Padre Island National Seashore provides primitive beach camping across more than 60 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline. The barrier island beaches near Sarita, Texas offer year-round camping with different conditions along their length. Beach camping at Padre Island can be accessed through various entry points and driving routes, with terrain conditions ranging from hard-packed sand suitable for standard vehicles to loose sand requiring four-wheel drive.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: South Beach offers excellent shoreline fishing. "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," reports Ron P. from South Beach.
Wildlife viewing: Coastal animals can be spotted throughout the day and night. "The wildflowers were lovely," notes Kim B. who camped at North Beach. Opportunities to see shore birds are plentiful, and sea turtle releases sometimes occur, which James S. described as "the highlight" of his trip.
Beach exploration: With miles of coastline to discover, campers can find secluded spots. "I stayed here for a month. Just me and my backpacking equipment. Just beautiful," shares Jim L. about his extended stay at South Beach.
What campers like
Accessibility options: North Beach areas can be accessed with standard vehicles. "This area is prior to the Padre Island gate where you pay $10 access fee. BUT, it's good for 7 days," explains Shelly S. about North Beach.
Natural surroundings: The mix of dunes, beach, and water creates a diverse coastal ecosystem. "Lovely breezes, wave crashing to lull you to sleep, shore birds, everything..." says Kim B. about the North Beach primitive camping area, though she notes "there are also a lot of dune buggies though, which can be annoying."
Campfire freedom: Beach fires are permitted in designated areas. "Dig a hole and you can have a fire right on the beach it is absolute heaven!" reports Chastity H. who camped at South Beach.
What you should know
Wind conditions: Beach camping means constant wind exposure. "All our tents collapsed in the wind so you should bring a nicer tent," warns Kim B. from her experience at South Beach. Metal pole tents with proper sand stakes fare better than fiberglass ones.
Sand management: Beach camping means sand gets everywhere. "My brain didn't compute that wind + sand = sand in tents, food, pants, etc!" admits Tucker B. about South Beach camping. Bringing a shovel helps create level sleeping areas.
Beach traffic: The beach serves as both campground and roadway. "The beach is a road, beware of speeding vacationers at all hours," cautions Lisa B. Similarly, J.E. noted his experience was "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."
Tips for camping with families
Visitor center resources: Families can utilize the visitor center facilities. "The visitor's center has showers and flush toilets," notes Richard M., while Tucker B. adds that "they do sell ice there if you need to stock up before heading down the beach."
Ideal camping spots: For families with tents, some areas offer better protection. Missy B. recommends specific sites at North Beach: "All the way at the end by the community fire pit are a few tent sites which have a walkway to the beach right there, a bit far from the bathroom though, but it has showers."
Ghost crab hunting: Children enjoy wildlife spotting activities after dark. "Ghost crabs will be rubbing up against your tent all night," shares James S. from his experience camping with daughters, adding that "the wildlife hunting was great."
Tips from RVers
Site setup: RV sites at established campgrounds have specific layouts. "Large paved lot. Tables set up to be behind your RV. Kind of a strange setup," notes George S. about North Beach. The campground is "somewhat protected by dunes" but has "no view of water."
Beach driving considerations: RVers must carefully assess beach conditions before driving. "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," advises Chris B., who also notes that "actual sites are great and have plugins as well."
Supply planning: No services are available on the beach, so plan accordingly. "There is a visitor center about a mile away and town is around 15 miles and has everything you need but groceries so stop before you get on the island," recommends Missy B. from her spring break camping experience.
