Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. It's an amazing opportunity to really disconnect and enjoy the untouched beauty of beach. It's one of my personal favorite weekended getaway and favorite place to camp in South Texas. With primitive camping, endless fishing, and unlimited sunbathing, this place just captures the natural beauty of Texas beaches.
There are a few things you should know before any trip down to the coast...
Come to Disconnect
Padre Island is located on "The Island", accessible by crossing the bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas. There's one way on the island and one way off. You'll have plenty of cell service while in Corpus; however, you'll notice that as you drive to the entrance of Padre Island, reception quickly disappears well before you make your way to the Visitor's Center.
As you approach the welcome sign, you're lucky if you still have any connectivity. At the entrance of the park, you'll find a both where you'll get your day passes or present your NPS card for entry. By the time you make it to the visitors center, there's no service whatsoever, nor will you find service for the remainder of your island getaway.
It's important to note that you won't have service, -like none at all on Padre. If you have a life-threatening emergency, get bit or stung by something, or just need assistance, you'll need to flag down a park ranger or high tail it back to service, which could be HOURS away depending on how far you went down the coastline.
Camping the Island
When heading to Padre Island to camp for a night, the weekend, or longer, one thing you must consider when setting up your home away from home is the wind. This single most important element will make or break your visit. The wind is harsh, relentless, and can come in significant bursts. When considering what tent you'll be using, it needs to be strong enough to hold up to the elements and withstand the beating of the coastal winds for the duration of your stay. The joints should be sturdy and support itself with significant breezes. Trust me: We learned the hard way. We left our camp long enough visit the very end of Padre Island just to return to see a crumbled pile of metal and flowing canopy left in what once was our weekend haven. That quickly ended our stay.
The tide is ever-changing and that means that you need to plan accordingly. One weekend, we headed out to the coast, not realizing that we were setting up at low tide. We had most of our camp together for the next few days when a park ranger was kind enough to stop and warn us that our camp would be under water in hours. I won't even begin to express the internal devastation of finding out we needed to move the entire set up. What I can tell you is that hours later, when that high tide rolled around, we knew exactly why that ranger stopped us. We would have been 1 foot under water-- easy. Hell, we might have swam out to the ocean. Bless that poor man that made us move everything as we finished setting up. We moved it just far enough that we got a little wave on the corner of the tent.
Sea Turtles on Padre Island
Have you ever wanted to see a sea turtle? Not in an aquarium, but in their natural habitat? At Padre Island National Seashore, you'll get your chance.
Hatchling releases typically occur from mid-June through August. Most of the releases take place at 6:45 am on Malaquite Beach in front of the visitor center at Padre Island National Seashore on North Padre Island in Corpus Christi, Texas. On average 1,300 people attend each sea turtle hatchling release held in the park, with more often attending on the first, weekend or holiday releases. It usually takes the hatchlings 20-45 minutes to make their way across the beach and into the water, giving time for everyone to get a good view. Volunteers and park rangers may also bring hatchlings around for visitors to get a close-up look and take photos (no flash).
