Plan for at least an hour to fully explore the Varner-Hogg Plantation. Photo: Jill Robbins
Great things to do in Brazosport, Texas, for everyone!
If you’re looking for a less crowded, family-friendly Texas beach, your answer is Brazosport. The Brazosport area encompasses Clute, Freeport, Lake Jackson, Quintana, and Surfside Beach. Brazosport is about 65 miles South of Houston, making it a manageable destination for a Texas road trip from many locations. Check 0ut all the things to do in Brazosport, Texas.
We live in the San Antonio area, and it was an easy drive: less than four hours, depending on traffic. Here’s what you need to know about visiting Brazosport, Texas.
This partnership included accommodations, meals, and compensation. The opinions here are honest and based on the individual’s experience.
Related: Spend A Texas Family Weekend In Brazosport
Uncrowded beaches are what draw people to Brazosport. Photo: Jill Robbins
Things To Do In Brazosport, Texas
One of the BEST things to do in Brazosport, Texas, is visiting the uncrowded beaches. While there’s undoubtedly more to do in the Brazosport area than go to the beach, the proximity to the water is the big draw for most visitors. If you love Port Aransas and South Padre Island but want something more secluded, you’ll find that here.
There are four beaches in the Brazosport area: Surfside Beach, Follet’s Beach (, Quintana Beach, and Bryan’s Beach. We visited Surfside Beach and Follet’s Beach. Surfside Beach was directly in front of our hotel. We walked to the water mornings and evenings to look for shells, dipped our toes in the surf, and checked out sandcastles during our stay.
We went to Follet’s Beach at the suggestion of a local. The big draw for us was FREE PARKING. There is a fee to drive your car on Surfside Beach. It’s not a lot of money – $12 for an annual pass, so it’s worth spending if you’re going more than once. Not paying for beach parking appealed to us since we were in the area for a short time.
The four beaches in Brazosport have their own set of rules. We liked Follet’s Beach because of the free parking.
Related: Family Fun In The Brazosport Area
Photo: Jill Robbins
We visited Sunday through Tuesday and noticed more people on the beach on Sunday – no surprise there – but nothing ever felt crowded. The beaches were clean, and there was a very family-friendly vibe. There are not a lot of stores or concessions around the beaches, and I saw no beach service stands for chairs or umbrellas, so you need to plan what you’ll need for your beach day and bring it. We did meet the ice cream truck on Follet’s Beach, which was a pleasant surprise.
To read more about all the Brazosport area beaches, check out Visit Brazosport for info.
Photo: Jill Robbins
Where To Stay In Brazosport
If your main interest is spending time at the beach, I recommend staying close to the water. Many vacation rentals are available if you have a large group (or a large budget). Most of these are for multi-family use, hence the higher per night prices. There is so much I love about a vacation rental versus a hotel (kitchen facilities, privacy, being able to spread out), so I recommend investing some time searching for a rental that meets your needs.
We stayed at the Ocean Village Hotel on Surfside Beach. We chose this hotel because of the waterfront location. It’s a no-frills hotel but very comfortable and clean. There’s an on-site restaurant, the Seahorse Bar & Grill, with patio seating. We stayed in a double queen room with a small balcony overlooking the gulf. The hotel seemed pretty full, but we heard zero noise while in our room. The pictures online give the appearance of outside corridor rooms, but most of them are actually inside the corridor. The website lists suites and kitchenette rooms if you need more space.
Travel Tip: Call them if you are interested in staying here, and the website lists no availability.
If you want a franchise (i.e., Hilton, Marriott, or similar) hotel, look to Lake Jackson and Clute. Lake Jackson has many choices, but it’s about a 15-20 minute drive to the beach. Lake Jackson also has a more extensive selection of places to eat and shop.
The plantation house at Varner-Hogg Plantation. Photo: Jill Robbins
More Things To Do In Brazosport
We did two ” must do’s ” activities in this area.” Even if your visit is short, you’ll be able to fit these things into your visit.
Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site
The first is the Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site in West Columbia, Texas. This was our first visit to a Texas State Historic Site, and I was highly impressed. This site was once a working plantation that housed a sugar mill. In a short visit, you can learn a lot about Texas history and get a detailed look into the lives of enslaved persons. Some exhibits are relatively graphic, so it’s good to talk to your kids about slavery first.
You can go into some of the buildings and see the artifacts, and there’s a small museum in the visitor’s center. The grounds are lovely, with a picnic area, restrooms, and water fountains. There are self-guided tours and guided tours available.
Sea Center Texas. Photo: Jill Robbins
Sea Center Texas
The other don’t miss attraction is Sea Center Texas, run by Texas Parks and Wildlife. This is a great place to learn about the fishing industry and sea life in the gulf and how the ecosystems of salt marshes, gulf waters, and nearshore waters work together. Sea Center Texas has several aquariums, a touch pool, and a boardwalk that extends over the marsh – you might get lucky and spot a turtle or an alligator. The best thing? It’s FREE.
PIN IT!
Leave a Reply