This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer for more info.

Hey, Houston peeps! You may have heard the buzz in the last few weeks about a clear blue man-made lagoon opening nearby. Well, the Lago Mar Crystal Lagoon opened in July and since I love everything water, I had to go check it out myself on the second week of opening. 

Lago Mar is a Texas City community of new homes. It’s located right off I-45 South, about 40 minutes from Downtown Houston and 30 minutes from Galveston. They boast the 2-acre Lago Mar crystal clear lagoon which, according to their website, is the largest in Texas. What started as a residents-only amenity, is now open for the public to enjoy for a fee. 

Pricing

As of the time of this writing, these are the ticket prices:

• All-day weekday adult: $20 
• All-day weekday child: $15
• All-day weekend adult: $25
• All-day weekend child: $20
• Late bird adult (4-7pm): $15
• Late bird child (4-7pm): $10

With taxes and service fees, I ended up paying around $25 for my $20 ticket. Any water activities or on-site amenities cost extra. Parking is free with your ticket. You can view all ticket options here. 

What can I bring inside?

Lagoonfest at Lago Mar is pretty strict in terms of what you can bring inside. They don’t allow you to bring any outside food or drinks. Anything you plan to eat or drink must be purchased inside. Another important thing to note is that once you enter, you cannot exit and re-enter. So, there is no stepping out to eat lunch from a cooler in your car and coming back in without paying again. 

You can bring your standard beach bag with clothing, cosmetics/toiletries, and a beach towel. It is subject to inspection at the entrance. I also brought my own folding chair to lay out on. For more information on what is and isn’t allowed, you can visit their official FAQ page. 

Recommendation: These folding lounge chairs have been one my best purchases this summer. No assembly required, easy to use, light and portable. And super comfy!

Celebrating my boo Cynthia’s birthday at Lago Mar 🤗

 Food  + Drinks

There were several food trucks on site the day I went. I ended up getting some brisket nachos from the Pit King BBQ truck. The nachos were a bit disappointing (and pricey) but they held me up. Other trucks offered burgers, tacos, and italian ice.

Lagoonfest at Lago Mar also has a bar where you can purchase alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Just for reference, water bottles were $2 each. 

The Good 

The concept and design of the Crystal Lagoon are really cool. I feel like this whole place would be really REALLY vibin’ if it weren’t for this pandemic situation. They had island tunes and dance music playing throughout the park and it would be cool to just chill with friends and family, make new friends, and just relax. In the meantime, we’ll just have to make the best of it while socially distancing. 

I think one of the biggest questions I’ve gotten since going is, “Does it really look like the pictures?” So here’s the answer! Basically the lagoon is definitely a huge crystal clear blue beauty. The white flooring and sand are a great touch to make it feel like you’re dipping your toes in Caribbean water. The design and engineering are on point. 

The Bad

The biggest disappointment for me was the amount of water roped off for swimming vs. for water activities. My friends and I agreed that the swimming area is way too small in comparison to the humongous amount of space left to water activities (which was mostly unused). 

The Ugly 

Now, some of the areas surrounding the lagoon are not quite finished. There was some unsightly temporary fencing surrounding the premises and it definitely brought down the aesthetics of the overall project. The whole community is still under development so you can see and hear some evidence of that ongoing work coming from the other side of the fence.

From across the water, you can observe other sides of the lagoon that look more finished, with palm trees, cabanas, and decor. I would imagine that the completed product will look more like that, in which case I’d be excited to return.  

There are definitely some very Instagrammable angles at Lago Mar! 

COVID-19 

Since we are still living through a pandemic at this time, it is important to note that there are some precautions in place at Lagoonfest at Lago Mar in an effort to slow the spread. The security staff conducted a touchless temperature check prior to allowing us to enter the grounds. In addition, we were required to wear a face mask at all times except when swimming. They also had some hand sanitizer stations throughout the premises. 

Per the website, they are limiting the number of ticket sales to allow for social distancing. I’m not sure what percentage of their full capacity they are operating. The day I went there seemed to be a good amount of people there but I could certainly imagine bigger crowds during non-pandemic times. In essence, we were able to maintain 6 feet and more from those around us so it wasn’t bad. 

Let me know what you thought! Will you be visiting the Crystal Lagoon at Lago Mar? 

Suggested posts:

• USVI: 8 Beaches in 3 Days: Itinerary and Packing Guide 
• 5 Day Travel Guide: St. Thomas and St. John, USVI