isobel

Hi guys, my boyfriend and I would like to spend a weekend camping (tent) by the beach. Both of us only camp once or twice before so don't have much experience; and we've never tried beach camping before. So pls pardon me if the questions are stupid to you.

I've been searching camp sites and now I am thinking either Pachre Island National Seashore or Galveston Island State Park and can't decide which one. I've read some threads and here the dumb questions come:

A lot of people recommend PINS but we don't have a 4 wheel drive vehicle so would it be a problem to go to PINS? and would it be harder to set up the tent on the beach? I know that Galveston Island SP camp site is not really on the beach, but around 150 yards walking from the beach, that is actually not a very big problem to us.

Another concern is PINS is a little too far driving from dallas (7 hours). But we would like to swim, would PINS be better? Guys please help me decide.

Any information on these 2 camp sites are deeply appreciated!
Thank you so much for your patience... Hope you have a great weekend!

happybooker1

I know Padre is further but the water will be MUCH nicer. We are on the 'silty' side of the Mississippi River delta. The further you go from the delta the clearer the water becomes. (Alabama, Florida, Georgia -- are on the non-silty side -- why they have that beautiful emerald green water & we have brown :confused: )

Can't comment on the tent camping but I just know the further you go down the coast the better the water quality.

srds

I live in Freeport 45 miles south of Galveston Park and now is not the best time to swim here.We had a very bad problem with seaweed at this time.Happybooker1 is also right about water ,I don't know about the lower coast but with all the flooding must of the water is very dark .August and September are great around here we won't have the clearity in the water but it is a blue -green until the wind changes for Fall.As for camping,tent stakes change to small screw stakes or 1 inch pvc pipes cut to 2 foot with a hole drill in top for attaching tent to.Always try to put extra ground cover before set up of tent .And a must a broom to keep sand out of tents.Have you looked up Matagordo bay Nature Park,nice place,check it out at LCRA/parks.Its a new park ,but you will still have the same water color.In the Freeport area theres Quintana park small but very clean park ,also San Louis Pass Park look under Brazosport,Texas plus we have 5 public beaches.
The sand is also very different from lower coast we have a more dense and pack sand and Pins is a very soft light pack type.

Pinns is one of Texas's best beach areas ,as for 4 wheel drive much of the time the sand is packed down enough to drive.and even then rangers patrol with 4 wheelers and 4 wheel drives to help out if you do get stuck.There is always people around to help,go have fun.Take fire wood,at times driftwood is'nt there.Wash bucket or portable shower to rinse sand off before getting into tents.

Both areas are very different,have fun .

srds :cool:
Good Camping

isobel

Thank you all for your very helpful information. I really appreciate that!

srds

I forgot about Mustang Island State Park,this is a very nice place to tent camp.
srds :cool:
Good Camping

agaras

Hi there, I'm new here. My family and I are planning a trip to Surfside beach for an overnight stay. We'll be pitching tents, grilling, etc... I've never been, but is there anything I should expect? This will be my first time "beach camping" and I'm a bit nervous. Its very different from Garner State park....will there be bathrooms?!! Any suggestions would be great!

srds

Hi and welcome,
If you camp at Surfside Beach most of the beach is primative -bo-jon potties .Try camping at or near Stahlman park under the house theres showers and toilets,also at the east end of the beach is the jetties theres showers and toilets also.While driving to the beach you will notice a car wash ,they also have coin showers there.Quintana Park has showers and better camp area, but they charge to camp.Quintana Beach also has primative camping also .Be sure and bring some bug spray and some extra wood.Don"t pitch tent close to water we are having really high tide runs right now.Wally World is only ten minutes away from each beach with many other smaller stores also.When you come over large bridge Surfside if you continue straight ahead that is the pay beach,turn left and two miles is the free beach.Turn right takes you to jetties ,also free area.No camping here is nothing like Garner,but it's still fun.Hope this helps .

srds :cool:
Have Fun

agaras

Thank you so much!!!! At least I know what to expect...I was very nervous

Maxden44

:cool: Our family has been camping at the National Seashore for the past 6 years and always love it! You don't have to drive down the beach to camp - there is a campground near the Visitor Center with bathrooms and showers. The campground is right in the dunes with just a short hike (about 50 yards) over the dunes to the best beach in Texas - clear, warm, blue water. Very, very nice! It's one of my favorite spots on earth! A lot of people do camp right down on the sandy beach but then your tent will be full of sand (impossible to stop it) and there are crabs all over the beach that come out at night - little white ones called ghost crabs - and I don't like the idea of crabs walking all around my tent, or even under it maybe. It kinda freaks me out, so we all prefer the campground - which is really nice. Each site has a picnic table with a cover for shade. On some of the sites it's difficult to find room to pitch a tent, it seems they have designed the sites more for RVs than tents, but you can do it. Try to get one of the sites on the very end - they are larger, more grassy, and there is running water right there too. You won't be disappointed in the National Seashore - it's amazing! Check out the visitor center while you're there too. :cool:

agaras

Sounds great! Do we have to make reservations and is there a fee? Also, can you send me directions?

Thanks for you help!!
Angel

Maxden44

No reservations needed - it's a national park and the campground is first come, first served, which really isn't a big deal because if the campground is full, you can just walk a few steps and set up your tent on the beach right in front of the campground.

As for directions, since I don't know where you are coming from, it's hard to give accuracte directions - but go to the website at http://www.nps.gov/pais/ and get directions from there. I can tell you this much - from Corpus Christi you take Hwy 358 across the JFK Causeway (onto Padre Island) and keep going straight. It turns into Park Road 22 and goes right into the national seashore park - the road actually ends on the beach. You'll go through an entrance hut where you have to pay to get into the park - it's $10 for 7 days or $20 for a 1 year pass. Then as you drive into the park, you'll see the signs for the campground on the right. The campground costs $8 night for the site and there is a drop box where you are supposed to fill out an envelope and put your money in. Usually there is a campground host (volunteer) who checks daily to make sure people have paid but in the off season, it's on the honor system.

It's usually pretty windy there so make sure your tent has good stakes. At night, the stars go on forever! Oh, and cell ###### don't work there unless you can walk around and maybe find a spot where it will work. We've had to drive into town when we wanted to make a call, which is about 15 miles (although I think there is still a pay phone at the campground) but last time I was there, about 3 weeks ago, my phone rang! It worked for once. I think the wind was blowing just right or something. Shade is essential - there isn't much of it at the beach - so bring your own. We bought one of those easy pop-up shade things and it has really come in handy.

If you do want to drive further down the beach, you can go about 5 miles with a 2-wheel drive vehicle, but after that, you would need 4 wheel drive. But if you like beachcombing for shells, etc. - the best areas are down the beach about 20 miles.

If you want to see a lot of pictures - go into Google and set it on 'Images' and then type in Padre Island National Seashore, or even North Padre beach - something like that. You'll see a lot of good pictures. The picture I have on my ID here was taken at the National Seashore.

Have a great time!! :cool:

MissionCamper

I echo the sentiments regarding PINS...a great place for sun, sand, and solitude! In fact, my avatar pic is from when we last visited.

Maxden44

Oops! -- The campground is on the LEFT as you go into the park, not the right. (The sign is on the right, but you have to turn LEFT into the campground.)

Seababe

We are thinking about a Labor Day weekend trip to Padre for camping and PINS. As far as beach camping I drive a 2001 Toyota Solara (sport Camry) and don't want to get stuck in sand, or ruin my car (as I just sunk enough money into tires and exhaust fixing) and I also don't want (well can't with disc problems....although I have a hubby and son I can bribe he he) to carry tent and equipment etc...for distances. I am not against having a place to pitch our tent and walk to the beach.

Is this possible or is parking a long way/walk from camping? I just want to wake up on the beach, search for shells, and my son loves to ride his boogey board. We went to Destin in May and are spoiled to the beaches there but expenses dictate we stay in Texas but want the best beach opportunity.

Thanks in advance,

Karen in Dallas (who REALLY needs to get out of the city!!!)

happybooker1

Wow! We have a lot of similiarities here! WE were just in Florida (west of Destin in Grayton Beach) at the end of June. My son loves his boogy-board too! We 're already scheduled for Henderson NEXT June!

As far as PINS, you just go & drive and stop when you find a suitable spot. People are just lined up on the beach in moho's, tents, truck campers, etc. You just find a spot far enough down you're 'happy' and park & set up. We drove about a mile down the beach (I have a CRV) and the sand's pretty firmly packed to drive on. Have fun!

We'll be at Inks Lake SP Labor Day. Son wants to go jump off the cliff....