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Old 07-04-2014, 10:15 AM   #1
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Smile Camping Out On a Beach?

It has been a dream of mine, for many years, to camp out on a beach in a MH/RV/travel trailer. Have any of you ever camped out on the beach at Port Aransas or somewhere on the Texas coast? What do I need to know/do and what are some no-no's? I have read and re-read the rules an regs published by Texas Parks and Wildlife, the State of Texas and anything else pertinent to camping. What I am trying to find out is what they DON'T say to do or not to do, such as how do you tell how to stay out of the water at high tide, how to tell if the sand/roadway will support the weight of our rig and things like that.

Thanks in advance and have a wonderful and safe 4th of July holiday.
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Old 07-04-2014, 10:18 AM   #2
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Take credit card just in case you get stuck.
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Old 07-04-2014, 06:09 PM   #3
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Know the area well enough and my wife keeps me from making the same mistake I've done many times before when we were younger. Every time we are staying at Mustange Island SP I see people driving out onto the beach and camping sea side. Seems like a good idea, but wife insists we stay parked at a regular site. So far her track record on not getting stuck is a lot better than mine.

If you don't have 4x4 and are pulling a trailer don't even try it on Texas beaches... Been stuck to many times... I also loose every time I gamble
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Old 07-04-2014, 06:20 PM   #4
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Airing down the tv and trailer tires before driving on the sand will keep you from getting stuck. Remember to air up before getting back on the highway
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Old 07-04-2014, 09:11 PM   #5
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Thanks, Fun and Clutch, for the advice. I found an RV park supposedly yards from the beach right in Port A and I believe we may try that first. We aren't towing a trailer or vehicle, nevertheless, messing with the tire pressure worries me. I think we will play it safe.
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Old 07-05-2014, 10:13 AM   #6
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Yeah, our E450 would sink or get high centered being 32ft+ long. I've weighed my rig and my front is 4,800lbs. That's the entire weight of most SUV's on only two narrow tires. Owned a 3/4 ton Dodge with cummins for years, so I know first hand what happens to heavy front ends in soft soil/sand.

Are you by chance staying at "On The Beach RV Park" in Port A? Know of the place but never stayed there yet. Have wanted to but have just kept driving to Mustang Island SP. If so, give some feed back on the park after your stay and let us all know what you think of it.

BTW- I was raised in St. Hedwig, where my parents still live today. :-)
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Old 07-05-2014, 01:06 PM   #7
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Holy moly, we're about 10 minutes from St. Hedwig,,,off 1604 and New Sulphur Springs Road.

Our rig is in the shop right now getting a bumper-to-bumper plus generator issues. We were thinking about driving down to that RV Park in our regular truck, check it out and ask questions.

Is there an RV park on Mustang Island?
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Old 07-05-2014, 02:58 PM   #8
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Check out www.surfsidebreeze.com if your okay staying just a few feet from the beach. It's down in Surfside Texas, about 30 minutes South of Galveston. It isn't anything fancy, full hookups and a level paved site just a few steps from the ocean. They claim to be the closest you can get to the beach without parking in sand and I have to agree. We stayed there for a week around Memorial day and it was fine.
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Old 07-06-2014, 08:48 PM   #9
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We have stayed at "On the Beach" many times. We are going back later this month. It is right off the beach, and the sites have nice grass and a picnic table. You can walk to the beach from the campground but it is at least 100 yards to the water. Not too far, but since I have a 3 year old, a cooler, and 100's of toys and floaties, we have opted to rent a golf cart in the past. There are places to rent all over the island. They aren't cheap but they will deal with you if you go in person to talk to them. They are also street legal so you can drive them in town or on the beach.

I will say that the facilities at on the beach aren't the greatest, the restrooms are very small and very hot. Last time we were there they didn't have grills on the sites or a community grill even though the website said they did. But, since we use the restroom in our RV and now carry a grill, being that close to the beach makes it worth it for us.

I have seen several RV's parked on the actual beach outside of the campground. There are fence posts about 75 yards from the water so you can't drive too close, and the sand is pretty packed there. Even so, I wasn't about to try it. If you are in a regular vehicle you can drive further down the coast line past the fence post and drive right up to the water. I now tow a 4X4 Jeep, so that is what we do.
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Old 07-07-2014, 08:30 AM   #10
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Yay!

Wow, a lot of great suggestions. Can't wait to do our shakedown cruise and head for the Gulf.
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Old 07-07-2014, 03:50 PM   #11
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Have been stuck in the sand on Padre Island National Seashore. Now if want to camp there we go the Malaquite campground (no hookups, just a parking lot and picnic table). From the campground you can see the gulf and hear the waves. That is close enough for us. Mustang Island State Park campground is close to the beach, but you cannot see the waves from there. When we were there a few weeks ago, we could not hear the breeze only the traffic on the highway.
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Old 08-27-2014, 11:16 PM   #12
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Dry Camping on Beach at Port Aransans

We've parked our FR3 on the beach at Port A twice this summer. No problems escaping the sand. The first time, the sand was hard packed the entire time. The second time high winds blew lots of loose sand onto the parking area and road along the beach. I was concerned about buildup....I figured 4+ inches of powdered sand would be enough to get stuck. I bought a hoe for $9 at the hardware store on the island. It took me about 10 minutes to gently scrape away loose sand, get to hard pack and create a lane to get out. It worked like a charm.

Like others mention here, we give our MH a good bath when done. I get the slides out and rinse well and also hit the underside and lube the steps. It's a 2 hour cleaning but it looks great when done. I haven't noticed any rust or issues. I suspect we'll be giving Port A another shot in the next few weeks.
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:24 AM   #13
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i have stayed at this place a few times. you can get back in spots that over look the ocean and only a very short walk to the water.

GALVESTON.COM: Dellanera RV Park
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Old 08-29-2015, 07:44 PM   #14
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Dellanera RV Park. You can see the water and hear the waves.
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