Riviera Beach
Riviera Beach, TX
Riviera Beach was a full blown resort town back in 1907, built by a Minnesota developer with a hotel, an ice plant, and a 400 foot pier that pulled in visitors by train. The hotel and railroad are long gone, but the pier tradition held on. Hurricane Hanna tore the pier apart in 2020, and the county rebuilt it in 2021 as a 490 foot span with a 100 foot T-head over Baffin Bay.
A genuine piece of Texas coastal history and a real fishing spot for locals, but there's not much beach to speak of and almost nothing else out here if fishing isn't the plan.
How we score beachesBaffin Bay is known statewide for trophy speckled trout and black drum, so don't be surprised if the pier is elbow to elbow with serious anglers rather than casual swimmers. Go early or on a weekday for more room.
A paved lot sits right at the pier, free, with no permit required.
The pier and parking area are marked disabled friendly, with restrooms on site, a rarity for a community this small.
Leashed dogs are allowed.
Fall through spring brings the best fishing and the mildest heat, while summer on this exposed bay can get intensely hot with little shade. Hurricane season runs June through November, worth remembering given the pier's history.
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