Tattered Jeans

The most magical sunset in the world makes itself known — and the kayak man in the moon isn't far behind

Along the Florida panhandle, if the green water and white sand don’t scratch something deep, stick around for the sunset. There’s more.

Around 7 p.m., folks start gathering on the beach. Here, from the porch, if you squint your eyes, the shoreline looks scattered with pick-up sticks. Only upright, as though stabbed in the sand. Everyone’s gazing west. Yearning in unison to see the sunset. Lovely.

Several times throughout the night, it pulls me out of bed to the porch like a magnet. I’m always, surprised.

These sketches in the sky change in seconds so you best be camera ready. I’ll be looking at a horse’s mane and by the time I’ve gone to grab my own camera, the horse has hightailed it and something like Thor’s hammer is happening. In the natural world, life turns on light.

In the eastern sky, an encore is on the rise. Mister Moon, a supermoon they call it, is making his move up and out over big blue. Several times throughout the night, it pulls me out of bed to the porch like a magnet. I’m always, surprised.

During one of these visits, I see a light on the beach that suddenly slips into the ocean as easily as an otter. I can’t make out what it is, but in a few seconds, it’s already reached the first sand bar. Then, the light clean disappears and the otter lets out a shout. More like a song, really. The kind that comes from someplace deep.

I realize then that it’s a man in a kayak. I stay with him and his song for a long time, gliding further and further out with no hesitation, feeling like I am riding there too. In the great green Gulf of Mexico, now, blue.

"Hat."

Photo by Katie Oxford

"Hat."

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a shore winner

Crystal Beach sails among top 10 spring break destinations for 2025

Camp Margaritaville RV Resort Crystal Beach/Facebook

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It may still be February, it's never too early to start thinking about spring break vacation. Fortunately for locals, Houstonians won't have to travel far to reach Crystal Beach, which was just named one of the top 10 destinations for a beachy spring break in 2025.

Crystal Beach climbed through the ranks to land as the No. 7 best beach in vacation rental company HomeToGo's 2025 Beach Index. The report examined 35 beaches around the country based on seven metrics, including a "hidden gem" popularity score, affordability for accommodations in March and April, and a "local secret score" based on vacationers' average distance traveled to reach each destination.

Avila Beach in California took the crown as the No. 1 best beach for spring break in 2025.

Crystal Beach is located in the middle of Bolivar Peninsula, about 100 miles from downtown Houston. The beach earned high praise for its affordability, clear skies score, and local secret score, earning 9.52 out of 10 possible points in all three categories. It also earned 9.11 points for the report's "heat score" which measured the average temperatures in March and April (where higher temperatures received higher scores).

This is how Crystal Beach performed in the remaining three metrics:

7.33 – Food and drink score
7.19 – Hidden gem score
5 – Visitor satisfaction score

For travelers that want a resort-style vacation, Camp Margaritaville RV Resort offers a beachside concert venue, a Texas-sized pool with a swim-up bar and 50 private poolside cabanas, large turf playing field, and RV accommodations. The resort also provides access to 27 miles of beaches along the Bolivar Peninsula.

If Houstonians want to check out a potentially less busy coastal area during their vacation, Surfside Beach (No. 11) and Jamaica Beach (No. 17) were the only two other Texas beaches that were included in the report. Both are situated on Galveston Island less than 65 miles southeast from downtown Houston.

HomeToGo says spring breakers can expect to pay a median nightly rate of $121 per person for accommodations across all of these coastal areas, but prices will likely fluctuate depending on peak travel periods. However, the report additionally revealed that Surfside Beach is the most affordable destination out of all 35 beaches, with visitors paying a median $66 nightly rate per person for accommodations.

"Spring Break continues to be a highly popular time for beach trips across the United States, and with so many destination options available, we are excited to share our annual Beach Index to help travelers navigate the vacation planning waters," said HomeToGo spokesperson Eleanor Moody. "Whether travelers are after blue-sky breaks, savvy stays, or under-the-radar retreats, we hope this report will help pinpoint ideal trips exactly according to personal preferences."

The top 10 best beaches in America for spring break vacation in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Avila Beach, California
No. 2 – Kure Beach, North Carolina and Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina (tied)
No. 4 – Saint Joe Beach, Florida
No. 5 – Vilano Beach, Florida
No. 6 – Bethany Beach, Delaware
No. 7 – Crystal Beach, Texas
No. 8 – Pensacola Beach, Florida
No. 9 – Miramar Beach, Florida
No. 10 – Navarre Beach, Florida

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