One of the great pleasures of staying on the Texas Gulf Coast is eating like a local — and eating local means fresh Gulf seafood. Shrimp boats work out of Freeport year-round, and the restaurants nearby know how to cook what comes off them.

Here's a guide to the best seafood dining within easy reach of Surfside Beach RV Park.

A Surfside Beach institution, The Jetty Shack sits right at the end of the road near the jetties. It's casual, unpretentious, and the seafood is genuinely fresh. Order the fried shrimp basket or the fish tacos and eat outside with a view of the water.

Cash and card accepted. Expect a wait on weekends.

This isn't a restaurant tip — it's a pro tip. Stop in at the local bait shop and ask where the regulars eat. The answer changes seasonally and the locals always know the newest spot worth trying. This is how you find the places that don't show up on Google.

Located on the Intracoastal Waterway in Crystal Beach (just across the bridge), Stingaree is a Texas Gulf Coast legend. The waterfront setting, the cold beer, and the fried seafood platters make it worth the short drive. Go for the stuffed crab or the shrimp po'boy.

A no-frills Freeport staple that locals have been going to for decades. The boiled shrimp is exceptional — order by the pound and eat at a picnic table. Simple, fresh, and cheap.

If you're new to Gulf Coast seafood, here's a quick guide to what's in season and what to order:

Gulf Brown Shrimp — The Texas Gulf Coast produces some of the best wild-caught shrimp in the world. Boiled, fried, or grilled — you can't go wrong. Peak season is late summer through fall, but they're available year-round.

Redfish (Red Drum) — The iconic Texas Gulf fish. Blackened redfish on the half shell (cooked skin-side down on the grill) is a Gulf Coast specialty you won't find anywhere else. Mild, flaky, and delicious.

Speckled Trout — Another Gulf Coast favorite, especially popular with local anglers. Pan-fried with butter and lemon is the classic preparation.

Gulf Oysters — Texas Gulf oysters are harvested from Galveston Bay and the surrounding bays. They're briny, plump, and best eaten raw on the half shell with a squeeze of lemon. Oyster season runs October through April.

Flounder — A flat fish that's common in the bays and estuaries. Stuffed flounder (filled with crab and shrimp) is a Gulf Coast tradition.

The difference between Gulf Coast seafood and what you get inland is significant. When a shrimp boat docked in Freeport this morning and the restaurant bought off the dock this afternoon, you taste it. Ask your server where the seafood comes from — the good places are proud to tell you.

If you're fishing during your stay (and you should be — the fishing here is excellent), you can cook your own catch right at your site. A cast iron skillet, some butter, garlic, and lemon is all you need for fresh redfish or trout. Ask the locals at the bait shop for the current hot spots and what's biting.

There's nothing better than eating fish you caught yourself, cooked in your own kitchen, with the Gulf breeze coming through the window.

Staying at Surfside Beach RV Park puts you right in the middle of all of it. Call us at 979-233-6919 to reserve your spot.