When most people hear the word “Texas”, they think of dusty barrens of land, cowboy boots, pickup trucks, and an abundance of livestock. Surfing is probably one of the last things they would think about, but unbeknownst to them, Texas is one of the finest places to surf in the whole of the United States.
The coast of Texas is surrounded by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, allowing for idyllic surfing conditions for a variety of skill levels. While Texas might not offer monster surf and giant barrels, these waters still offer a multitude of fun for water sports.
Whether you’re a surfing aficionado or you’re wanting to start your surfing hobby in the Lone Star State, here are the 10 best surf shops in Texas!
These shops offer a range of products, from secondhand and new surfboards to other water sports equipment. Most of these stores also offer lessons and rentals for those just starting out in the surfing hobby.
Founded in 2011, Southern Spears Surf Shop is owned and operated by experienced and passionate surfers who understand the importance of high-quality surfing equipment.
The founders are originally from Texas and Australia (hence “spear” which means “surfboard” in Australian slang!), with countless years of surfing experience across the world.
Southern Spears Surf Shop offers a range of surfboards and stand-up paddleboards that can be bought or rented. These boards come from some of the best companies in the world, including Surftech, Riviera Paddleboards, Rusty, Channel Islands, Lost, Boardworks, and Firewire.
The boards range from longboards to shortboards, and customers have the option of buying secondhand boards if they are on a budget.
This surf shop also offers surf lessons for beginners in the idyllic waters of Galveston’s beaches. This is the best way to try out their boards to see if you want to persevere with your new-found hobby!
Rise Surf is a surfer owned and operated retail business that specializes in surfing both in and out of the water. Their range of surfboards and skateboards (alongside apparel) exhibits their expertise in all things surfing.
The boards available range high-performance shortboards to vintage-style single fin boards, allowing for a real mixture of surfing styles.
Plus, the range of skateboards means you can practice your surfing skills out of the water when the conditions aren’t great.
Furthermore, Rise Surf offers a shaping bay that is open to the public that allows you to watch the surfboards being made from scratch.
Alternatively, if you’re an experienced surfer wanting to design your own board, Rise Surf offers the unique opportunity to partake in building a surfboard.
Unlike most other surf shops, Rise Surf is an independent business that makes and manufactures their own products. Therefore, buying from Rise Surf will help to support local shapers and businesses.
Founded in 1987, Wind and Wave Watersports offers over 30 years of experience in all things surfing. Their products range from surfboards and stand-up paddleboards to skateboards and apparel for sale or renting purposes.
Wind and Wave Watersports is ideally located in Corpus Christi, which offers some of the most inconsistent waves for surfing.
The best time to surf at Corpus Christi’s beaches is during hurricane season for the experienced surfers to make use of large barrels and an awesome swell. Buy your board for Wind and Wave Watersports and conquer the waters!
If you’re not looking to buy a surfboard, this surf shop has the option to rent a variety of watersports equipment for the day – including surfboards, kayaks, paddleboards, boogie boards, and wetsuits.
Wind and Wave Watersports is also a huge part of the local coast community, partaking in contests, fishing tournaments, and beach cleanups.
Not everyone looking for a surf shop is wanting to actually buy a surfboard! Island Surf Rentals, as the name suggests, offers the largest variety of rentals in the whole of Port Aransas.
This surf shop specializes in renting out surfboards, as well as kayaks, beach bikes, and golf carts. That’s right – you can hire a golf cart that comes with a beach permit to travel to the perfect surf spot with your rented boards.
Island Surf Rentals is known in the area for its affordable rental prices, which is ideal for beginners and surfers on a budget.
These fair prices mean that customers often walk away with more than one rental – most of the time, customers will rent out a golf cart along with the boards to easily transport the surfboards down to the beach. Ideal for the iconic 6.3 mile long beach!
Founded in 2006, BoardHouse Surf & Skate Shop is a popular surf shop in Port Aransas. This surf shop is made up of experienced and passionate surfers and skateboarders who offer a plethora of information about each board and the sports.
Their products range from used surfboards, new surfboards, SUPs, skateboards, and apparel. They also offer a range of longboards, which is a lovely nod to the Hawaiians who originated the longboard to practice surfing out of water.
BoardHouse Surf & Skate Shop also offers rentals and lessons to share their expertise even more with customers.
The lessons are all private and one-on-one with a qualified instructor for beginners and advanced surfers. Customers can also rent surf boards, body boards, skimboards, SUPs, and bikes. Plus, the surf shop offers dingy repairs!
Dockside Surf Shop has a fairly long history for a surf shop, having been established in 1968. A small business run by Patrick and Tippy Kelley, the store in Corpus Christi is famously known as a shooting location for the 1985 movie “The Legend of Billie Jean”.
Despite its name, however, Dockside Surf Shop sells a variety of surf-related products including surfboards and surfing clothing, beachwear clothing, and accessories. They also sell bodyboards, skimboards, and accessories like sticky bumps, FCS, and more.
If you attend a local competition, odds are you will come across a member of the Dockside Surf Shop team. They represent the shop and its products in contests across the country, which is part of the reason why Dockside Surf Shop is so successful.
Founded in 1969, Pat Magee’s Surf Shop is one of the oldest surf shops in Texas. Pat Magee is a legend in the Texas surfing community, having won the Texas Gulf Coast Championship twice.
His lifetime in surfing has been filled with experiences and achievements, making him the ideal contender for owning a surf shop. Though Pat and his wife retired in 2005, they are still prevalent in the local surfing scene.
While their website doesn’t show the whole range of products available, visiting this surf shop in real life will provide you with the full experience.
Pat Magee’s Surf Shop sells everything from surfboards to apparel. The team in the store is filled with endless information and tips about the world of surfing and Pat’s unique history, making for an interesting visit.
Texas Surf Co., located in Galveston, is all about celebrating the local surfing culture and community. On their online store, customers can order a wide range of apparel and accessories to do with surfing and beachwear with free shipping.
In the real store, customers can choose from an array of surfboards. However, it is worth noting that Texas Surf Co. is primarily a retail store that sells clothing, art, hats, accessories, and more beachwear. Most surfing locals in Galveston wear Texas Surf Co.’s apparel, so it’s probably wise to fit in.
Surfside Surf Station is owned and run by local surfer Austin Campbell, who began his journey in the surfing world from a young age, inspired by his father Steve Campbell who was a famous surfer in the 70s.
The aim of this surf shop is to create a hub for local surfers by selling local Texas surf brands. Buying from this store will directly support local Texas shapers rather than large brands.
The boards on offer range from used, new, custom, and repairs. Surfside Surf Station also offers surfing lessons for all skill levels as well as rental surfboards.
This isn’t a big store, which means there is always a surfing expert available to inform you on what board is best to buy, or give you tips on your surfing technique.
Customers rave about the sense of community in Surfside Surf Station, so if you’re new to the area and wanting to get involved in the local surfing scene, this is the place to be!
Established in 1985, Surf Specialities began as a surf and dingy repair shop in the garage of the owner, James Fulbright. The garage soon turned into a surf shop that specializes in celebrating local businesses and shapers in Texas.
Everything exudes classic 60s surfing in this store, from the decor to the hand-crafted shaped surfboards. One minute you’re looking at surfboards, the next you’re browsing through endless records.
The store has expanded to sell a variety of products, from locally made surfboards to apparel and retro music.
It’s the ultimate surf shop experience for lovers of surfing, because pretty much everything you could possibly want is here. Wax? Got it. Old Hollywood surf movies? Yup. Vintage apparel that is actually affordable? Of course!
What’s more, Surf Specialities also has an extensive blog written by local surfers, which is a great read for anyone interested in surfing in Galveston.
Why And Where To Surf In Texas
The idea of surfing in Texas might seem comical to some tourists, but they often forget the location of the state. Texas isn’t a land-locked state, and its position in the Gulf of Mexico makes for excellent surf conditions along the coast.
Surfside beach is one of the most popular beaches for surfing if you’re a local surfer. Tourists don’t tend to come here, which is part of the reason why the beach is so popular.
The other reason is because of the immense swells and waves this beach has to offer – particularly during hurricane season (if you’re an experienced surfer). The range this beach has to offer makes it ideal for beginners to experts alike.
Corpus Christi, likewise, is a haven for beginners to advanced surfers. The Fish Pass Jetties protects surfers from strong currents while providing fast takeoffs, making this one of the safest spots to surf in Texas. Plus, there’s an abundance of surf shops in Corpus Christi.
Galveston Shipping Channel is a unique and exciting place for experienced surfers to utilize the waves created by the supertankers. Mansfield Jetty is another beach that is only inhabited by experienced local surfers, which is ideal for those who want to escape the crowds.
The waves are frequent and the swell is brilliant, but this area is only recommended for experienced surfers due to the rocks and inconsistent rips. Plus, sharks are often seen around this area!
The most ideal place for beginners to surf in Texas is probably South Padre Island. This beach offers long and short beach-break waves with a swell direction of left and right, making this one of the best places for surfers of all skill levels.
As always with surfing locations, make sure you’ve come with the right equipment, you know what you’re doing in the water, and always check the daily surf reports for the area!
