Port Mansfield Jetties (East Cut)
Port Mansfield, TX
The Port Mansfield jetties mark the East Cut through Padre Island, nine miles from the town of Port Mansfield and reachable only by boat or a long beach drive with no services along the way. Surfers come for the uncrowded breaks along the jetty waves, while the channel itself has grown shallow enough that ocean rollers now break inside it, a real hazard worth knowing about before bringing a boat through.
A real, distinct surf and fishing destination for those willing to make the trip, though the remoteness, lack of services, and now hazardous channel conditions mean it rewards only the well prepared.
How we score beachesPack everything you need before heading out. There are no services anywhere along the approach, whether by the long beach drive or by water.
No formal lot. Overnight camping is permitted directly on the beach near the jetties.
No paved path or facilities. Reached by boat or a long four wheel drive beach approach.
Fall through spring brings the better fishing and milder heat for the long approach, while summer sun with no shade anywhere is intense. Hurricane season runs June through November.
More Gulf Coast beaches
Siesta Key Beach
Siesta Key, FL · Gulf Coast
Fine quartz sand that stays cool underfoot even in summer, sloping gently into calm Gulf water, and consistently rated among the best family beaches in the country.
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater, FL · Gulf Coast
A lively Gulf-front strip with a fishing pier, a nightly sunset celebration at Pier 60, and calm, shallow water that makes it an easy family favorite.
Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach, FL · Gulf Coast
Sugar-white sand within the Gulf Islands National Seashore, with dunes protected from development and water clear enough for snorkeling near the jetties.