I am an hour north of Houston..about an hour and a half from the beach..but the beaches here really suck..so you wouldn't want to come to the beaches here..unless it was Corpis Cristi..then maybe..but Not Galveston..the water there is GROSSSSSSS..and the beaches are not much better..and the people..well you aren't gonna find any surfer boys to look at..its sad really..I like going to surf side..its a little drive further..but more secluded..alot less people..nicer beach..your brother might have heard of it..