Join the fun near Port Aransas. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Port Aransas is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Discover great camping spots near Port Aransas, reviewed by campers like you.
$10 - $75 / night
"Plenty of space between sites if you park away from the seafront. I personally wouldn’t want to be right by the ocean as it’s just a 5 min walk from the more peaceful sheltered sites."
"The wooded area camping loops wind through lovely groves of Texas Live Oak, and Loblolly Pine, which make great habitat for winter warblers."
$20 - $40 / night
GuideVery clean and scenic campground. Plenty of space between sites if you park away from the seafront. I personally wouldn’t want to be right by the ocean as it’s just a 5 min walk from the more peaceful sheltered sites. We had campsite 115 and were very happy with it. Close to bathrooms and easy access in and out. Lots to see in the area, and if you want the beach we’d recommend Port Aransas which is only about 30 mins away. That beach is dog friendly and nicer than the closer Rockport. The short ferry ride across is also fun and free. Dolphins alongside the ferry. The only negatives would be mosquitos and humidity. Both were manageable given when we went, but only just. I’d aim for early spring or late fall to try to minimize these.
RangerThe park itself doesn’t have much to do as they are still recovering and renovating from Hurricane Harvey a couple of years ago(this was my rationale for a lower rating). Having said this,it’s a great park and I highly recommend it and we would surely return. The bathrooms are above average, clean with nice showers. Our campsite was nice and shady with a picnic table and water. We saw deer and one snake (too quick to identify it). We hiked the trail in the park which was nice and well maintained. The next town over is Rockport which has million dollar mansions on the water. We rented a kayak for half day and kayaked in and out of the canals gawking at the boats and houses. There is a bird sanctuary on the island in little bay where we kayaked and in addition to all the birds we saw two dolphins swimming around. We were close enough to port Aransas to drive over and took the ferry (had to stay in the vehicle due to corona virus). We ate seafood at our favorite seafood restaurant “Snoopys”.
LegendThe 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!
RangerI visit a lot of the state parks in Texas. Goose Island is a good one. It's a great area for fishing because it's really close to rockport. While most of the state parks do not have WI-FI, they say they do. It's very poor. I have T-Mobile, and the cell service at Goose Island was great. 5G was great. Also, the digital TV signal was excellent. The park staff was very friendly and helpful. Goose Island is close to Walmart. HEB and many other stores in restaurants. The park all around is great. I will definitely return.
GuideGoose Island SP is a great little hidden gem of a park on the Texas Gulf Coast. The camping area is small, but they've arranged the spots very well, with good vegetation between each spot that hides your spot from your neighbor. They offer both 30 amp and 50 amp service, water, fire ring, table on cement pad and nice flat spots. Good day use spots and excellent boat ramp with a fish cleaning table. Yes there are bugs, but this is in the middle of reclaimed wetlands, so be prepared! This is their world and we must adapt. The bay-side camping area is the island part of the park and is still being renovated (as of Aug 2020), but according to park staff, they should be open by Nov 2020. There is also a brand new, huge pier with boat access and fishing that will be open soon. Near-by there is "The Big Tree", purported the oldest tree in Texas (1000-2000 years old!) and Rockport beach and all the other Texas coast attractions. Highly recommend and we will be returning soon.
LegendThis island state park is dedicated to getting out on the water and putting out a fishing line. I think there were more sport fishing folks than birds– and that’s saying something. The Bayfront area camping loops are set right up to the shore and offer amazing views of the bay, sunrise and sunset. The sites are packed rather close together, but there is certainly enough room for trailers and tents of all size. All campsites offer water and electricity. The bathroom building is relatively clean and updated, has flush toilets, and external access individual shower stalls. Pro-tip: third shower from the left has good enough pressure to remove a tattoo!
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!
The only real downside is that the boat launch is extremely popular with airboat enthusiasts and their engines are crazy loud. If being awoken at 4am by some hunter/fisherman launching his boat isn’t your thing, then I’d suggest choosing the wooded area of this state park, away from the water and noise.
RangerRight next to wildlife refuge, convenient to lots of beaches. Visited in winter for birding. Range of camping facility options, we used the most basic and they were adequate. Amazing sunrises. Make sure to see “The Big Tree”which is a short drive/bike ride away.
GuideI’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.
TravelerI camped here 25 years ago and it was just as lovely as I remembered. Lots of walking trails, some bird feeders and a great place to stay to go out to Aransas Reserve with Rockport Adventures boat tour. Captain Tommy knew his birds, not just Whooping Cranes.
The tent site is a "walk-in" but it was only a few feet to the site. The bathrooms and showers were clean.
Horse camping in Texas offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, perfect for those looking to explore the great outdoors with their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Port Aransas, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Port Aransas, TX is Goose Island State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 30 reviews.
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