Andy Bowie County Park

Place was very well kept. Nothing fancy though. Rinse off area, restroom and picnic area at the main entrance. Great place for a quick beach walk or a swim. The location is regularly patrolled as well. Parking wasn’t packed for it being a weekend so that’s always a plus!

Camped here three nights in my campervan in mid February in the dispersed camping area a.k.a parking lot. Pros: 1 minute walk to the beach, close to the very popular Clayton's, bathrooms with showers, trash cans, parking lot has a slight incline to it but I was able to compensate with levelers. Cons: bathrooms chained closed at 5:30 pm and not reopened until 7:30-8 ish. Only one of three showers worked and only cold water, bathroom sinks were inoperable, children's play area was closed and looked to be in disrepair. Feeling generous about giving it 3 stars. It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible. Might be better during the summer season. Still, at $20 a night, they could at least let you pee after 5:30. Yeeesh!

Andy Bowie County Park is one few public camping facilities on South Padre Island. If you love the beach and want some sunshine this may be a good option. The camp has good facilities and caters to camper trailers and RVs. They have bathrooms, showers, and picnic facilities. The park is across the street from a popular bird watching center and sea turtle rescue facility. The park has some beautifully restored sand dunes and the beach is mostly unoccupied during the weekdays. Of note, the camping sites are adjacent to each other with no privacy or shade. The sun on Padre Island can be brutal. So you will need to time you visit or have good AC and cover. The bay across the street is great for fishing and kayaking. On windy days the Laguna Madrid is a popular spot for kite and wild surfing. The campground is next to their large day use area which can get crowded on weekends. I would strongly recommend making a reservation at this site. The park rangers are based at the camp which can be good for safety. Holiday weekends tend to draw large crowds to the island from the Rio Grande Valley. The beach is the highlight here. You can drive your off-road vehicle on the shoreline north of the park. We have been cutoff by tides in the past. So, you should check the NOAA tide tables before going to the end of the shore drive. If you are into bird watching, Padre Island is a great place as well. You see birders visiting from all over the country to catch the seasonal migrations. Great site for the traveling camper or folks who love the beach. The price is high due to demand and location. So this could be an issue for those on a budget.