Are you planning a dispersed camping trip to Padre Island National Seashore? We've got you covered. Find everything from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking with The Dyrt. Search nearby dispersed campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Be aware of the tides and high tide line when choosing a beach campsite. Strong winds or storms can significantly elevate tides and create hazardous conditions along the Gulf Coast.
In Port ‘A’, it’s all about fun in the sun and sand! The beaches of Mustang Island are fantastically unique. There are eighteen miles of uninterrupted public shoreline, open for street legal vehicles and all things beachy! The warm Gulf waters and soft Texas sand are the perfect backdrop for a day full of beach, recreational activities, and nights highlighted with moonlight strolls. Parking a car on the beach requires a $12 annual sticker that can be purchased at City Hall (710 W. Avenue A), our local grocery store Family Center IGA, from local convenience stores or from vendors located on the beach. The sticker allows the vehicle to park along the beach from the City Limit at Lantana Dr near Horace Cladwell Pier through Port Aransas Beach to the Kleberg County line (south of Bob Hall Pier) making it valid in Port Aransas and Corpus Christi. 58. An additional $40.00 permit is required for Port Aransas camping. Small campfires 3 ft. x 3ft. are allowed on the beach.
$14 - $18 / night
Guide
This is our second time to Boondock on the beach. We were at marker 25 and once again thoroughly enjoyed it. It was Labor Day weekend so it was PACKED. People will pile in on top of you, but that’s the way it is. Not enough beach for so many people. The meter maid lady will harass you endlessly, but we just ignored her and continued having fun. There is a 3 night maximum in a 21 day period. Don’t try to outsmart the meter maid. She takes pictures of license plates and writes down the departure dates. She enjoys enforcing the rules.
GuideWe are Boondocking at MM 27 there are of course no hookups but I.B Magee allows you to dump and fill your tanks for $10. People pile on top of you during the day and we got a $281 ticket for parking parallel to the beach (we thought you only had to be perpendicular at the posts). That’s all the bad. Literally it. The beach is beautiful, the breeze is so nice we didn’t even run our generator during the day, the people are so fun, and the luxury of not packing our stuff up to drive to the beach every day is wonderful. We are already planning our next trip.
Scout
We've spent many winter months around the Corpus Christi, Texas area and visit South Beach frequently. Plenty to do; fishing, sunbathing, bird watching, photography, and on some evenings after dark you can spot deer and coyote come out of the sand dunes to feed on seaweed and fish remains. We prefer to camp at nearby Malequite campground for $5 a night with water, bathrooms and showers. The visitor's center has some supplies.
ScoutIt sounds like Port Aransas offers a fantastic beach experience! The allowance for small campfires adds a cozy touch for those cookie clicker who want to enjoy the beach atmosphere well into the evening.
GuidePort Aransas offers miles of beach designated for camping and day use. You must have a beach camping permit to stay overnight. Weekends get a little crowded during the day, but it quiets down in the afternoon.
Watch out for coyotes! They are everywhere and can be aggressive. We had at least 5 in the area, but they never came closer than about 50ft away.
Traveler
Pull up, pick your spot, set up camp and enjoy. I suggest bringing fresh water to rinse off. Make sure you look at the beach to make sure you're not in reach of the tide. Those are probably the 2 most important things.
LegendScale 1- bad, 5-Very good 70 yr olds in 17’ trailer:
We plan to return.
Overall Rating: 4
Usage during visit: Moderate
Site Privacy: Where we are, marker # 28, folks who come out for the day can and do park/ setup between the campsite and the beach. Further towards Port Aransas, barriers prevent vehicles parking such, but trailer is a bit further from surf.
Site Spacing: Camping units about 200’ apart. . Apparently, much closer in peak season.
Campground Noise 5 at night. 3 during the day. Note other folks on beach are enjoying their time in their own way during the day.
Road Noise: 4 at night w an occasional vehicle driving by . 3 during day.
Bathroom Cleanliness. 3 - chemical toilets. No TP .
Cell Service (Verizon): 0 to 2 bars
Setting: 5 surf sound all night
Weather: 4 foggy at night and early AM. Windy at times. Low 70s are day time highs for us. Short pant weather.
Solar: Great as soon as fog lifts. 3 nights and no need for generator.
Host: Police presence
Location: About 350’ from water, depending on tide . Nice.
TravelerBeach camping at its best. You can camp for a maximum of the nights with a permit that costs $12.
GuideGreat Spot! Glad O stayed for a night.
GuideEasy to get to and plenty of room right on the beach. There is no sign but google maps will take you right to the turn off. Ignore the sign that says entering fee area. I confirmed with Ranger that its a free area. They just ask that you fill out the slip at kiosk so they can keep track of the 14 day rule.
Guide$12 a year to camp on a beautiful and clean beach any time I want? Yes please! Just spent the weekend on the beach at Access Road 1A. Wasn’t over crowded and the beach was well maintained. Wind and rain rocked us to sleep in the RV and woke up to a cool breeze with clear sunny skies. Setting up the Friday morning before hand gave us first pick at a spot closer to the water. We will be back as often as possible.
LegendSuch a silly thing to realize. It is the beach, after all!
But my brain didn't compute that wind + sand = sand in tents, food, pants, etc!
But, still, this spot was easily accessible for our first night in the park (even with the coastal flood warning!).
There was no one in the visitor's center when we arrived just after 5pm. But they do sell ice there if you need to stock up before heading down the beach.
There's also water, trash bins, and a bathroom at that location. Just make sure you stock up on firewood before coming into the park!
ScoutWas here for 2 days fantastic place ....alittle rainy and overcast but very windy. Very hard packed sand no trouble driving anywhere on it
RangerSome areas are less populated than others. Multiple beach access points. Beautiful sunsets. Be sure to have the annual parking permit. Be ready to deal with fine sand in your rv and everything.
Scout$12 you can buy a yearly Beach Parking pass and can boondock on the beach for up to three days. These beaches are incredible and the City is constantly making it look nice. You can drive and camp on the beach. Our favorite part was having a bonfire on the beach at sunset.
LegendThere is a whole lot of Texas, but not a ton of public land lies therein. One exception to this is Padre Island National Seashore. With 63 miles of barrier island sand available to drive and camp on, it is impossible not to get away from it all. And if you are a card carrying "America the Beautiful" pass holder, this place is FREE to camp!
Once you move away from the developed roads to the seaside sand, which is easy enough to drive on even with just front-wheel drive so long as you stay on the flats, you leave behind any services, water, electricity and toilets. Bring everything you need with you and you’ll be fine. We brought our solar panel and had all the electricity we could possibly want for 8 full days.
Park your rig just to the dune side of the highwater “roadway” and you’ll be out of the way for the many vehicles who come to fish, camp, or just explore this natural wonder. No OHV vehicles are allowed on the beach, which is considered a highway, so leave the toy-hauler behind. Opportunities to birdwatch, hike or bike along the beach, play in the surf or just lie in the sand are as numerous as the stars. We found some LTE by hiking up onto the high dunes, but just enough to call, text, or check email.
Within 15 miles, the small community of Padre Island offers plenty of restaurants and gas stations but cross the bridge into Corpus Christi and you’re in full-blown suburban Texas. Ice and water kiosks are everywhere so bring your quarters to fill up.
GuideI stayed here for a month. Just me and my back packing equipment. Just beautiful.
GuideBeautiful beaches, some of the clearest water you will find in Texas. Head towards the state park for quieter crowds. Swim at your own risk! State park down the road offers tables, grills, water hook ups, showers and restrooms. Trash cans are available along the beach.
GuideYou are able to drive down the beach to find your perfect spot to set up your tents by the dunes! Very clean chemical toilets are near the beach entrance and very clean showers are up at the visitors center. During the day you will have day visitors set up near you but not on top of you but at night it was like we were the only people on the beach! Dig a hole and you can have a fire right on the beach it is absolute heaven!
TravelerThe largest barrier island in the world known for sheltering sea turtles. Make sure if you camp on the 50 miles of beach to bring long stakes to hold down your shade and tent - and camp way back to keep from waking up wet. Actual sites are great and have plugins as well.
GuideThis is PRIMITIVE (even 1 mile down there’s no luxuries)= bring plenty of H20, food, GAS, supplies and a 4wd for the farther down areas. Having some understanding of beach camping will serve you well! The wind can easily blow over fiberglass pole tents (metal is best w/sandbag type weights & sand tent stakes, you will thank me!), the tide can sneak up and bury your tires while you sleep, read the beach and park accordingly. A shovel for a level sleeping area, dig out or unfortunately removing the occasional trash is a good idea. Come prepared to go without cell service and resort to communicating with one another! Any style portable toilet is necessary! I use a Nemo pressure shower to stay clean and sane. Pack it in, pack it out. Dumpster/toilets at beach entrance. The beach is a road, beware of speeding vacationers @ all hours. The Malaquite visitors center has showers and a park store. Rates are amazing for the experience trade off! Pay at the booth at the entrance or at the toilet/dumpster area (honor system). A great place to enjoy the beauty of the Texas coast!
ScoutLoved the community
GuideAmazing coast and camping. Marred only by the speeding trucks and park personnel whose main job appears to be making sure the beach is clear for trucks to continue speeding.
GuideThis is right on the beach with hard packed sand. Hard enough to hold large RV's. A beach parking permit is needed and can be picked up at the local Stripes gas station. Currently the permit is $12 for a year. However, parking in the same spot for a few days are allowed then you need to move. There are miles of beach to move to. Only Port a pots in the parking areas, no other facilities.
TravelerBeach camping and the state park is still closed. Unknown when it may reopen. Still lots of devastation from Harvey. Although on the road to recovery.
LegendWhen traveling to Padre Island National Seashore there are several options for finding the perfect spot to settle in. While improved camping is just an exit up for $8, those wanting to get the true beach comber off grid experience can do so at the North Beach turn off.
We went to check out this immense 60 mike stretch of beach that is advertised as untouched and unimproved, just drive out and set up for free. It sounded great, that was until we got there in a small car.
Depending on conditions the sand can quickly evolve from tight packed to shifty and almost like quicksand. Signs are clearly posted that driving out on the sad is indeed at your own risk and if you become stuck tow trucks can be called. What that sign does not elaborate on however is the heightened cost of those two services.
We drove forward a bit on the sand and began to bog down quickly and thus had to call the drive off. This limited our access to the miles and miles of beach ahead. Camping was available where we are however was very congested in this area which was much closer to the initial turn off.
While cost of camping here is free, there is a small cost of admission to the Seashore. My suggestion is taking advantage of the National Park pass which is good at any of the hundreds of national facilities for one calendar year. Cost of this is $80 per year but covers admission for up to 4 adults to landmarks and parks. This pass does not cover parking where applicable or camping.
TIPS:
ScoutWe showed up late while the tide was up which was a little unsettling, but we were assured it was at high as it gets. A little ways up the road was a RV lot with bathrooms and showers. Left shortly after sunrise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Padre Island National Seashore?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Padre Island National Seashore is North Beach — Padre Island National Seashore with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Padre Island National Seashore?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 dispersed camping locations near Padre Island National Seashore, with real photos and reviews from campers.
