Mustang Island State Park
1704 State Hwy 361
Port Aransas, TX 78373
(361) 749-5249
Google Maps Link to Location of Park
Brief Description/Location of Park
Mustang Island State Park is located on Mustang Island about 25 miles from down town Corpus Christi, 13 miles from Port Aransas and 167 miles from San Antonio and is one of 2 coastal State Parks in Texas offering easy beach recreation (the other being Galveston Island State Park near Houston). The park covers 3954 acres with the 5 miles of beach being the highlight and most visited portion of the park.
Main Attraction
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| View of the Gulf from our day use area. |
The main attraction of Mustang Island SP is without a doubt the Gulf of Mexico or more specifically the beach. During this trip the water was clean, seaweed was next to nonexistent (this does change) and the breeze was wonderful. There is of course more to the park than swimming in the gulf, perhaps take a pair of binoculars, camera or video camera and engage in bird and wild life watching. If simple observation is not your thing pack your kayak, surf board or bring along a mountain bike and ride the 5 miles of coast line. From swimming and sun bathing to hiking and biking there is something for everyone who loves the coast.
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| Our day use set-up on the beach. |
One of my favorite aspects of Mustang Island SP is that when the conditions are right you may drive your vehicle down on the beach for both camping and day use. On our trip we backed right up to the beach leaving about 15-20ft between our setup and the waves. With several miles of beach available this park can accommodate more people than most state parks when the beach is open to traffic however if for some reason the beach is closed to traffic the parks much smaller asphalt parking lot will reduce the number of visitors allowed into the park. One thing to consider when using the park for day use is food and water. The nearest store is located 5 miles away on Padre Island so a well stocked ice chest is highly recommended and please do not forget a good strong sunscreen.
Camping Facilities
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| RV ready campsites with water and electric. |
There are 2 kinds of camping at Mustang Island SP, primitive and w/hookups. For primitive camping you will literally be pitching your tent on the beach (though we did see one PUP w/generator parked down on the beach, sorry I didn’t have my camera with when we walked by it about ½ mile down the beach from us). The camping area with hook-ups is located on the opposite side of the dunes from the beach and is very simple and pretty cramped. I personally would not enjoy camping here and believe that this park will remain a park for day use only. That of course is my own personal opinion and you may feel otherwise, maybe one day when we have a PUP or TT of our own that opinion may change but that is a little ways down the road yet.
Restroom/Shower Facilities
Ehh…. I’m not going to lie, the facilities where pretty bad. One facility is shared for the entire park, 6 showers (3 men’s 3 women’s) downstairs with pretty poor privacy. Upstairs the restrooms are a little better but if compared to say Inks Lake SP (a pretty high standard) they were still pretty sad. Folks in RV’s that have their own facilities probably fair better but for those that use the public facilities be prepared. On the beach you will find porta potties and rinse off stations every so far, this in itself was adequate for most people.
Conclusion
Overall Mustang Island SP is a great park for day use that allows you to set up right on the beach and enjoy the beautiful surf. Campers who look for a little shade and a bit more privacy may want to stay clear of this one but if you don’t mind it this may be a decent place to camp as well though I would highly recommend the off season after school has started.
Would I recommend this park? Personally I would for day use only.
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| Sunset over the Intercoastal Waterway. |
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