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There's something special about driving down a beach; the slight squeak of sand under your tires, the murmur of the crashing waves, the feel of your vehicle working just a little bit harder, all make you feel like part of the beautiful wild scenery. The early sand racers of Daytona knew the feeling. The 1960's dune buggy culture of Southern California made driving on beaches even cooler. In Texas, drivers embrace beaches in a big way, enjoying over 200 miles of drivable beaches.
Texans so enjoy their access to beaches that they coded public access into state law in 1959 with the Open Beaches Act. In 2009, Texans voted with a 76.9% approval rate to add it to the state constitution. Essentially, the area from the low tide line to the line of continuous vegetation is public domain that can not be impeded. The Texas General Land Office is charged with enforcing the Act, and local jurisdictions have some say on what "public access" means to them. There are stipulations such as public safety needs or environmental concerns, for example, which allows a municipality to restrict driving on beaches.
Where to go
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Despite some restrictions, there are a lot of beaches to choose from. Every beach is considered a Texas State Highway, so all traffic laws apply – yes including seatbelts. Flip flops and bare feet are legally allowed. Also, like some highways, you may have to pay to play, as a majority of the beaches have some sort of access fee. Surfside Beach is on the pricey side at $15 daily, while that $15 will get you a year of access and maybe a hot dog or two at Matagorda Beach. Make delicious choices.
There are a handful of free beaches as well. For those into SpaceX, Boca Chica Beach may be the spot for you. Closer to Galveston, the West End beaches offer free access to beaches. The vibe of the beaches varies wildly. Beaches closer to bigger cities can seem like little more than sandy parking lots, but with a little bit of work you can find more solitude.For true privacy, Texas has the "Longest Undeveloped Beach Drive in the World." The Padre Island National Seashore offers 66 miles of beach adventure. This is a wild beach with soft sand and other obstacles, so a four-wheel-drive vehicle is your best bet. There are no services, so come prepared with food, beverages, gas and probably recovery gear. For your efforts, you'll be rewarded with beautiful scenery, plenty of wildlife and a good bit of peace and quiet. Bring a tent and fishing pole and make a couple days out of it!
But I'm not in Texas, you say
If you're sold on beach driving, but not actively in Texas, don't fret big fella. There are plenty of places nationwide to get your fix. We mentioned California's dune buggy culture earlier. The "birthplace" of that culture, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area in Southern California just reopened for your driving pleasure. Further north on the west coast, Washington has a 28-mile run out on Long Beach Peninsula. On the east coast, "heading down the Cape" of Cape Cod is a popular summer pastime. Further south, Cape Hatteras National Seashore has over 50 miles of accessible beach, including Corolla Beach, which has wild horses just wandering around, being wild. Go eve further south to Florida and there is, of course, Daytona Beach. Nearby, venture to lesser known New Smyrna Beach, where this writer cut his teeth driving the beach in a beat up old Chevette.