Rachel Posted February 7, 2016 Posted February 7, 2016 I spent an afternoon there last May. I really enjoyed it but didn't camp. We typically go to the Gulf closer to Galveston, Padre Island is much nicer. Depending on when you are going, see if you can see the turtles hatch, we missed it by about a week. I think it would be worth timing a trip around that. 1 Quote
Katy Posted February 7, 2016 Author Posted February 7, 2016 (edited) nm Edited July 22, 2016 by Katy Quote
Mama2boys1girl Posted February 7, 2016 Posted February 7, 2016 My husband and I used to camp on Padre Island. Specifically, Mustang Island State Park, which is near Port Aransas. You can pitch a tent right on the beach. You will have other campers near you and you drive your car right up to the campsite on the beach. There are showers near the entrance to the park by the RV area and port o potties scattered on the beach. The thing about Padre Island is that it is a super long island that spans much of the Texas coastline and I cannot comment about any of the other areas of primitive camping besides Mustand Island. It's Texas, so it is HOT. And it always seemed that gale-force winds would blow us down every single night. I hope that helps. Happy to answer any specific questions. Quote
alisonf3 Posted February 7, 2016 Posted February 7, 2016 We tent camp there often. It tends to be very windy so it helps to have sand stakes for the tents. Also, a canopy of some kind for sun protection is a must! Be sure to dig holes to bury the legs in or it will blow over the dunes! Our favorite spot is between miles 15 and 20, but beach driving conditions vary so we have camped as close as mile 2. We try to find a spot without too many people fishing nearby. There are people driving on the beach all hours of day and night so we try to make our camp visible using reflective cones and solar lights. Also, there is no internet/cell service away from the visitor center. We used the showers one trip but they were very dirty in the evenings. Usually we just take enough water to clean up in the evenings. Take lots of sunscreen and water! In moderate temperatures we need about 2 gallons a day for our family of 5 not including what I use for cooking and coffee. They do sell it at the store there but it is expensive. On clear nights the stars are amazing and the sunrise is gorgeous over the water! 1 Quote
Rachel Posted February 7, 2016 Posted February 7, 2016 When are the turtles released? July? It can be anytime in April-August but it looks like mid-June through August is most common. Not all of the hatchings are open to the public but the National Park lists the dates they think specific nests will hatch on their website. It's of course all estimates as to when they hatch. 1 Quote
Katy Posted February 9, 2016 Author Posted February 9, 2016 (edited) nm Edited July 22, 2016 by Katy Quote
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