Wheel of Fortune Picks a Very Texas Vacation Spot

Only Texans could be capable of roasting their own beaches! When a beach known for Jeep chaos, seaweed, and the occasional rogue shopping cart became a $12,000 dream vacation on national TV, hilarity ensued. Somehow, Wheel of Fortune spun its way into Southeast Texas and landed on Crystal Beach.

The beloved game show recently gave away a trip to Camp Margaritaville on the Bolivar Peninsula, and let’s just say Texans had thoughts. From Facebook roasts to beach b-roll conspiracy theories, the internet lit up faster than a tailgate bonfire on Jeep Weekend.

Crystal Beach, for the uninitiated, is a beloved stretch of sand along the Bolivar Peninsula where flip-flops are optional, golf carts outnumber cars, and chaos is part of the charm. It’s the kind of place where families vacation, retirees settle down, and Jeep enthusiasts descend every May to turn the beach into a Mad Max sequel with Lone Star beer. Locals know it’s got character- and also maybe a few cracked characters- so seeing it packaged as a luxury tropical escape on Wheel of Fortune was, to put it lightly, a bit of a plot twist.

The moment the episode aired, local Facebook groups like Crystal Beach Real Talk and Bolivar Peninsula Real Talk lit up like a Whataburger on a Friday night. Reactions ranged from hometown pride to sheer disbelief, with plenty of folks questioning whether the sun-drenched beach footage was even shot in Texas!

One user declared:

No way for $12,000. They're going to be mad when they see that beach!

While another painted a more authentic picture:

Oh my goodness! Its fun don't get me wrong but 12,000 dollars!

As you can see, the comments section quickly turned into a roast session!

To be fair, "Camp Margaritaville" isn’t some rundown shack with a Buffett playlist and a blender. It’s actually a well-kept, resort-style spot with beach bungalows, a “License to Chill” pool, and live music from Texas country favorites like Pat Green. But for locals who know Crystal Beach more for its muddy tides and party-fueled Jeep chaos than for upscale lounging, the idea of it being framed as a tropical paradise had major sitcom energy.

In the end, whether Crystal Beach is your idea of paradise or a place where beach chairs go to die, Texans wouldn’t have it any other way. The reactions may have been savage, but they came from a place of love- well, mostly.