Padre Island Camping Question

[HowieE]

Is it a realistic idea to drive to Padre Island, from Fl., and expect to get a camp site in Feb.? Hate to drive all that way for nothing.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

[Gene]

How about mid-November? Toying with idea as we will be in San Antonio.

I'm sure Howie would like to know about good camping locations as would I. I think this about the only place you can camp on the beach except one other in the US.

Gene

[Airstream25]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Is it a realistic idea to drive to Padre Island, from Fl., and expect to get a camp site in Feb.? Hate to drive all that way for nothing.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

Howie,
Doing a Google search reveals a couple of campgrounds. The one at the southern end was first come first served when I was there a few years ago.
If nothing is available on your arrival day, you can always boondock right on the beach either bay side or gulf side while you wait for a site in the campground to open up. See this Google satellite view;
1 Padre Blvd South Padre Island, TX 78597 - Google Maps

[kingfisher24]

refer to my post on southwest boondocking....

I was just at the National Seashore of Padre Island checking it out...the 70 or so miles from Corpus Christi South...it is my plan to go there thanksgiving and wander down the beach (with airstream in tow) as far as is prudent and then hang the back end in the surf as fas as i dare and wondered if anyother would like to gather for a beach thanksgiving?????????????

[RickDavis]

We camped on the beach on the north end for a week or so a while back.
The one warning I might give is the salt spray/ humididty in the air will quickly damage the skin of an uncoated older trailer.

Best to have some way to rinse it down every now and again.

Other than that really liked it. I think there is always room on the beach

[lsmith]

Which Padre Island are you referring to? There is Padre Island just outside Corpus Christi and then there is South Padre Island in far south Texas. South Padre Island has one of the most beautiful beaches around. They are still recovering from the Hurricane but that would be #1 on my list

Have Fun

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by lsmith

Which Padre Island are you referring to?

My first thoughts were the Federal Park. So far I can't find it defined on the map on Google.

Still open to suggestions.

[RickDavis]

There is a federal campground and visitors center on the north end near Corpus Christie.. You can either use the campground, or get a permit from the visitors center and drive down the beach..
Bring a good stock of food. Its a long drive back into town

[tvtt]

Camping on the beach is open all year. Dry camp or use a generator. Thats what we do all summer. Port A has many rv parks. Some on the beach and others in town. Most are new and clean. Except the one called "on the beach" It is but its old and tiny, Check out some of the others.

[wayner61]

Don't know much about South Padre. Even though I have lived in TX most of my life, I've never been there.

The north end of the island is where the Padre Island National Seashore is. If you are looking to boondock on the beach, I would think you could get a spot there pretty much any time you want. See the following link for more detailed info -

Padre Island National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)

The beach north of the visitors center is usually a pretty high traffic area and, to me at least, much more crowded.

The beach south of the visitor center goes on for miles (literally). You should have no trouble at all getting as far away from other people as you want assuming the driving conditions on the beach are good. Check at the visitors center for tide information and beach driving conditions. If you get stuck, it can be very expensive to get out. Every time I have been down there though, it has been possible to find a spot within a half mile of the end of the paved beach access road.

If you search for padre island national seashore on google maps, you will see a very good image of the park and visitors center.

Bird island campground which is on the bay side is a little more "developed" in that they have actual defined campsites rather than just wide open beach camping.

A little further north, Port Aransas offers beach camping in several sections of the beach. There, you are a little closer to "things" if you need food, supplies, restaurants or other activities.

Port Aransas

There is also a county park at the north end of the island that is just accross the dunes from the beach. I haven't stayed there, but when I have driven through, it didn't look too appealing. It does have a prime location though and the advantage of water and electric if you don't want to boondock.

Nueces County Parks & Recreation Department

Mustang Island State park is about half way between Port A and Corpus Christie. It offers camping with water and electric but it is pretty much - "camping in a parking lot". You can easily walk to the beach though just accross the dunes.

TPWD: Mustang Island State Park

Commercial campgrounds are plentiful in Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Rockport and Corpus Christie. Beware that winter and early spring are the busy time of the year for those folks with a giant flock of "snow birds" or winter Texans taking roost in that part of the world. Most of those folks aren't really interested in boondocking though so it doesn't really restrict your ability to camp on the beach if that is what you want to do.

Camping on the beach is certainly an experience that you can't get in too many places. I certainly recommend it!

[c177tx]

Camping at Port Aransas near the Jetties

[kingfisher24]

Padre Island National Seashore-----

Begins at Corpus Christi and is accessible for some 60 miles south they say

I am going there over thanksgiving and I was wondering if others might want to get together and arrange an outing over this period...

To see how far we could drive down the beach and then hang it in the ocean and camp

[utee94]

I'm probably headed down to PINS during the last week of October, but can't make it at Thanksgiving. Would love to see pictures and hear stories from all who go. This will be my first beach-boondocking trip, and I'm looking forward to it.

-Marcus

[utee94]

Originally Posted by c177tx

Camping at Port Aransas near the Jetties

How cool that you took the 'Stream across on the ferry. I'd considered that, but wondered if my 26' right might not be too long. I was going to chicken out and just drive across the causeway, but it would be fun to take the ferry.

[c177tx]

Originally Posted by utee94

How cool that you took the 'Stream across on the ferry. I'd considered that, but wondered if my 26' right might not be too long. I was going to chicken out and just drive across the causeway, but it would be fun to take the ferry.

I have the 19' Bambi, but those ferries are big, and the operators will give you two lanes to use. Depending on the time of day and the length of the ferry line, I perfer the ferry over the causeway, the causeway has some narrow lanes across the bridge and the traffic can be hectic. So take the ferry when the traffic lines are short, enjoy the ride and watch the dolphins, sea gulls and the stream ridding the waves..

[wayner61]

Originally Posted by utee94

How cool that you took the 'Stream across on the ferry. I'd considered that, but wondered if my 26' right might not be too long. I was going to chicken out and just drive across the causeway, but it would be fun to take the ferry.

Marcus - You can certainly fit your 26' with no issues whatsoever. I have seen massive SOB 5er's going across there as well as tractor trailer rigs. When they load you, they will simply have you take up both lanes on one side. Worst case scenario is that you have to wait until the next ferry if you happen to end up at the end of a line. It's actually kind of a cool ride with the trailer.

As you can see from the photo, our 27' with the Tahoe attached only took up about half the deck on one side. They actually loaded a couple of motorcycles behind us on this trip.

Wayne