USA TODAY 7:46 a.m. ET March 2, 2017

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The 10.4-mile Seawall claims to be the worlds longest continuous sidewalk and is often packed with joggers, bicyclists, skaters and those who love to walk along the shoreline without sand crunching between their toes.(Photo: Galveston CVB)

Texas is known for a lot of things cowboys, barbecue and football, just to name a few but its 600 miles of sparkling coastline are often overlooked. That's a shame, because the Gulf Coast has a lot to offer its visitors. Birdwatchers and nature lovers flock to Galveston Island,a haven for migratory birds and wildlife such as raccoons, marsh rabbits and lumbering armadillos. The bar scene of South Padre Island draws the spring break crowd without fail, and active types will like that the beach there is prime for kiteboarders, windsurfers, parasailers and jet skiers. Families love walking along the Seawall for a visit to the Texas State Aquarium. Whether you're a beachcomber, birdwatcher, spring breaker or adventurer, everything's bigger in Texas.

Experience Galveston Island

With 32 miles of smooth-sand shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston Island's beaches range from bustling summertime hotspots to secluded stretches off the beaten path featuring picnic areas, campsites and hiking trails. About an hour's drive from Houston, Galveston is a quick escape for city dwellers, who are lured not only by the island's beaches, but also by its assortment of restaurants and classic fish houses, resort hotels, antique stores, museums, downtown shopping and quiet neighborhoods dotted with Victorian homes.

Destruction from the Great Storm of 1900 led to the building of Galveston's protective and signature beachfront structure the 10.4-mile Seawall. It's claimed to be the world's longest continuous sidewalk and is often packed with joggers, bicyclists, skaters and those who love to walk along the shoreline without sand crunching between their toes.

On Galveston's eastern edge, adults flock to East Beach with its beach parties, festivals, live bands and even an annual sand castle competition. Nearby Stewart Beach is a good choice for families, hosting activities such as volleyball tournaments.

Experience North Padre Island

North Padre Island's popular Gulf of Mexico beaches on the barrier islands protecting the scenic shorefronts of Corpus Christi extend from the sandy shores of Port Aransas southward to the undisturbed dunes and grasslands of Padre Island National Seashore. This stretch is said to be the world's longest area of undeveloped barrier island beachfront. The fine-sand beaches are an added draw for visitors flocking to Corpus Christi's world-class attractions the Texas State Aquarium, the aircraft carrier USS Lexington Museum, and the Museum of Science and History with the replica ships of Christopher Columbus. The area is also a haven for nature lovers and birdwatchers, as South Texas is a key stopping point for spring and fall migrations.

On the upper coast, Mustang Island State Park features 5 miles of shoreline adjacent to campgrounds with utility hookups and shower/restroom facilities. Teens and young adults flock to North Packery Beach with its volleyball courts and barbecues. It's also a hotspot for surfers, windsurfers and kiteboarding. South Packery Beach is more family-friendly and less crowded.

To the south is the 1-mile-long Seawall along Michael Ellis Beach, popular with shortboarders, while Padre Balli Park with Bob Hall Pier is more family-oriented. Amenities include campsites with cabanas and a bath house, while the pier is popular for fishing. White Cap Beach and Natural Beach are less crowded, with the latter more secluded and ideal for nature watching. At the southern edge is Padre Island National Seashore, with more than 130,000 acres of undeveloped grasslands skirting natural sandy beaches.

Experience South Padre Island

Some of Texas' most popular white-sand beaches and clearest surf thrill visitors who make it all the way down to South Padre Island, one of the nation's southernmost tourist draws. This barrier island is particularly well known for its young spring break crowds peaking in March, but the emerald- and aquamarine-hued beach waters also lure families and RVers year-round, particularly "snow bird" retirees in winter. Thirty-four miles long and a half-mile wide along the Gulf of Mexico, South Padre Island is a key destination for birders who flock to see herons, egrets and yellow-billed loons, to name a few of the area's more than 300 bird species during spring and fall migrations.

Most of South Padre's hotels, resorts, restaurants and lively bars lie within the city limits a crisscross of streets ringed by beaches on the gulf side and by wetlands along Laguna Madre Bay. City beach access is off Gulf Boulevard, with small parking lots accommodating 10 to 20 vehicles at most of the 25 or so access streets.

In January and February, events kick up for the so-called "Winter Texans" mostly retirees and seniors who escape colder northern climates. They stay in hotels, resorts and condos, and area beaches and parks offer hundreds of RV hookup spots for those traveling in motorhomes. Activities catering to this group include festivals, concerts, plays and more.

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Photo tour: The best beaches in Texas - USA TODAY