The 30 best beaches in the Gulf of Mexico that you have to visit

The best 30 beaches in the Gulf of Mexico have qualities that make them one of the most popular in the world. Let’s get to know them in this article.

1. Miramar Beach (Tamaulipas, Mexico)

In the state of Tamaulipas, Ciudad Madero municipality, there is one of the most beautiful and popular beaches in the Gulf of Mexico with 10 km of fine sand and warm waters with calm waves.

It is an easily accessible beach that you can get to by your own vehicle or public transport. The Coastal Boulevard is the road that must be taken to reach it.

In Miramar beach you will find lodgings, restaurants, rental of lounge chairs, bicycles, ATVs, toilets, parking and camping area. The shops and hotels are on the banks of the avenue.

Peculiarities

On the boardwalk “Las Escolleras” you will see the monument in honor of the crew members of the oil tankers sunk during the Second World War. You will also see the dolphins of the Gulf of Mexico swim very closely.

2. Montepio Beach (Veracruz, Mexico)

Montepío is 160 km from the port of Veracruz, in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, in the heart of the volcanic mountains. It is a beach with gentle waves, a waterfall and a beautiful rocky landscape.

There you will have restaurants, hotels and entertainment services such as rock climbing, zip-lining, boat rides and kayaking.

On the south side of the coast and renting a boat you can visit the nearby caves and if you like, surf.

The “five jets” is a waterfall 30 minutes from Montepío beach, which you can reach on horseback or with the services of a guide.

3. Split Rock (Veracruz, Mexico)

The Roca Partida cliff is listed as a biosphere reserve. It is a beach characterized by rocks whose foliage is dressed in green and trees that grow inclined or horizontally.

It is 130 km from the port of Veracruz, specifically in Arrollo Lisa, Los Tuxtlas region, with lodgings and a space for camping and rappelling. The telephone signal there is minimal.

In the place cliffs have been formed (which you can climb) as a result of the impact that the lava has with the sea. You will be able to visit the famous cave of the pirate Lorencillo, who according to legend hid his treasures in Roca Partida.

4. Emerald Coast (Veracruz)

Costa Esmeralda is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Gulf of Mexico. A quiet environment of soft sand and waters with shades of green where you can fish. It is on the north side of the state of Veracruz.

It is a 40 km strip with 6 beaches with hotels and restaurants that fit any budget. A place to ride kayaks, horseback, banana boats, jet skis, ATVs and at the same time, to enjoy the scenery, relax and share with your partner.

There they prepare Veracruz-style fish, crab chilpachole, octopus with onions, among other tasty typical Mexican dishes.

The six beaches located in Costa Esmeralda are:

1. Monte Gordo Beach

The most popular of the strip with calm waters and ideal for camping. It has bathroom services and very good hotels.

2. East Beach

It has a spa, two places for camping, a swimming pool, restrooms and the most luxurious hotels in the area.

3. La Vigueta Beach

Beautiful beach with hotels, including the most famous in Costa Smeralda.

4. Ricardo Flores Magon Beach

On this Costa Esmeralda beach is the entrance to the Ciénaga del Fuerte, a place with incredible mangroves that you can enjoy practicing ecotourism throughout 800 hectares.

5. Guadalupe Beach

Beach with grocery stores, drinks, picnic areas and very good restaurants.

6. Gulfport (Mississippi, United States)

Beach for rowing, kayaking and pedal boating, famous for the grooves that form in the water, a majestic spectacle.

In addition to seeing the beautiful blue of its waters and feeling the white sand that covers the 19 km of the coast, you can admire dolphins, local birds and lizards. It is a fairly clean place with a view that is accompanied by the boats that are anchored in the port.

This quiet sandy area near New Orleans is a quiet place with few visitors, with access for people with disabilities or reduced mobility.

Its activities include fishing off the pier, renting jet skis, catching crabs, and watching the sunset. Pets are not allowed.

6. Chaparrales Beach (Veracruz, Mexico)

Beautiful beach with rock formations and moderate waves just over an hour from the city of Poza Rica, Veracruz.

You can marvel at the palm trees and their exoticism, as well as various species that inhabit the sea and the many colorful seashells found on the shore.

Another show to see is the nesting of turtles on the shore of the beach.

To visit Chaparrales beach it is necessary to reach Cazones de Herrera and take any of its sides (the right or the left).

Also read our guide on the 28 best tourist places in Veracruz that you have to visit

7. Aguada Island (Campeche, Mexico)

Virgin beach that separates the Laguna de los Terminos from the Gulf of Mexico, a division that makes it an area with two environments; in one are the beaches of the lagoon and in the other, the sandbanks of the sea.

The boat tours offered by the fishermen cross the Laguna de los Terminos and although the price is somewhat high, it is worth it.

You can see the two lighthouses on Isla Aguada. In one of them there is a museum that you can visit.

Among the bird species found there are the heron, certain varieties of falcons and the jabiru stork. There are also mammals and reptiles.

8. Seybaplaya (Campeche, Mexico)

With cabins, palm trees and the beautiful combination of blue and green tones of its waters, the state of Campeche is another natural paradise that bathes the shores of the Gulf of Mexico: Seybaplaya.

A remote place with palapas and restaurants both to relax and to have adventures (kayaking and snorkeling).

This beach is on the coastal strip of the state of Campeche. If you travel by car and take the southwest side of the city of Campeche, it will only take you 30 minutes to get to Seybaplaya.

9. Siho Beach (Campeche, Mexico)

The exotic beauty of Siho makes it one of the best beaches in the Gulf of Mexico, a place with a romantic, quiet atmosphere and a gentle sea breeze in one of the most fascinating areas of the Champotón municipality, in the extreme north of the state of Campeche.

The beach has palapa service and a sand hill from where you will have magnificent views.

Its activities include horseback riding, kayaking, picnics, diving and water skiing, all together with a wide range of hotels.

10. Bonita Beach (Campeche, Mexico)

Beach with crystal clear waters, gentle waves, fine white sand and magnificent sunsets that add to its natural attractions. It is close to San Francisco de Campeche, 15 minutes from the city center.

Bonita opens from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm for 2 Mexican pesos for access. If you go by car or bicycle you will pay 10 pesos and 5 pesos, respectively. From Monday to Friday there are fewer visits.

The place has restaurants with Campeche and Mexican cuisine. Dogfish bread is one of the most popular dishes.

Its entertainment includes water skiing, swimming, soccer and volleyball. A sandbank with rental of hammocks and palapas, bathroom services, showers, dressing rooms and lifeguards. It has access for people with reduced mobility.

11. Clearwater Beach (Florida, United States)

Many tourists comment on Tripadvisor that Clearwater Beach is one of the best beaches in the Gulf of Mexico to share with the family.

It has beautiful blue waters and white sand, with spectacular sunsets. Its restaurants prepare dishes for all tastes and its hotels are equally applauded by visitors.

On this clean beach in West Florida, USA, you’ll find umbrella rentals and parking.

12. Dolls Beach (Veracruz, Mexico)

Beach with wild waves due to being in the open sea, a favorable condition for surfers and practitioners of other extreme sports.

It is called that because some rocks resemble the shape of a doll that “looks” at the horizon, a curiosity that made it a tourist attraction.

The beautiful blue of its waters, its rock formations and the sunsets make this a dream place to share with the family. A clean, paradisiacal environment with some dunes rarely visited by tourists.

Playa Muñecos is one hour from the port of Veracruz.

13. La Pesca Beach (Tamaulipas, Mexico)

On this beach you will find natural beauties headed by the 230 km that the Laguna Madre covers, a body of water open to the Gulf of Mexico.

It is a beach with soft white sand, crystal clear waters and a very calm atmosphere. Rivers such as the Soto La Marina and Conchos rivers flow there.

It also has the Morales lagoon, a large expanse of salt water where you can practice sport fishing, an activity with which annual tournaments are held.

Another of the great attractions are the species of birds that perch in the waters and the spawning of turtles on the shores of La Pesca beach in July.

Among the activities you can do in this part of the Gulf of Mexico are boat and kayak rides and fishing. Equipment for diving is also rented.

The sandbank, in Puerto La Pesca, municipality of Soto La Marina, has many restaurants and lodgings. Buses leave from the city of Victoria that will take you directly to this magnificent beach in Tamaulipas and the Gulf of Mexico.

14. Las Coloradas Beach (Yucatan)

The pink and turquoise sea of Las Coloradas has large amounts of salt, making it unsuitable for swimming. However, it is a place with beautiful landscapes that are well worth photographing.

You will be able to see the confluence of the tonality of the waters, the arid vegetation, the salt flats and the factory that processes them. The pink flamingos can be seen between April and May.

It is a private beach that for 50 Mexican pesos you can visit. The guides will give you an explanation about the salt flats and the species such as the pink flamingos and the horseshoe crab.

From the city of Mérida, Playa del Carmen, Cancún and Valladolid, you will find public transportation and travel agencies that offer tours of Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos.

15. Tuxpan Beach (Veracruz, Mexico)

Beach with a family atmosphere and 42 kilometers of fine sand and low waves. A natural space with rental of palapas, hammocks and tables, all to observe the landscapes, especially the sunsets.

Its great extension has divided it into several beaches: Faro beach, Azul beach, El Palmar beach, Cocoteros beach, San Antonio beach, Benito Juárez beach, Emiliano Zapata beach, Barra Galindo beach and Villamar beach.

Its restaurants offer a good part of Veracruz and Mexican cuisine. There are also street vendors and a good hotel offer.

Playa Tuxpan is ideal for diving, volleyball and beach soccer. You can also visit the El Loko Water Park.

It is 289 kilometers from Mexico City, which is equivalent to a four-hour drive. If you go by car you will find the Mexico – Pachuca highway; then you must be aware of the signs until you find highway 132, which will take you to the town of Tuxpan.

16. Paradise Beach (Campeche, Mexico)

Soft sand beach, gentle waves and shallow waters, just 3 km from Champotón, in the heart of the Riviera Maya, quite close to the center of San Francisco de Campeche.

It is a place with a pleasant climate (average 26 degrees Celsius) and a lot of jungle vegetation.

17. North Beach (Campeche, Mexico)

White and soft sand beach with palapas, dressing rooms, lifeguards, doctors, banana boat rides, jet skis, kayaks, sailboats and parachutes.

Although it still lacks greater tourist infrastructure, North Beach is still charming, which also has a beautiful boardwalk from where you can see beautiful sunsets and where you can go running.

On the coast there are several food stalls that offer national cuisine dishes at good prices.

Near the sandbank there is a zoo, sports courts and playgrounds.

18. North Lido Beach (Florida, United States)

Virgin beach with turquoise waters and choppy currents without palapa services, neither marine vehicle rentals, nor lifeguards, at the northwest end of St. Armand’s Circle, a quarter of a mile from said town.

North Lido Beach was in the 70s a nudist beach much visited by foreigners, especially Europeans. Now it is not so crowded, something in favor for those who prefer silence and absolute tranquility in white sands.

In its surroundings there are residential complexes, shops and restaurants. At its northern end there are some dunes.

19. Caracol Beach (Campeche, Mexico)

Campechana beach with beautiful landscapes made up of mangroves, blue waters and gentle waves, which come from the Terminos lagoon.

On the coast there are palm trees, palapas, an area for water sports, a dock for boats, restaurants and large hotel chains.

The natural settings, especially at sunset, are quite a spectacle. If you go with children you can rent a water bike and if you like, practice surfing and sailing.

Playa Caracol is towards the southern end of Ciudad del Carmen, bordered by Isla Aguada and Isla del Carmen.

20. Las Palmitas Beach (Veracruz, Mexico)

Beach with warm waters and a beautiful blue that invite you to swim with the family. One of its greatest attractions is “Bocana”, a place where salt and fresh waters converge.

It has palapas to be in the shade and a few meters from the shore there are palm trees and other smaller plants that make Las Palmitas even more beautiful, a place bathed by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

It is one of the most visited beaches in Agua Dulce, municipality of Veracruz, with an important gastronomic variety due to its many restaurants.

From the city of Veracruz you can find the accesses that will take you to this beautiful and very popular Blue Flag beach.

21. Bahamitas Beach (Campeche, Mexico)

Place of fine sand and crystal clear waters, that is Bahamitas, Campechana beach 15 km from Ciudad del Carmen. If you go from Mérida you should take the federal highway 180 and pay attention to the signs.

Its activities include diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, water skiing and sport fishing, although many visitors prefer to walk along the beach to watch the sunset.

The gastronomy of this paradise can be tasted in several of its restaurants with dishes such as shrimp cocktail, fish broth and grilled seafood.

22. Celestun Beach (Yucatan, Mexico)

Gulf of Mexico beach 105 km from the city of Mérida, specifically from the west end. A coastal area that has an estuary inhabited by a large number of species such as pink flamingos.

You can practice kayaking in the mangroves of Dzinitún, a protected area for hosting birds that breed there and that come from various parts, such as the ducks that travel from Canada in March and December.

Celestun is now one of the most important ports in the Yucatan. You can take boat rides through the estuary from the pier or on the shore of the beach; in the latter case, the fishermen offer the service.

There is also a very good gastronomic offer. If you go in a group, several travel agencies organize tours from Mérida. The journey takes an hour and a half. There are also taxi lines that can take you to Celestún.

23. Chachalacas Beach (Veracruz, Mexico)

Beach with waters of color between blue and turquoise with incredible natural resources, 4 hours from Mexico City. You can go from the port of Veracruz taking highway 108.

Its dunes cover 500 km and part of its attractions are motorcycle rides, ATVs, banana boats, boats and horses.

Chachalacas has restaurants, bathrooms and showers. Also modest hotels but with good basic services.

24. Fort Lauderdale Beach (Florida, United States)

The beautiful city of Fort Lauderdalem, in Florida, United States, has more than 7 kilometers of beaches along its coasts. A clean place without as much algae as other beaches in Miami have.

It has cafes, restaurants, shops and many other places and activities for fun, such as water skiing. Barbecues are allowed.

To access Fort Lauderdale Beach you have to pay between USD 20 and USD 25, an amount that includes parking.

25. Nap Beach

For many on Tripadvisor, Siesta Beach is the best beach on the Gulf of Mexico, a sandbank that won first place as the best beach in the United States in 2017.

You will always be invited to watch its sunsets while you walk through its soft, fine and white sand, which also has a large amount of quartz.

The intense blue of the sea also has preponderance in the beauty of this enchanted paradise.

The temperature in January is between warm and cold, which is why it is for many the best month to visit this beach with shallow waters. It has a picnic area and you can kayak, snorkel and sport fish.

26.Clearwater Beach

This is another wonder that the Gulf of Mexico offers in Florida, USA, a family beach with beautiful blue waters and white sand.

In this, as in many beaches that make up the Gulf of Mexico, dolphins can be seen, something that tourists always love.

The beach has palm trees for the day and places to eat and listen to live music at night. Among the activities carried out are skydiving and boat rides.

Clearwater Beach, which in 2016 was chosen by TripAdvisor as the best in the United States, is located in western Florida.

27. Fort Myers Beach (Florida, United States)

Beach with a very tropical climate, white sands that do not burn and calm waves of warm waters, 200 km from Orlando (adjacent to Bonita Spring, another of the incredible beaches of Florida)

It has a dock and expensive parking on the boulevard. Its sunsets are beautiful and you can see dolphins.

Among the activities you can do along its 7 miles, apart from swimming, walking and tanning, is kayaking, surfing, skydiving and a dolphin eco-tour.

Fort Myers Beach has its own shopping center, Times Square. Here you will find more information about the beach.

28. Sanchez Magallanes Beach (Tabasco, Mexico)

With a total of 183 km of coastline that make up the Gulf of Mexico, we have Sánchez de Magallanes beach, in the municipality of Cárdenas, a sandy area where gastronomy is one of the main attractions.

The waters of the beach are warm and the sand is very soft, ideal for those who want to take boat trips to observe the beauties of the bay or practice sport fishing, the main recreational activity in the area.

The town of Sánchez de Magallanes is a peninsula between the sea and the El Carmen lagoon, specifically 122 km northwest of Cárdenas and 150 km from Villahermosa. Therefore, you can enjoy both the waters of the Mexican Gulf and the lagoon.

On your tour, you may be interested in knowing El Pajaral Island and part of the local fauna such as herons, pelicans, cormorants, among other animals.

29. Sisal Beach

Beach in Yucatan, Mexico, ideal to enjoy with the family. It has an extensive biodiversity and a dock where you can enjoy the pleasant sea breeze.

At Sisal beach you can witness how migratory birds, among which the Canadian duck stands out, enjoy the warmth of these waters that are part of the Gulf of Mexico.

The place has restaurants and lodgings for all tastes and budgets. Their palapas on the edge of the beach fill up very quickly.

30. Siesta Key (Florida, United States)

Paradisiacal place with turquoise waters and quartz sand that gives it an attractive white hue, in the city of Saratosa, Florida, United States.

It is ideal for rest and extremely clean, with a special air that will make you feel as if you were in the Caribbean, a place that guarantees spectacular sunsets, for a reason it is considered the best beach in the United States.

Activities

The activities that take place on this beach include fishing and among the species that inhabit these waters are red-finned trout and spotted trout.

It is a beach visited by walkers, cyclists, joggers, windsurfers, parasailers, surfers and for surf fishing.

In November it hosts the Siesta Key Crystal Classic exhibit, featuring intricate designs and sand sculptures.

In the area there are hotels, cafes, restaurants and boutiques.

What are the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico?

The Gulf of Mexico includes the coasts of Mexican, American and Cuban states.

From Mexico it occupies the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Campeche, Tabasco and Yucatan. Of the United States it occupies Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas and Louisiana. Finally, from the coasts of Cuba it occupies the maritime outlet that leads to the Atlantic Ocean, the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico.

What to visit in the Gulf of Mexico

The beaches of Veracruz, Campeche and Tamaulipas are excellent options in Mexico, although each one that makes up the gulf in Aztec lands has its own peculiar beauties.

In the United States, the beaches of Florida are worth visiting because in addition to the natural beauty, there are also shops and places to buy food and clothes.

This has been the entire selection that we have prepared for you with the 30 best beaches in the Gulf of Mexico. We invite you to share this article with your friends on social networks.