Port O'Connor Jetties

Reachable only by a 20-plus minute boat ride from the sleepy fishing town of Port O'Connor on the Central Texas coast, these sandbars flanking the Matagorda Peninsula jetties are among the most isolated surf setups in the Gulf. S and SE swells groom the sandbars into workable lefts and rights, with offshore N, NW, or W winds keeping faces clean. The jetties' length lets this spot handle larger swells than most Gulf breaks, and it genuinely comes alive when a hurricane is pushing northeast through the basin toward landfall further east. Best at medium tide, waist-high to double overhead. Intermediate to advanced surfers will find the most from it, and crowds are essentially nonexistent outside of major hurricane events. Bottom: sand. Season: late summer through fall, late winter to mid-spring. Consistency: low to moderate, swell-dependent. Come self-sufficient: water, sunscreen, and a well-anchored boat are non-negotiable out here.