Closed Beach(Close Beach)

Located near Corpus Christi, Closed Beach is an approximately four-and-a-half-mile-long scenic beach with white sand and nearby sand dunes in Padre Island.  A portion of this beach is known as Malaquite Beach – this popular portion is located adjacent to the Malaquite Visitor Center and it 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 also known as Mr. Beach.  It is important to note that despite its name indicating otherwise, Closed Beach is not really closed to the public.

Closed Beach is part of a larger Federally-protected national seashore named Padre Island National Seashore.  

Although Closed 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, and picnic tables.  Most of the amenities at this beach are located near the Malaquite Visitor Center.

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

Closed Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, picnicking, camping, fishing, volleyball, swimming, surfing, paddleboarding, boating, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, and wildlife watching. 

This 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, surf 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 are Portuguese man o’ war and stingrays in the water.  If you are planning to surf, kayak, or canoe here, please also note that surfing and launching kayaks/canoes near a portion of this beach is prohibited – this portion is located directly in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. 

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 here, please visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the campground amenities and charges. 

There is a visitor center near this beach named Malaquite Visitor Center – this center offers interesting exhibitions on local history and biodiversity.

The only portion of Closed Beach that offers wheelchair access to visitors with disabilities is Malaquite Beach.  Malaquite Beach 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 and walkers for visitors with disabilities are also available nearby – if you want a beach wheelchair, you can contact Malaquite Visitor Center at (361) 949-8068 for more information regarding the same.  

Getting to Closed Beach is easy – the beach is 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 this 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.

This beach apparently received its name – Closed Beach – because driving your car on this beach is prohibited, unlike the other beaches of Padre Island National Seashore.  In addition, Malaquite Beach – which is located within Closed Beach – also hosts many fun events throughout the year including the Annual Malaquite Beach Fun Run, sea turtle hatchling release programs, and the annual Kite Day celebrations.

There are many attractions near Closed Beach within a 25-minute drive. 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.  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.  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.  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 a campground, along with many other amenities including restrooms, two pavilions, picnic areas, and a 1200 feet-long pier named the Bob Hall Pier.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Jumping World is an amusement park that offers many fun things to do and explore including a ropes course, a dodgeball, mechanical rodeo, and go-karts.  Jumping World also has pool tables and an arcade.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Closed Beach within a 32-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.  Black Diamond Oyster Bar is known for serving excellent seafood including oysters, tuna nachos, and shrimp sandwich and it also serves many excellent bar foods and snacks.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, 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 a hotel near Closed Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 40-minute drive.  The 4-Star Omni Corpus Christi Hotel 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.  The 3-Star La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Corpus Christi-N Padre Isl is another moderately priced hotel that offers many amenities including a pool, complimentary breakfast, a hot tub, and a fitness center.  Another moderately priced hotel is the 3-Star Best Western Padre Island that offers many amenities including a pool and complimentary breakfast.  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.