surf's up

2 Texas beaches make a splash among 10 best in U.S. for 2026

Jamaica Beach earned a 9.20 "local secret" score.

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The Lone Star State has already preheated for the summer, and two coastal shores on Galveston Island have emerged atop a new list of the best beach destinations in the U.S.

HomeToGo's 2026 U.S. Beach Index ranked Galveston's Jamaica and Terramar beaches the third and sixth best destinations nationwide for a "beach break" in 2026.

To determine the rankings, HomeToGo created a shortlist of 100 U.S. beaches where vacation accommodations had a median price per person of less than $200 per night. The list was then ranked based on five metrics: a "hidden gem" score; the median nightly price for accommodations; average high temperatures from April to September; average visitor satisfaction based on Google, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Facebook reviews; and a "local secret" score based on the average distance traveled by vacationers to reach the destination.

"While traditional hot spots remain popular, this year’s index shines light on some lesser-known beach destinations where travelers can make the most of their vacation without the stress of overcrowded shorelines or overburdened budgets,” said HomeToGo spokesperson Eleanor Moody.

Jamaica Beach, a tiny beach town located next to Galveston Island State Park, landed in third place nationwide after Florida's Saint Joe Beach (No. 1) and Bethune Beach (No. 2). Last year, Jamaica Beach ranked 17th on the list.

Other than sunbathing and getting your feet wet in the water, visitors are welcome to fish from the shore or in West Bay, go kayaking in dedicated areas, or enjoy a relaxing picnic in the sand. Visit Galveston recommends travelers visit during the middle of the week during spring and fall to avoid heavy crowds and the brutal summer sun.

Jamaica Beach is a vacation hotspot for 2026. visitgalveston.com/

According to the report's findings, many visitors who travel to Jamaica Beach aren't coming from too far away. The beach earned a 9.20 "local secret" score, where locations with the shortest average distance traveled by visitors are awarded a maximum score of 10.

Vacationers expect to spend about $93 per person per night on accommodations at Jamaica Beach, which also earned it high marks for its affordability.

"Covering just under a square mile, this small coastal community moves at an easy island pace, offering quieter sands than busier parts of Galveston and space for beachcombing, sunbathing, kayaking, and paddleboarding," the report said.

No. 6-ranking Terramar Beach is situated less than 10 miles west from Jamaica Beach down Galveston Island. This little seashore offers an even better "hidden gem" feel than Jamaica Beach, and is slightly more affordable. Accommodations cost about $86 per person per night at Terramar Beach, HomeToGo found.

The top 10 best beach destinations in the U.S. in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Saint Joe Beach, Florida
No. 2 – Bethune Beach, Florida
No. 3 – Jamaica Beach, Texas
No. 4 – Butler Beach, Florida
No. 5 – South Bethany Beach, Delaware
No. 6 – Terramar Beach, Texas
No. 7 – Satellite Beach, Florida
No. 8 – Shell Beach, California
No. 9 – Litchfield Beach, South Carolina
No. 10 – Indian Beach, North Carolina

beaches texas hometogo travel vacations bests

BBQ NEWS

Hard Eight BBQ chain to open first location outside of North Texas

Hard Eight BBQ/ Facebook

Hard Eight BBQ is opening its first San Antonio joint.

Popular chain Hard Eight BBQ is exporting its smoked meats and sandwiches to San Antonio, marking the restaurant's first location outside of North Texas.

Hard Eight BBQ is set to open at The Rim retail development, at 17907 IH-10 W. in San Antonio, later this year.

Hard Eight, H8 for short, is based in Stephenville and has four additional locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth: in Coppell, The Colony, Roanoke, and Burleson. It’s the type of neighborhood restaurant locals take out-of-towners to, with a large cafeteria-style line. It reportedly doesn’t cook everything according to time-honored techniques, but it does give a taste of Texana.

The owners have been teasing the joint in a series of social media videos, but have kept quiet on the timeline. Now, new Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) filings say the 17,300-square-foot restaurant aims to finish construction by November.

H8 sells all the Texas barbecue classics including brisket, sausage, and ribs, but the smoked meats menu goes well beyond with shrimp poppers, sirloin, ham, pork chops, and even thick-sliced bologna available by the pound and in sandwiches.

The restaurant brings the same range to the sides. Although smoke shack favorites like macaroni ‘n’ cheese, slaw, potato salad, and pinto beans are on the slate, the barbecue joint also dishes out more newfangled dishes like jalapeño cream corn and sweet potato fries. There’s not much in the way of green vegetables, but diners can order a garden salad if they insist.

Cofounder Chad Decker, with wife Carie and in-laws Vicki and Phillip Nivens, first opened Hard Eight in 2003 in a former Stephenville filling station. His approach to barbecue was formed during his childhood in Llano, he says, where he was exposed to Hill Country methods and traditional German pits.

Although the quartet had zero experience in running restaurants, they slowly built the concept into a mini-empire through trial and error.

So far, H8 hasn’t shared an opening timeline, but its most recent Reel suggests some construction is already taking place. A request for more accurate timeline information was not immediately returned.

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