Lifestyle

This Texas Beach Town Named One of 13 Most Affordable in U.S.

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Have you always wanted to live at the beach? Does the salt air, the sound of the waves and the call of the seagulls speak to your heart? Well, Thrillist recently named their Top 13 Most Affordable Beach Towns to live in which are located in the country and Freeport, Texas made the list, coming in at number 5 (not too shabby, huh?).

Median Home Price: $71,000

beach towns

Photo: Flickr/CameliaTWU

Freeport is a bustling port city, about 63 miles south of Houston, right on the Gulf of Mexico. While it’s not known for long strands of white sands, the fishing here is as good as anywhere along the gulf. It’s a town of only about 12,000 and the median home price is $71,000.

According to the Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce, Freeport has some of the best deep sea fishing around. A number of charter boat services are available for large and small groups, taking both day and overnight trips. For those who prefer surf fishing, Freeport has 3.5 miles of the cleanest beaches on the Texas Gulf Coast that are patrolled regularly by police and fire personnel to ensure public safety.

A Historic Downtown Area

Freeport Museum

Photo: Facebook/Freeport Historical Museum

The downtown area features several blocks of early 1900 historic buildings surrounding beautiful Memorial Park. The Dow Freeport Historical Museum has something for all ages including a Children’s Museum Exhibit and special exhibits showcasing local birding, Texas history, and World War II. A recent expansion to the museum is a restored 100-year-old building available for rental.

Family-Friendly Beaches, Bird-Watching, and Golfing

Birding

Photo: Flickr/Dan Pancamo

In addition to family-friendly beaches, nearly 900 acres of natural parkland are available for recreation. Birders come from all over the world in December for the annual Freeport Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Bryan Beach, the Freeport Wetlands, and the Dow Chemical Black Skimmer Colony make Freeport one of the premier areas for viewing wildlife.

The Freeport Golf Course is an 18-hole links-style course, open and challenging with the gulf breezes. The course offers golf lessons, a driving range, a pro shop, carts and club rental. Freeport is the departure point for The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The 300 acres of coral reefs are home to at least 22 species of coral, as well as 175 fish species including angelfish, eagle rays, hammerheads, loggerhead turtles, manta rays, octopuses, and seahorses.

To see what other U.S. beach towns made Thrillist’s list, visit the Thrillist website.