McGee Beach(Corpus Christi Dog Park, Water's Edge Park)

Located near the Downtown area of Corpus Christi, McGee Beach – also called Mcgee Beach – is a popular beach with light brown sand and a few rocky jetties. 

McGee Beach offers lifeguards between 12 pm to 6 pm during summer season – you can visit city of Corpus Christi’s website for more information regarding the exact duration of the seasonal lifeguard postings.  In addition to lifeguards, the beach and the nearby areas offer many other amenities including volleyball courts, restrooms, showers, a playground, grassy recreational areas, benches, observation areas, and rental facilities for cabanas, bikes, beach chairs, and watersports equipment.

Dogs on leash are allowed here.

McGee Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, swimming, paddleboarding, boating, jet-skiing, skimboarding, bodyboarding, parasailing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, surf-skiing, kayaking, canoeing, and wildlife watching.  If you like fishing, the rocky jetties at McGee Beach are great fishing sites

The beach is ideal for less-experienced swimmers because the water here is known to usually have gentle waves and is usually clear, but if you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, or surf-ski here we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents.  In addition, the water here is also known to have jellyfish.

There is a disabled-friendly sidewalk near McGee Beach.  In addition, beach wheelchairs are also available at McGee Beach for visitors with disabilities – if you want to use a beach wheelchair, you can contact Corpus Christi’s Parks & Recreation Department by phone at (361) 826-3469. 

Getting to McGee Beach is easy – this beach is located near 402 South Shoreline Boulevard.  There are multiple free parking lots near the beach, along with multiple free street parking spaces.  We recommend visiting early during summers because the parking lots and street parking spaces here can fill up quickly.

If you like taking pictures with amazing views, McGee Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Corpus Christi Bay and the Corpus Christi shoreline.  In addition, the beach also hosts many fun events including live music performances and a volleyball tournament in spring.  

There are many attractions near McGee Beach.  The Texas State Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the United States and it exhibits wildlife from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea – this aquarium is home to many aquatic and non-aquatic animals including birds, sharks, otters, alligators, and dolphins.  This aquarium also has a 4D theater and a splash park.  Corpus Christi Downtown Seawall is a seawall near McGee Beach that has a one-and-a-half miles long promenade that offers a fun waterfront biking, walking, and jogging experience.  This walkway offers amazing views of the Corpus Christi Bay and it also has benches, observation areas, and an open-air exhibit on the Solar System.

Heritage Park – also called Corpus Christi Heritage Park – is a park that has 12 beautiful historic houses and the oldest of these houses dates back to the mid-19th century.  This park offers a unique insight into Corpus Christi’s diverse history and it also hosts many fun cultural events throughout the year.  South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is a 182-acre botanical garden that offers many interesting sections including a rose garden, an orchid conservatory, a hummingbird garden, and a desert plant garden.  This botanical garden is also home to many birds and butterflies and it also has nature trails, a treehouse, and a boardwalk.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History has many interesting exhibitions on natural and local cultural history including artifacts from shipwrecks, artworks, a science center, and a xeriscape garden.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near McGee Beach.  Water Street Oyster Bar is known for serving amazing seafood and it also serves pasta, sushi, burgers, salads, and Southern-style dishes.  Republic of Texas Bar & Grill is an upscale restaurant that offers many delicious gourmet dishes including steaks, pork chops, seafood, lamb, soups, 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.  Harrison's Landing offers many amazing dishes including sandwiches, burgers, seafood, soups, salads, pastas, and nachos.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Andy’s Country Kitchen– also called Andy’s Kitchen – offers excellent dishes for breakfast and lunch including Mexican dishes, seafood, waffles, Southern fried chicken, and eggs.

If you are looking for a hotel near McGee Beach, there are many great nearby options.  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 Residence Inn by Marriott Corpus Christi Downtown that offers many amenities including a pool, a fitness center, a convenience store, and complimentary breakfast.  The 3-Star Embassy Suites by Hilton Corpus Christi is another moderately priced hotel that offers many amenities including a pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast.  Another moderately priced hotel is the 3-StarBest Western Corpus Christi offers many amenities including a pool, a gym, a lounge, vending machines, and an ATM.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Emerald Beach Hotel offers many amenities including multiple bars, a lounge, a gym, a pool, a sun deck, a hot tub, and an indoor games area.