Malaquite Campground — Padre Island National Seashore

We spent 4 days in early April. Arrived on Sunday and there were plenty of open sites. There us room for any size rig and there are a few generators running but the are shut down at night.

The best part is the beach. Vehicles are not allowed on the beach so you don't have the constant parade of cars and trucks. You can enjoy miles of beach walking without exhaust fumes.

This time of year is turtle season. Sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. There are rangers out watching for turtle. Bird watching is fantastic. The pelicans are amazing fliers.

Been able to park in a safe area just few feets from the beach is priceless. There is no electric or water so be prepared, only cold water shower but incredible sunsets and sunrises

This is one of two established campgrounds on Padre Island, and definitely the more desirable one. After camping on the sand in the dispersed area along the coast, for over a week, a gale force warning inspired us to move into this paved campground, which offered a bit more protection. 

It’s not much more than a glorified parking lot, but it has direct beach access to the north end of the national seashore and some amenities. Some sites have grills, others don’t. All seemed to have picnic tables. Showers (only cold water) and bathrooms are relatively clean, but a little outdated. There are just 3 tent sites on the far north end and they are some of the nicest spots!

Glorious views of the ocean, lovely sunsets over the dunes, and some of the most amazing shells and sea creatures regularly wash up on the beach. Birds galore, too!  We spent a lot of time on beaches and near the ocean and have never seen this type of diversity.

On the downside, there is also a lot of storm surge trash, so bring a few bags and do your part to help clean up YOUR park.

There are no electrical hook-ups, so come prepared with your solar panel. There is ice available at the Visitor’s Center and water at the campground, but groceries/gas is about 10-12 miles away, so come prepared to chill the heck out at this beachside campground.