Malaquite Beach

Located near Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico, Malaquite Beach is an approximately four-mile-long scenic beach with white sand and nearby sand dunes in Padre Island.  This beach is a part of a national park named Padre Island National Seashore. 

Malaquite Beach has been named the 20th Best Beach in the “Top 50 Beaches in the United States” list in 2022 by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as “Mr. Beach” – and was also listed by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the “The Best Texas Beaches for Every Kind of Traveler” in 2023. 

Although Malaquite Beach does not have lifeguards, the beach and the area around it have many other amenities including an observation area, restrooms, showers, changing rooms, concession stands, a visitor center named Malaquite Visitor Center, and picnic tables.

Dogs on leash are allowed in Malaquite Beach except within a small part of the beach – this dog-free portion is located directly in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. 

Malaquite Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, picnicking, camping, fishing, volleyball, swimming, paddleboarding, boating, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, and wildlife watching.  The beach is ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, and canoers because the water here is known to have mild and manageable waves, particularly during summers.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or surf-ski here, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents, dangerous waves, and occasionally severe undertows – sometimes there Portuguese man o’ war and stingrays in the water.

If you are planning to kayak or canoe here, please note that visitors are prohibited from launching canoes/kayaks from a portion of the beach – this portion is located directly in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center.  In addition, surfing is also prohibited here. 

The beach is great for fishing – the best time for fishing in the water near the beach is between the months of August and October.   If you like beachcombing, we recommend visiting the beach on summer mornings, winter and spring days during low tide, and after storms – you can find many kinds of shells here during these times.

There is a campground near the beach named Malaquite Campground that offers a fun oceanfront camping experience.  If you are planning to camp near here, please visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the campground amenities and charges. 

Malaquite Beach also offers a wheelchair access ramp for visitors with disabilities – this ramp is located near the deck of the Malaquite Visitor Center.  In addition, complimentary beach wheelchairs for visitors with disabilities are also available in Malaquite Visitor Center – if you want a beach wheelchair, you can contact Malaquite Visitor Center at (361) 949-8068 for more information regarding the same. 

Getting to the beach is easy – the beach and Padre Island National Seashore are easily accessible from a road named Park Road 22.  You can easily access Park Road 22 from Texas State Highway 361 and from Texas State Highway 358.  

There is a parking lot near Malaquite Beach, and you need to pay a fee to access the beach – you can visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the entrance fees for Padre Island National Seashore.

The beach is named after the Native American Malaquitas tribe which was one of the multiple Native American tribes living in Padre Island.  In addition, Malaquite Beach also hosts many fun events throughout the year including the Annual Malaquite Beach Fun Run, rehabilitation programs for sea turtle hatchlings, and the annual Kite Day celebrations.

There are many attractions near Malaquite Beach within a 27-minute drive.  Mustang Island State Park is a state park that has a beach named Mustang Island State Park Beach and it also offers many fun activities including sunbathing, swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, camping, geocaching, hiking, biking, and wildlife watching.  The state park also has a vibrant coastal dune landscape and you can see many unique kinds of animals here including green sea turtles, rare aplomado falcons, pocket gophers, and crabs.  Padre Balli Park is a waterfront recreational park that has a beach named Padre Balli Beach and it also offers many fun activities including surfing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, picnicking, beach-driving, and beachcombing.  In addition, this park also has many amenities including restrooms, a campground, two pavilions, picnic areas, and a 1200 feet-long pier named the Bob Hall Pier.

Packery Channel Park– also called Packery Channel Nature Park – is a 38-acre waterfront park that has many amenities including picnic areas, benches, kayak launch areas, a pavilion, boardwalks, butterfly gardens, and observation areas.  This park offers many fun activities including picnicking, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, surf-skiing, fishing, and wildlife watching.  Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve and Learning Center is a preserve that has many amenities including an amphitheater, a bird sculpture, a playground, hiking trails, a pavilion, restrooms, and a learning center.  This preserve offers a fun way to explore the local coastal wetland landscape and it also offers a unique insight into the local biodiversity.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Texas Sealife Center is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of coastal and aquatic wildlife – this center offers guided tours of its premises where visitors can see the center’s permanent resident animals, along with the center’s temporary sea turtle patients.  In addition, this center also has a gift shop. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants within a 36-minute drive.  Black Sheep Bistro offers a variety of excellent dishes including pork chops, steaks, pastas, risotto, burger, seafood, and salads.  Ol’ Steakhouse Co. is a steakhouse that is known for serving outstanding steaks, along with many other delicious dishes for lunch and dinner including chicken dishes, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, and pastas.  Doc’s Seafood & Steaks is known for excellent seafood and steaks, along with excellent soups, salads, chicken dishes, burgers, sandwiches, and tacos.  Snoopy’s Restaurant is a popular restaurant that offers delicious seafood, along with many other amazon dishes including sandwiches, salads, burgers, and fries.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant,  Executive Surf Club has a casual and fun atmosphere and it serves many excellent dishes including wraps, burgers, sandwiches, and Mexican dishes – this restaurant also offers live music performances.

If you are looking for a hotel near Malaquite Beach, there are many great nearby options.  The 4-Star Omni Corpus Christi Hotel is a 40-minute drive away and offers many amenities including a pool, multiple restaurants, a pool, racquetball courts, gift shops, fitness center, and a salon.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Holiday Inn Express & Suites Corpus Christi-N Padre Island, an IHG Hotel that offers many amenities including a pool, a whirlpool, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast.  Another moderately priced hotel is the 3-Star Best Western Padre Island that offers many amenities including a pool and complimentary breakfast.  As another moderately priced hotel, the 3-Star La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Corpus Christi-N Padre Isl offers many amenities including a pool, complimentary breakfast, a hot tub, and a fitness center.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Hawthorn Suites By Wyndham Corpus Christi Padre Is offers many amenities including a fitness room, a convenience store, and complimentary breakfast.