Boca Chica Beach

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Hugging the border just above where the Rio Grande empties into the gulf, Boca Chica is a rarely visited 10,680-acre wilderness very literally at the end of the road. SpaceX's proposed launch site nearby may change all that, and will certainly have some impact on access, but for now it's a peaceful slice of sand dunes away from the world.

The area is administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Facilities are non-existent, so take everything you'll need, but be aware that camping is not permitted.

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Nearby attractions

1. Isla Blanca County Park

5.44 MILES

Just south of the causeway, this county park is the most popular beach on SPI thanks to various concessions and facilities.

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Built (in 1899) sturdily of bricks to resist storms, the home of the history museum served at various times as the town’s railroad station, post office…

4. Treasures of the Gulf Museum

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Sunken treasure! That's the focus of this fun museum, which displays artifacts from three Spanish galleons that went down nearby in 1554. It does a good…

5. Port Isabel Lighthouse

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The Port Isabel Lighthouse was built (of brick) in 1852, and remained in use until 1905. A climb up its 70 somewhat-precarious steps yields great views of…

6. Palmito Ranch Battlefield

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