$340,006Average Value$251Average Price per Sq Ft42Homes For Sale
Quirky San Leon
Tucked away on a tiny peninsula and known for its oyster shacks, dive bars and slapdash housing, San Leon is "quirky and hard to describe." At least, that's how local Realtor Charon Marshall of Gulf Coast Realtors puts it. Though this community has existed in some form for over 200 years, it remains so remote that local lore says it’s become a bit of a hideout for celebrities like Jimmy Buffet. Sometimes people only hear about San Leon through word of mouth. "I’ve met so many people that came to visit friends and the next thing they knew, they were buying property here. It just draws you in," Marshall says. San Leon's generational residents live along the coast of three bays in an area that's managed to circumvent commercialization. Major industry is mostly related to surrounding plants, like those in the community of La Porte, and commercial fishing. Being one of the last unincorporated areas of Galveston Bay, community spirit is evident here and San Leon's locals have learned to look out for each other.
San Leon has a mix of modern amenities & small-town charm, creating a unique Texan experience.
The unique climate and coastal wildlife of San Leon, TX make it a great place to live.
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Traveling along North Highway 146
In San Leon, most major amenities are outside the neighborhood. Cars are important here and public transit is nonexistent. The closest highway is North Highway 146, which is just west of San Leon's coast. It flows north to south and connects to Interstate 45, taking locals to William P. Hobby Airport in about 30 miles, and to shops and employment opportunities in surrounding areas. The closest hospital to San Leon is Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital, around 15 miles away.
San Leon is a quiet coastal town located on the banks of Galveston Bay.
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital serves all of the bay area, including San Leon.
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Gilhooley's famous oysters
San Leon is known for its unpretentious dive bars and seafood restaurants. Gilhooley's Restaurant and Oyster Bar is both. The bar is 18-and-up and known widely for its flame grilled Oyster Gilhooley sandwich. San Leon Beach Pub is another casual spot and is the oldest bar in San Leon. It has “a cute little porch that faces the beach across the street," Marshall says. Pier 6 Seafood and Oyster House is right on the water and a bit more upscale. The restaurant, founded by a second-generation oyster farmer, serves craft cocktails and fresh Gulf Coast seafood both indoors and outdoors on its terrace offering unobstructed bay views. Taqueria las Comadres is one of several Mexican food trucks in San Leon for a fast-casual dining experience. Next door in Bacliff, the Bayshore Farmers Market runs every Saturday from 9 to 12 for fresh produce. Locals travel to Kemah, just over 9 miles north, for its Walmart Supercenter, Target and Home Depot.
A family gathers for lunch at Pier 6 Seafood, located on the north end of San Leon.
A couple enjoys fresh oysters at Gilhooley's, a famous oyster bar and grill in San Leon.
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Docking at Red Fish Island
Mooner Beach is San Leon's only beach and cared for by community effort. It's relatively tiny but offers a calm and cool spot for swimming on hot Texas days. During Covid, when other beaches in the area shut down, it remained open and became quite well known. "Our little beach is pretty crowded. On the weekends, there's people from all over who come to hang out on it," Marshall says. Bayshore Park, just over 3 miles west in the community of Bacliff, offers a playground, a public boat launch and walking trails lined by wildflowers that pass along the bay. Locals head there to fish and sit on its benches to watch the waves roll in and out, sunrise to sunset. Some locals steer out to Red Fish Island, just over a mile away by boat, to dock their boats overnight or spend the day by the manmade skerry composed entirely of seashells for swimming, fishing and jet skiing.
Residents of San Leon enjoy the several waterfront parks located around town.
A resident takes a morning stroll along the walking trail at Bayshore Park in San Leon, Texas.
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Living along Galveston Bay
Oaks and pines share space with palm trees in San Leon, and the streetscape has an untamed feeling. "We laugh because you might have an RV next to a million-dollar home. It's like a hodgepodge of properties here," Marshall says. For being a small peninsula, there's a generous amount of space surrounding homes. So much so that some neighbors have donkeys and horses grazing in their yards. Brightly colored three-story beach houses can be found along the shore with launching docks for boat owners and backyard views of the bay. Ranch styles, brick neo-traditionals, shotgun houses and a few hard-to-describe properties are also in San Leon. Most homes here fall into the $250,000 to $325,000 price range, but the sheer variety of styles and sizes means homebuyers can find a home that will fit many budgets. A handful of homes directly on the bay carry price tags beyond $1 million, and inland investment properties begin in the $100,000s. Because the town is below sea level, flood insurance is required.
Quirky coastal charm is a common theme among homes in San Leon.
Mansions line the shores of Galveston Bay in eastern San Leon.
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Schools with solid Niche scores
Student may attend San Leon Elementary School, John and Shamarion Barber Middle and Dickinson High School within the Dickinson Independent School District. With the assistance of a $1.1 million Jobs and Education for Texans grant from the Texas Workforce Commission, Dickinson has established a new radiology imaging program — the first program of its kind in the state — for students to take advantage of in pursuit of careers in the field. The elementary school scores a B-minus rating from Niche, the middle school earns an A-minus and the high school earns a B rating.
Barber Middle School received an A- rating from niche.com in Dickinson, Texas.
Dickinson High School in Dickinson is a school of tradition and excellence.
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Protecting Mooner Beach and each other
San Leon's community events express the love and care neighbors have for their home, and each other. "Last weekend The Beach Pub hosted the Mooner Beach Fest to help raise money to keep our little beach up and taken care of," Marshall says, adding that the beach is cleaned and maintained by the community. Neighbors are also constantly opening their homes to each other. "At any given weekend, someone is hosting a barbecue, fish fry or crawfish boil and you don't know how many people will show up," Marshall says. "Sunny San Leon has a great community support system. That’s what I love most about it. During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, some of us gathered at the Sunset Lounge and cooked fish all day to feed anyone that wanted to eat." Locals also gather at Mooner Beach during the full moon to huddle around a bonfire to see the sun's counterpart in full form, shimmering over the water. But that's not all. "If you love golf carts and parades this is the place to be. Every holiday there is a golf cart event with 20-plus carts and ATVs," Marshall says. And the local bars are go-to spots for live music on the weekends. San Leon Community Church is a local house of worship.
Friends spend an afternoon shopping for home goods at Positively Grand, located near San Leon.
Mooner Beach is a public beach open daily for residents of San Leon.
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Written By
Kathryn Ashworth
Video By
Anne Sheridan
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Ronald Henry,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in San Leon, TX sell after 77 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in San Leon, TX over the last 12 months is $330,000, up 32% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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