This is one of my favorite places to camp in South Texas. Cameron County recently made this into Edwin King Atwood Cameron County Park. The site is just a few miles north of the convention center on the northern end of South Padre Island. They have a controlled gate at the access #5 gate and charge a $10 fee. Before you drive onto the beach they have bathrooms and a picnic facilities at this entrance. You can camp anywhere north of this entrance. We like to camp here in the off-season during the week to avoid the busy periods. We have a 4x4 which can come in handy for the soft sand areas. You can access with a truck or higher clearance passenger vehicle. This is dispersed camping without designated sites. They provide trash barrels but no other amenities. We like this setup and appreciate the freedom of camping at this type of site. You will need to pack everything in to this site and bring your water, food, and toilet. You camp along the beautiful seashore next to tall sand dunes with incredible views up and down the beach. They have been making efforts to pickup trash on the beach which has been an issue in the past. You can drive for miles down the beach which eventually ends at a jetty. Beach drivers should monitor tide levels and check the NOAA tide tables. We have been trapped after dark once with rising tides. The sun and wind can be unforgiving along this beach. So you need to time your visit and have the right equipment to protect against the elements. The Laguna Madre is just to the west. This is great for kayaking, kite surfing, fishing, and bird watching.