Beach.com released an analysis looking at affordable beach destinations. At No. 1 is a Texas destination just outside of Houston: Pasadena. This area provides access to several nearby beaches and some well-known barrier islands.
Planning a summer beach vacation might not be at the top of your to-do list right now—the wild prices of staples like eggs and milk mean that everyone has to be a little more budget-conscious this year. But a new study from Beach.com finds that it is still possible to take an affordable beach vacation this year—it just might not be in the cities you usually associate with sandy shores, extra sunblock, and turquoise waters.
The study named Pasadena, Texas, is the most affordable beach destination in the United States, among both big and small cities. Pasadena isn’t super walkable, but for all other factors combined, it adds up to having the lowest costs across the board. Vacationers will spend an average of $1,549 for two people when staying in a hotel.
Methodology
The study evaluated large and small city beach towns to determine which destinations would make the smallest dent in your bank account. To create the ranking matrix, the report analyzed various factors, including what the costs would be for two adults in each location. This includes weekend dining costs, everyday expenses, airfare, hotel rates, vacation rental rates, walkability, and price volatility. This last one is important because it accounts for the seasonal price changes that many popular destinations have throughout the year.
For many people, the Texas city might not jump out as an obvious beach destination. It is named after the significantly more well-known Pasadena, California, and is just down the road from the much more popular Galveston, Texas.
But just because it doesn’t have the name recognition of Miami or Malibu doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some beautiful coastline to enjoy. The city has access to several beaches, including El Jardin Beach Park and Sylvan Beach—and isn’t too far from some famous barrier islands like Red Fish Island and Brother Island Beach.
Pasadena is also only a short drive away from Houston, which means that you can also get some time exploring the city’s vibrant art scene and maybe even catch a rodeo. If you’re looking for even more Gulf-front beach towns on the Texas Coast, Travel + Leisure has you covered with a guide to the best Texas beaches.
And if you’re looking for other affordable beach destinations across the U.S., you’ll find plenty in the Beach.com study. For more small town affordability, you can consider Hialeah, Florida, or Elizabeth, New Jersey. For big city options, consider Long Beach, California, or Tampa.
