Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Sarita, TX

People friendly. Tent camping on beach.could be quite sandy. Sand will go through mosquito netting. Keep pets leashed!

Firefly Coastal Bend Resort in Corpus Christi is the perfect getaway! The resort is incredibly family-friendly and pet-friendly, making it an ideal destination for everyone. The private beach is stunning, and the fishing spots are fantastic for those looking to relax by the water. The staff is amazing—always helpful and welcoming—and the management company is doing a phenomenal job keeping everything running smoothly. We can’t wait to come back and make even more memories here!

Very nice campground if you don’t take your dogs or walk barefoot. Lots of what I call goat head stickers. It also has a constant wind flow but beautiful views and lots of beach walking. Clean laundry room, close to town but you’ll need a car. No base transportation from this area. You will need reservations to secure a spot.

It’s not bad for a Texas beach campground. Very little shade, picnic areas could be a bit bigger- it’s texas a s it’s hot, shade is a must.

This is our 2nd time staying here.
This park is aka Shields. Park has 2 sections. Sect A has grass sites. Sect B has concrete pads and a separate area for tents. Each section has a laundry room and shower building. We stayed in B. Sites are wide and level and have full hookups with 30/50 amp. Good water pressure. Sites are all back ins, Big rig friendly and easy to set up. No matter where you park there is a nice view of the Bay.
I'd give it a 5 star rating but there are a few items that need to be fixed or prepared for. 1st the roads really need to be repaired. Potholes are horrible in some areas. 2nd the picnic tables are so rusted through that many are unusable. 3rd the goat heads or grass burrs are a nightmare especially if you step on one in the middle of the night. Ouch!! LOL If you have dogs (we do) they absolutely can't run in the grass. We bought our pups doggy boots which help some. And this time we brought our leaf blower to blow them off the concrete pad. 4th the winds here can reach 60 mph. Just prepare for it by never leaving awnings out and when bad bring slides in so awning toppers don't get ripped off. (It happened to our neighbors last year) Ants, there are tons of them. I use citronella spray around our leveling gear and tires to deter them from living with us. Lastly if you don't want salt on your rigs don't come here. There are times when its so thick you could use an ice scraper.
Even with those items we really like it here. You can't beat the location to Padre Island and Port Aransas. The sunsets are amazing and walking the private beach daily is never tiring.

We camped in the RV area, which has electrical hook ups and water but you have to drive to the dump station. There are nearby bathrooms which are newly renovated and nice, although occasionally people using them to clean off from visiting the beach will make a big mess. Not just sand, but swim diapers and bathing suit tags and that sort of thing. The janitors clean every morning but it’s disappointing when people leave a big mess. Nothing against the park, only against the visitors. There are men and women’s bathrooms, family bathrooms/unisex bathrooms, as well as showers just outside the bathrooms.

Each RV spot is paved and comes with a picnic table and wooden pergola, also a grill for charcoal. We did notice quite a few burr plants so if you have dogs, you might have a problem later in the season when the burr seeds are dry.

You can walk to the beach or drive to the beach. There is tent and primitive RV camping on the beach if you wish, we did see people doing that. We visited around Easter Sunday and it was not too crowded, lots of picnic tables and plenty of space to have fun. We brought along a couple of mesh litter bags and were easily able to fill them up with random garbage that Washington to the beach, it was very satisfying to do that and there are dumpsters and trash cans conveniently located once you’re done with that.

It’s a short drive to Port Aransas or the other way to the edge of Corpus Christi, lots of restaurants and art galleries and all kinds of area attractions. Visit Snoopy’s under the bridge and eat on the deck. You can also take your RV on the ferry boat between Port A and Aransas Pass if you wish. It’s free.

Definitely visit, and go to the beach, and pick up a bag of litter.

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.

Being that this is Texas, it's super hot all day and all night long. It's worse when there is no shade to shield you. Although the breeze is great off of the water, shade would be nice. The area is clean, the beach is clean, and it is about what you can expect from a Corpus Christi beach area camp site. Nothing special, just enough.

We spend a couple months camping at tons of parks around Texas and this was by far my favorite scenery from the site- the waves crashing :) The sites were quite close together, but the park was not very busy when we visited. They did allow tents to set up in the designated site or more near the beach which was great. The camping area is right near the dunes. For the low price of a site we were more than pleased with the facilities cleanliness. Not very primitive or private, but near the water is a BIG draw!

There 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.

We've camped on the beach at Padre Island National Seashore twice. The campground has always been fully booked but there is access to the beach and you can camp on the sand. It gets a little crowded on holiday weekends but there are MILES of sand so you can just drive until you find a spot that suits your fancy. I have a 2WD vehicle and was a little concerned about getting stuck. Fortunately, there were plenty of people on their beach with 4WD who were more than willing to use their toy to pull me out.

I contemplated giving my review fewer stars because this is Texas and the beaches are not nearly as nice as those in other parts of the US. We had issues with seaweed washing up both times but the water was clean. There are no facilities on the beach but the visitors center has showers and flush toilets.

you are camping right on the beach. you will wake up to the sounds of the ocean, and gorgeous sunrises. since you are right on the beach, bring baby powder to remove sand from your skin. the restrooms here (prior to the hurricane) were not great. the campground has been closed since the hurricane, but they are building new restrooms and they are looking really nice! I’ve seen amazing sea life on this beach including: sea turtles, stingrays, starfish, and blue crabs. I’ve also had a great time shelling on these beaches. you can’t have public display of alcohol because it’s a Texas state park- so it’s not a party spot. however, if you are looking for a peaceful, quiet place to build a campfire and watch the waves roll in, this is your spot.

Just outside of Corpus Christi in a slightly more remote stretch of Texas coast rests Padre Island National Seashore, a beachfront land preserve operated by the United States Park System that offered a variety of camping and recreation options.

Amongst those, Malaquite Beach Campground, a small but nice facility less than a quarter mile up the beach from the visitors center. This campground boasts around 50 campsites, many featuring a picnic table, BBQ and shade structure.

No reservations can be made so the facility is a first come first come Campground which uses a camping kiosk or account for availability. Campsites are $8 per night and do include handicap options.

While the individual sites do not offer amenities such as running water or electricity, there is a nice bathroom and shower facility located mid-camp. These showers are free and boast cold water showers, something you will more than crave in the humid Texas air.

Campsites are located amongst the grassy dunes about 200 yards from the coastal waters but upon paying you can park in your designated site and set up your tent anywhere within the area including beachside.

We arrived late in the evening just before sunset. Following sunset Campground is very dark, no security lights to disrupt the coastal star views so it can be a bit tricky to navigate. Do not forget a flashlight if you are camping here for sure!

The humidity of the coast was intense so it made for a bit of a hot evening camping though the breeze passing through the tent was very helpful. Make sure your have a fully venting tent when camping here to keep cooler at night and pack lightweight items for sleeping.

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All in all I would give Malaquite Campground 4 of 5 Bunnies. The facilities were clean, Campground host was helpful and location was ideal for beach combing away from some of the crowds. I do suggest this to be a weekday excursion however as they did mention because of the low cost it does fill up quickly on weekends.

The only downside, lighting is sparse at night which makes it a bit difficult to navigate the grounds. Again for safety remember to bring a flashlight! And this campsite is very windy, nothing you can do about this though because it is nature, but that can make for difficulty in setting up or using bbqs.

For a video of the campsite and a little more about Malaquite Beach check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFW9mi4iE2Y&t=8s

This 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!

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!

Can’t say enough good things about this place. First time to Texas and was pleasantly surprised with the national park and this specific camp ground. The beach was closed for camping (September 17-21) due to high tides so I decided to stay at bird island basin. 20+ RV spots (without electric hookup so bring that generator) and a designated tent camping area on a small beach in the back of the grounds. Toilets at either side of the camp ground. Boat ramp and kayak launch 100 yards from the tent camping area. Also, if you’re a windsurfer, their is a rental shop and world class windsurfing 5 ft from your camp ground. I stayed for 5 nights and the cost was 40$ plus the 10$ park entrance fee for a weeks access. The intercoastal channel runs directly parallel to the beach and its teeming with redfish and plenty other species of saltwater fish. Showers are a 2 minute drive down the road to Malaquite beach and they also have a gift shop that sells ice (7.50 for 20 lbs). The only downside is their is no cell service until you leave the national park and the closest gas station and reasonably priced ice is 12 miles away. Also bring a canopy because their are only 3 spots with shade and they fill up fast.

We have family that lives in Flower Bluff (basically Corpus Christi) and Mustang Island is just 15 miles from Flower Bluff. We usually do Thanksgiving at their house so it is convenient for us to stay here. It is a nice clean beach with some great fishing spots. (Fishing is free and legal in state Texas state parks without a license.)

The beach is away from the touristy areas of Corpus! They do have RV hookups up from the beach, but they have primitive camping directly on the beach with a permit, which is what we do. It is only a short walk to the bathrooms and covered picnic tables. It is just 5 dollars to get in, or free if you have a State Park pass. There is also a little store in the park with snacks and stuff but nothing to fancy. Also bathrooms are port-a-potties, but hey! it's the beach!

You can swim, fish, kayak or hike! The hiking trails are nice, just not a whole lot of shade. Very easy trails nothing to extreme, but great for kids! They also have a wonderful paddling trail along the coastline , so don't forget the kayak!

There is lots to do around the park as well. If you have kids, which is our main concern when going new places, there are a lot of educational attractions. There is an aquarium in Corpus. Don't expect Sea World, it is smaller, but just as fun. There is also the USS Lexington which is my little boy's favorite! You can go inside and tour the ship, plus there are airplanes parked on the top!! We also saw some Sea turtles being releases back into the wild so make sure you check for events around you!!

its by a pier known for catching some good fish! Drum,trout, red.

Lots of full time military/GS/maintenance employees. Sites are backwards with all hookups on door side. Occasionally loud with jet noise when winds are from the N (underneath the downwind). New park is currently in the planning phase.

We headed down to Yarborough Pass during a coastal flood warning. Although we did the drive at low tide, it was still slow going.

It took us about 1.5 hours to get to the road turning inland (just b4 mile marker 15).

The first 30ish yards of the road inland was pretty soft sand, but the road was hand-packed and dry the rest of the way.

(Although I could see how it could get soft and rutted after a flood or heavy rain).

The site chose was on a bulkhead and had four shade structures already there. We were the only ones at those four spots all weekend!

A few folks camped another 50 yards down on the beach for a night at the beginning of the week, but we mostly just saw day visitors besides that.

Had to use the trucks as windbreaks, as it was pretty windy most of the weekend.

But there was less blowing sand than on the ocean side. Definitely a cool spot to get away and enjoy some coastal fishing and paddling.

Just make sure to bring all your supplies to be self-contained for the duration of your stay!

Such 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!