North Padre Island
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Category: General Camping
Forum Name: Camp Grounds
Forum Discription: Share your r-pod friendly camp spots
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14303
Printed Date: 02 May 2025 at 12:30pm
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Topic: North Padre Island
Posted By: JR
Subject: North Padre Island
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2020 at 9:56am
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Has anyone camped on the beach at Padre Island National Seashore? We are thinking of trying that out in March/April this year. Just wanting to know what to expect. Is it real busy in early to mid March with "Spring Breakers", how is the cell coverage, and what is the mosquito/black flies like that time of year? Keeping in mind that we are leaving behind in Michigan the white stuff. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Replies:
Posted By: EchoGale
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2020 at 10:06am
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Hi Jay, I've not been there but I can tell you that many universities have re-arranged their Spring terms this year to eliminate spring break. They don't want students leaving and then coming back with COVID. You might want to check what Texas schools have done, but this year will probably be better than most on that count. ------------- Julie |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2020 at 10:20am
Thanks for the thought it is a good one and maybe beneficial I will check it out 
------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2020 at 3:57pm
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We have camped at Padre Island before--but it was before the hurricanes. It WAS a very nice campground -no idea what it is like now. There were ocean front and second row campsites, showers and potable water available. It had no electrical hookups. There was a dump station for campers only. I would definitely go back if the campground has been rebuilt/repaired-I know the hurricanes did a massive amount of damage-including destroying the visitor's center. Better check with them before you make plans safe travels Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2020 at 5:51pm
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Pod People, Thanks for the heads up...we are looking forward to some place warm in March and we have been doing some investigation of the Padre Island area and it looks like a good place...just wanted to make sure we're not overlooking something basic...we'll have to see what the spring breakers are like this year...again thanks for the reply. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2020 at 8:35am
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Padre Island is my 'end of the gulf' run I'm planning. So I'm also researching quite a bit about it. Here's the NP site if you don't have it already. http://www.nps.gov/pais/planyourvisit/camping.htm - http://www.nps.gov/pais/planyourvisit/camping.htm And the FB Page with current info (if so interested): http://www.facebook.com/nps.pais - http://www.facebook.com/nps.pais Best I can tell is the Visitor Center is still undergoing repairs. I'm not expecting any of the rinse showers nor flush toilets to be operating. Best I can tell so far is water/dump is available, needs to be confirmed.. I'll be in that area well before you and will post up what I find. Safe travels! ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2020 at 8:59am
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Thanks for the information and we are just looking to find out what we can expect because one spring we stopped a the state park on the gulf shores by Port Arthur and ended up staying 1 night "on the beach" however the mosquitoes were so bad we couldn't stay any longer. We may end up staying longer at Padre Island longer or at least planning to. If you need their phone number it's 361-949-8068. Have a safe trip along the coast. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2020 at 2:20pm
Sea Rim State Park? I've picked a hopeful spot on the beach south of Lake Charles (fairly close by). What time of year were you there? Haven't run into coastline mosquitoes yet, then again, never been through the Bayou! ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2020 at 2:38pm
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Yes it was Sea Rim State Park near Port Arthur and it was back in 2015 and those mosquitoes made a lasting impression on me!! The time of year was mid-March...might of been just a bad year for the mosquitoes. We had just prior to that stayed on Grand Isle in Louisiana so I don't know what were the causes. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 7:15am
LOL, I have that one marked out, Grand Isle State Park! What can you tell me about that spot? I hoped to stay also at a COE in Norco while visiting New Orleans (Bonnet Carre Spillway). You know of that one? ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 8:13am
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I wanted to go back to Grand Isle because I had been there in the mid 60's. Boy a lot of changes like everywhere but the SP is a nice one within walking distance of the beach. Glad I went but didn't go to Bonnet Carre Spillway, we were first timers back then and trying to make to Arizona to see the kids so we just had an overnighter at the mosquito haven Sea Rim. Now as retirees we're not in so much of a hurry and look for COEs and BLMs. For overnighters Crackle Barrels and Elk Lodges are good or Walmarts. Where are you starting your bayou trip? Going all along the gulf coast? Ending up in Mexico? Some of our favorite state parks are in southern New Mexico, nice weather break in March/April. This year they may still be closed to non-residents due to covid restrictions, so that's why we're looking at Padre Island. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 9:59am
I learned last week of a checkup my wife needs to do the 18th of Jan.. I was hoping to leave the 8th.. Oh well. I'm running out of NH, heading south to Tallahassee and running the coast westward to Padre Island. Depending on time (how much we spent getting there), I'd like to pass through San Antoine and Big Bend heading towards AZ. I've been developing a N/S run in western AZ/Eastern AZ along the Colorado reaching Joshua Tree NP (never been). Several meet ups happening around Q in Feb so that could work out. I posted up the Tallahassee to Padre Island on my YT channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOAKZFDzjIc&t=7s - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOAKZFDzjIc&t=7s I was invited to join a caravan to Baja, MX and will be doing a seminar the organizer setup up on Saturday. I signed up as an alternate mainly due to not knowing exactly when we would/could meet up and really don't like setting deadlines. I like going as the wind blows or the bugs chase us out (lol). I am looking forward to visiting Padre Island and I would like to get into Bird Island Basin or Yarborough Pass (4wd) and get out of the wind/blowing sand. Shame we're going at different times! ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 10:21am
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Your YouTube posting looks like you have it planned out well and you should enjoy that trip. We have been to several SPs and County Parks in Az not much in the BLM stays but you should enjoy the weather out there. You will see some different country compared to New Hampshire. Take your time and enjoy. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 10:46am
That channel I'm posting my Westward run of 2019 which was just amazing! Traveled along the US/Canadian border much of the way in both directions. The website I'm working on combines several sites I have posted over the years and includes our trip to the Southwest. Utah, NM and some AZ. http://bywaysnohighways.com - http://bywaysnohighways.com I have a special place in my heart for the Atlantic Maritimes and hope to get back again this year.. This year lead to running almost the entire Maine coastline to the border! We're hoping to get out to Newfoundland in 2021. We shall see. Never having seen the Bayou or any of the region along the Gulf, I do so look forward to what it has to show us and adding another chapter to our travels. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |