Best Glamping near Corpus Christi, TX

Lake Corpus Christie is a beautiful place where you can camp and enjoy water activities but if you enjoy hiking this is not the place. Unfortunately, it lacks hiking trails. There are plenty of spacious campsites next to the water where you can enjoy laying in a hammock, campfires, and grilling but lacks privacy. Catfish Cove offers water only sites but other areas offer water electricity, full hook-up sites, or enclosed shelters with AC. While we enjoyed camping here there is an over abundance of stickers that we had to continually pull out of the dogs paws.

Stayed here when a freak cold front came through complete with gale force winds. Although the internet service was effected, all other utilities remained online thankfully! As other reviews may have mentioned, this resort is comprised of privately owned lots, upgraded by the owners, and these are rented out when available. The site I stayed in was level, sewer 30/50 amp, water, and had a tiki hut with a wet sink, but I didn’t use the latter much because of the cold snap. 

The resort sits in the middle of Mustang Island, so no walking to Padre or Port A. However, this makes it quiet and it is well cared for. I especially appreciated the beautiful mature palm trees, landscaping and the clean bath house with nice showers. There’s a laundry on site. $2 per load and the office has quarters. It’s quiet and friendly. If you stay 1 week or more, then there is a meter reading for the electric, on top of the rental fee. 

The highlight for me was the proximity of this resort to the beach. Just a short walk to the boardwalk over the dunes and you’re there! Just beautiful. Very clean beach with portable potties available.

Pros:

• Super friendly Park Headquarters personnel

l• Great aluminum floating fishing pier with a covered fish cleaning pavilion

• Site aluminum picnic table on concert pad under a tree

• Park entrance gate closed 10 pm to 7 am, but an access code was provided at check-in

• Toilet/shower clean, but just worn out and desperately needing renovation

• Great CCC-constructed pavilion

• 3 bars AT&T cell service

• Howling coyotes nightly 

Cons:

• Overused park that desperately needs some infrastructure improvements

• Unlevel side-to-side concert site parking pad was in poor condition and barely long enough for 28 ft trailer

• Septic system cleanout pipe smack in the middle of our campsite causing a tripping hazard

• Metal fire pit with cooking grate was overflowing with ash upon arrival

• No vegetation between sites= no privacy from neighbors

• Constant vehicle traffic through campground loop• Toilets were difficult to flush and clogged easily.

• Toilet/shower building interior walls crumbling exposing the structure

The wooded area camping loops wind through lovely groves of Texas Live Oak, and Loblolly Pine, which make great habitat for winter warblers. The sites are spacious and set reasonably apart from each other to offer some privacy. Most campsites offer water and electricity. These sites are MUCH quieter than the Bayfront sites, which are plagued by loud boat engine traffic.  This area is much for secluded, thus not alot of walk/drive by traffic going through.

The bathroom building with internal hot-water shower stalls was relatively clean and updated. The area is great for all kinds of low-key activities like fishing, biking, walking, paddling etc. I wouldn’t go here if I had my heart set on swimming, though. The water is relatively shallow and in the middle of a massive oyster colony, pretty sharp edges on those bi-valves, so be careful. 

One of the best activities, especially during the winter months, is birding. The area is the winter home to the endangered Whooping Cranes, Sandhill Cranes, Spoonbills and many, many more. Grab your binoculars and your birding guide!

I’ve been to about 10 different campgrounds this year on several different states. Goose island state park is by far the best. This time we stayed in the wooded area. I didn’t think I would like it (I loved the waterfront sites) but I loved it. The sites are a good distance apart and have new paved driveways that are very level. There is a pole for hanging lightning and a campfire pit. There is electricity and water. We are in site 115 and I have cell service which makes me very happy. I don’t think the site numbers 200’s have cell service as they are father in. It’s quiet and dark at night. The site has woods and trees behind so it’s very private. It can hold a pretty big rig. Ours is only 26 ft but it can hold much bigger. This site is fabulous. The weather is great and there are tons of things to do in the area. Book it! We are coming back.

Make sure to fill up on gas, water and ice before heading out on the 63 miles of available beach! You can drive for hours along sparkling waves with shell laden sand, passing isolated camps and groups fishing. If you want privacy, this is it! You must take all you need The cell reception is spotty, around mile 25.5 if you walk towards the bayside you’ll get a signal best with Verizon, and at Mansfield Cut. Any Texas beach camping is not for the inexperienced... BEACHES ARE WINDY, CAMP LIKE YOU’RE IN A TORNADO! METAL POLE TENTS WITH SAND RATED STAKES, & SECURE EVERYTHING!! Solar yard lights are great to set perimeters to late night drivers. There are jellyfish, wear long pants or bring meat tenderizer for the stings!! The Turtle Patrol passes several times a day. Yes there is strewn garbage, it’s deposited every high tide from all around the world, bring a rake, garbage bag and a reality check. People do speed, pay attention. Showers, dumpsters and toilets are only at the entrance to the beach/Malaquite Visitors Center. This is our favorite place to go because of the privacy, beauty and the fishing. Nights are gorgeous with starry skies, waves, and a fire. Make the time to check this place out, sit and pretend you’re the only person on your private island, you will be hooked!

While the lake is beautiful,the park feels neglected. Our campsite #64 in the catfish cove campground was awful, not sure when they had last mowed, there were stickers/cockle burrs everywhere. We spent time pulling as many of those and high grass as we could,but still got them all in our shoes and socks. The shelter over the picnic table had many bird nests and the picnic table was nasty. The bathrooms were ok, the shower curtains had mold/mildew. We hiked the catfish point trail which had not been maintained. We went through the online process to rent a kayak, had some problems which were easily resolved.