Newly obsessed with Padre Island National Seashore, the longest barrier island in the world and basically the wild west of beach camping. You drive on the beach, find a nice dune, and camp. The end. It’s awesome.
(For real, that’s just about it. The NPS website isn’t much more informative, because there isn’t much more to say). $10 day use; $25 for overnight (good for a week). There are also no stores once you’re down the park road, so pack all your sundries and BYO firewood, though there’s driftwood to burn too.
DO
NOT FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN! I don’t care when you go, the Texas sun is hot!
Also be warned: it is windy af. I’ve heard a few accounts of people only being able to last one night. I managed to make a fire in a very deep pit I dug with my bobo shovel, but I’m not gonna lie, I gave up twice before finally becoming successful, using the newsprint guide the Park Service gave me, and three fire starters (which to be fair are shitty fire starters).
The solitude is one of the greatest things about camping on the beach, because you can drive as far as you want to get as far away from people as you want. While I read, wrote poetry, did a little beachcombing, and generally just relaxed, it’d also be super fun for a group.
