will like that the beach there is prime for kiteboarders, windsurfers, parasailers and jet skiers. Families love walking along the Seawall for a visit to the Texas State Aquarium. Whether you're a beachcomber, birdwatcher, spring breaker or adventurer, everything's bigger in Texas.

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