The sand here runs coarse underfoot, packed firm enough for a barefoot walk that can stretch for miles without interruption. Mustang Island State Park protects five miles of beachfront where dunes bristle with sea oats and morning glories, and the rest of the barrier island extends north and south in a ribbon of public shore. You'll find families pitching pop-up tents in the shade of their tailgates, anglers casting into the first gut, and shorebirds working the wrack line for ghost crabs and coquinas.
“One of the few Texas beaches where you can legally camp directly on the sand, falling asleep to the sound of Gulf surf.”
Credit: Flickrmustang_island_beach_6D4139
The Gulf here lacks the turquoise theatrics of Florida or the Caribbean, running instead in shades of jade and steel depending on the wind. But the water stays warm from April through October, and the waves break gently enough for children to jump them and confident enough for boogie-boarders to catch a ride. The park's paddling trail winds through the back-bay marshes where redfish tail in the shallows and herons stand motionless among the cordgrass.
Sunset turns the entire western horizon into a gradient of tangerine and plum, best watched from the beach with your feet in the last warm wash of the day. When the light fades, the campground comes alive with the smell of mesquite smoke and grilling meat, and the stars emerge in numbers that remind you just how far south you've traveled along the Texas coast.
