Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore

At the beginning of spring, 2919, the Two Tired Teachers took a 10 day trip which ended at the Padre Island National Seashore in Corpus Christi, TX.

One of our favorite things about the trip is that we were litereally parked on the beach for free. Another thing the Two Tired Teachers loved about staying on the beach was the sound of the waves all night.

Finding specific information about the park is not easy, so the Two Tired Teachers break it down in the video. First, cross the causeway and continue driving. You will enter the Padre Island National Seashore.

From there, you have four camping options. The first is the North Beach. This one is absolutely free if you don't need any hookups for the duration of the stay. Find a place on a mile of beach, and park close to the dunes.

We, however, needed to empty our tanks and get fresh potable water. For that, you need to enter the fee area. The fee area includes a dump station, a place to get potable water, access to the visitors center, and access to both flush and vault toilets.

To enter the fee area costs $10 for one night or $20 for 2 - 14 nights. If you have an America the Beautiful pass, the entrance fee is waived. The ranger at the fee station told us if we bought the $80 pass, they would go ahead and let us use it that day. Since our plan is to visit more national parks, we bought the pass.

The seond camping option is Bird Island Basin, a place used for windsurfing. The fee for that area is $8 plus the entrance fee. You are at the water, but the "camping" area is a parking lot where you are relatively tightly slotted next to your neighbors.

Bird Basin Island is a premiere sight in the US for windsurfing. As a matter of fact, "The windsurfing area is ranked by Windsurfing Magazine as the best flat water sailing site in the continental USA."
Worldwinds is the pro shop at Bird Isand Basin. They offer lessons as well as equipment rental.

Another camping option is Malaquite Campground. At that campground, there are flush toilets. The fee for Malaquite is $14 a night. It is asphalt, so you don't drive on sand. Also, the wind probably wouldn't be as strong since Malaquite is behind the dunes.

The visitors center has vending machines, and also beach wheelchairs are available. If you

The fourth camping place is the South Beach. You keep following the causeway road, and you will hit the South Beach. The first five miles are for two wheel drive, and the last 55 miles are for four wheel drive.

South Beach is another free camping area. The only thing you are charged is the entrance fee to the park.

All of the camping at the National Seashore at Padre Island is first come, first serve. Each of the campgrounds have a kiosk. You need to stop there and register.

A last option is Mustang Island, a Texas State Park. As of March, 2019, the park wasn't open for camping because of the damage from Hurricane Harvey. If you are staying at Mustang Island, you will not be staying on the beach. The camping there is on a parking lot, but you do have water and electric hook ups.

Wildlife at the park includes, the black skimmer, a bird that fishes morning and evening. In the video you can see them splashing in the water as they try to catch fish.

We also saw ghost crabs. They are shy creatures which burrow in the sand when anyone approaches them.

The trip was extremely enjoyable; however, there are some negatives to camping on the beach. Sand gets in and on everything. It is very important to visit a car wash soon after you leave the park because of the sand.

Видео Padre Island National Seashore канала Two Tired Teachers