From horseback to moke-back: 2 wild ways to explore Corpus Christi beaches
Take a visit to Corpus Christi and you can treat yourself to a coastal cowboy experience with two very different yet equally wonderful adventures.
When I was a kid (and still today as an adult), I loved listening to The Beach Boys. My dad had the “Made in U.S.A.” greatest hits album, which had just about every hit imaginable. Sure, only one member of the group actually surfed, but the general vibe of their music put me in a good mood.
And those harmonies! Listen to the backup singing in this clip and tell me it doesn’t sound like you’re being welcomed into a warm hug and that everything will be alright.
While The Beach Boys croon about the sand and water of California, I’ve also had the chance to be a Texas beach boy. It’s a little more rugged and coastal cowboy, yet it’s still a fantastic time.
So, let’s trade in our surfboards and little Hondas for horses and electric Mokes. We’re off to Corpus Christi!
Horses on the beach
Throughout my life, I’ve ridden horses about a dozen times in some pretty cool destinations around the world. I also once rode a horse as a child in Arizona immediately after eating lunch, and did not keep that lunch down while the horse traversed over rocky terrain. I would not recommend following the same routine I did.
But horses on the beach had eluded me. Luckily, the aptly named Horses on the Beach Corpus Christi offers multiple rides per day to bring that experience to life. I embarked on a sunset ride with a group, including a couple on their honeymoon who, after their original destination of South Carolina experienced flooding, chose Corpus Christi at the last minute. I admired their patience in what was surely a very stressful situation.
After a brief introduction, we were told which horses we’d be paired with and then headed out to the stables to meet them. I was excited to see my horse, Denali. The only Denali I’ve known is the national park in Alaska, which is quite gorgeous. It’s also six million acres of wild land, so I was hoping my horse was smaller and not as wild.
Our expert guide, Laura, repeatedly told me that Denali is a big sweetheart who just wants to eat grass all day. She also repeatedly told me not to let her eat grass.
This setup was a change from my usual horse riding pairings, in which the guides look at me, see that I am the tallest person in the riding group, and give me the biggest, most rambunctious horse. I distinctly remember a trip in the Dominican Republic where my horse stopped to pee, munched on some hay, and then sprinted past the other 30 people in our group like he was in the final stretch of the Kentucky Derby. He did not care that he had a human on top of him, and he certainly did not care that he was carrying said human into thick brush and tree branches with reckless abandon.
If Denali’s biggest issue was eating grass, we were going to get along just fine.
I got saddled up second in our group, and I admired Denali’s calm demeanor as other horses butted their way into the pack and stood by the gates. There were some nervous murmurs among our group that these horses would bolt as soon as the gates opened up, but for the most part, they got into a nice little formation as we began the mile-long trek to the beach.
Those warnings about Denali proved to be true: This gal sure does love grass. I did a decent job keeping her away from the side of the path where there was a bounty of shrubs, but she managed to sneak in a few bites from grassy patches along the middle of the route without breaking stride. I’m drinking tea as I write this, and I’ve already slammed the mug into my teeth twice, so Denali’s multitasking is inspiring.
As we arrived on the beach, the cool sea breeze immediately greeted us. Denali seemed a little tentative about wading in the water—something the guides encouraged if our horses were up for it—so we kept up a nice trot alongside the waves. The other guide, Ciera, told me Denali tends to be a bit of a herder, so she likes staying near the back of the pack. Would I keep my face next to another horse’s rear end for over an hour? I would not, but it worked for Denali, so who am I to judge her effectiveness?
There’s something quite soothing about riding horses on the beach. The sand is generally pretty flat, so you don’t have to worry about any missteps or obstacles in the way. It’s also fun to wave to other people on the beach who are not riding horses, as if you’re a celebrity in a parade.
And of course, the sunset provides some vibrant colors across the sky. We walked a few miles down the beach before turning back around, and the return trip doubled my awe as the sky turned from blue to red, orange, and purple. To her credit, Denali walked just as steadily the entire time. Despite her best efforts, there was no grass to be found on the beach, though she stealthily snagged a few more bites on the way back to the stables. I gave her a pat on the back; she earned it.
Whether you’re visiting Corpus Christi solo or seeing the sights as a group, horses on the beach is an excellent addition to your itinerary. Tell Denali hi for me.
Info on riding horses on the beach in Corpus Christi
- Address: 19136 Park Road 22, Corpus Christi, Texas 78418
- Cost: Rides start at $89 for an hour-long ride. Sunset rides last 1.5 hours and start at $129.
- Riders must be at least eight years old and 250 pounds or lighter.
- Book your horse riding experience here.
Moke cruising along the sand
My coastal cowboy trip wasn’t quite done after dismounting from Denali. The following day, I went from stirrups to an open-air utility vehicle. Mokes were initially designed for the British army to use as a combat vehicle, but people soon realized they’re much better for cruising along the water as a beach buggy.
The Mini Moke made a glorious return in 2017, and spots like Gulf Coast Mokes now let you drive along the shores of Corpus Christi and Port Aransas. Gulf Coast Mokes are also eco-friendly, since they’re fully electric and don’t produce any emissions.
Since I was experiencing these Mokes with a sizable group, I expected to try my hand at driving for a couple of minutes and then swap out with other drivers. It turns out that I was the only one in the Moke who had signed the waiver to drive, so I was in charge of this thing. Perhaps I even let out a maniacal laugh at the idea.
I got behind the seat of Salt Life, a sweet little sea green number, made sure everyone was buckled up, and pulled out into the road. Luckily, for both myself and my fellow passengers, a “Fast and Furious”-esque trip was not in the cards. Mokes top out around 30 miles per hour. They’re legally allowed on roads that are 35 miles per hour or less. And you’re driving much slower on the beach, so they’re free to hit the sand, too.
And hit the sand we did. After a brief drive along the road, aided by Bluetooth speakers blasting a driving playlist—including The Beach Boys’ “Fun, Fun, Fun”—I turned onto the beach. A mildly excited roar emitted from my fellow passengers.
Initially, I opted to drive more inland, away from the shore. After all, people were frolicking on the beach. There’s already enough to worry about in the sea (jellyfish, sudden drops, Jaws, etc.) that I didn’t want to add another threat coming from the opposite direction. However, our Moke quickly realized there was a vehicle patrolling the beach and smoothing out the ground, which led to a growing pile of sand that was ever so slightly veering us toward the edge of the beach into a grassy hill.
I told everyone to hold onto their hats; we were moving into uncharted territory. Thankfully, the Moke had no trouble plowing through the taller pile of sand, and we hit the mainland of the beach with renewed vigor.
After a few minutes, we found ourselves at a crossroads. We could either pass by a pier and continue down the beach, or turn onto the road and drift around the neighborhood for a bit. Encouraged by overcoming the sandy obstacle a mile or so behind us, our Moke crew decided to continue down the beach.
That proved to be a callous decision on our part, because the sand suddenly got a lot thicker. Due to driver error (though we won’t blame any individual here), we may have gotten stuck in a particularly stubborn patch. I highly recommend renting a Moke as a group, because if you’re driving and you get stuck, the rest of your passengers will get out to unwedge the vehicle and push you back to freedom. If it weren’t for the embarrassment of getting stuck in the first place, I really would have basked in that luxury.
The sand did seem to slow us down a bit, even when we got back on paved streets and moseyed around the back roads to admire the cool houses. I consider myself a bit of a techie, so I implemented a secret technique to get us back into shape: turning everything off, waiting a few seconds, and turning the vehicle back on.
Success! We were able to hit our top speed again, and all was right with the world. My judgment may have been clouded by hubris, but I offered to take us down the beach one more time. The seaside air was wonderful to breathe in, and I dare say we were the most stylish people on the sand.
As you can probably guess, it’s a different feeling driving a Moke along the shore compared to riding a horse. But both are fun and active things to do in Corpus Christi, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
Info on riding Mokes on the beach
- Cost: Day rates are $250 for up to eight hours. Longer-term rentals are also available.
- Drivers must be at least 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license and full coverage auto insurance.
- Children under 80 pounds must use car seats, and only dogs 40 pounds or less may ride.
- For multi-day rentals, the battery must be charged to at least 90%.
- Reserve one or more Mokes here.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
