State park · Texas Gulf Coast · Texas
Mustang Island State Park is a Texas Parks and Wildlife barrier-island park on Highway 361, 14 miles south of Port Aransas and about 30 miles from Corpus Christi on the Texas Gulf Coast. It offers two very different ways to camp: 48 developed water and 50-amp sites behind the dunes about 400 yards from the surf, and 50 primitive drive-up sites directly on 1.5 miles of beach. It suits budget beach campers, anglers (surf and wade fishing inside the park needs no Texas license), birders in migration season and self-sufficient RVers who would rather have the Gulf a short walk away than resort landscaping.
| Hookups | Mixed: none or water + 50 amp |
|---|---|
| Sites | 48 W/E + 50 primitive beach |
| Max RV length | Exact site / beach conditions |
| Cost | $13–$25 |
| Fees | Daily entrance fee is separate; beach sites can close. |
| Reservations | Developed reservable; primitive is not |
| Season | Year-round |
| Amenities | hot showers, flush toilets, dump station, paddling trails; no store, laundry, or Wi-Fi |
Source-backed: TPWD campsite page (checked 2026-07-18). Rates and site details change — verify with the operator before you book. Compare it with every other park we track in the price index.
Mustang Island State Park is a Texas Parks and Wildlife barrier-island park on Highway 361, 14 miles south of Port Aransas and about 30 miles from Corpus Christi on the Texas Gulf Coast. It offers two very different ways to camp: 48 developed water and 50-amp sites behind the dunes about 400 yards from the surf, and 50 primitive drive-up sites directly on 1.5 miles of beach. It suits budget beach campers, anglers (surf and wade fishing inside the park needs no Texas license), birders in migration season and self-sufficient RVers who would rather have the Gulf a short walk away than resort landscaping.
Practically, developed sites are $25 a night and primitive beach sites $13, both plus a $7 per-adult daily entry fee, with hot showers, flush toilets and a dump station but no sewer, store, laundry or Wi-Fi. Developed sites are reservable five months ahead at 8 AM Central and popular weekends go in minutes; beach sites are first-come and can close with weather or sand conditions, so call the park before taking a heavy rig onto the sand. It is open year-round; October through April is the comfortable season. The trade-off is the wind, which is relentless, plus small, shadeless, close-together hookup sites.
Excerpts from the RV Parks Guide articles that cover this campground. Each links to the full guide.
Full review
Mustang Island State Park Review: Texas Beach Camping with HookupsA researched Mustang Island State Park review — $25 water/50-amp sites behind the dunes, $13 primitive beach camping, fees, wind, and rig tradeoffs — plus the other RV parks and resorts on the island.
Regional guide
Port Aransas RV Parks: The Best of Mustang Island, From Beachfront Resorts to $12 Beach CampingFourteen miles south of Port A on Highway 361, Mustang Island State Park is 3,954 acres of Texas Parks and Wildlife barrier island with two very different campgrounds: 48 water/electric sites (30-amp, no sewer, shared pergola shade structures) behind the dunes at $20 to $25 per night, and 50 primitive drive-up sites directly on 1.5 miles of beach at about $15 per night. Small campfires are allowed on the sand — a rarity on Texas beaches — and surf fishing inside the park requires no Texas fishing license.
The honest ledger: the hookup sites are small, close together, shadeless, and 30-amp only; the wind is relentless; and the reservation window (5 months ahead, 8 AM Central) sells out popular weekends in minutes. But at a quarter of resort pricing with the Gulf a third of a mile away, it is the best public beach camping value on the coast. We cover every loop, the beach-driving risk for 2WD rigs, and booking strategy in our full Mustang Island State Park review.
Read the guide →Our verdict
Book Mustang Island if you want cheap Gulf-front camping, free surf fishing and the option to sleep on the sand; skip it if you need full hookups, shade, privacy or cannot stand constant wind.
No. The 48 developed sites have water and 50-amp electric only, with a dump station on site. Beach sites have no hookups. Full-hookup resorts are 14 miles north in Port Aransas.
Per TPWD's current fee page, developed water/50-amp sites are $25 a night and primitive beach sites are $13, both plus a $7 daily entry fee per adult age 13 and older. A Texas State Parks Pass covers entry.
It varies by site; check individual site dimensions when booking. Beach access depends on sand conditions, so call the park at (361) 749-5246 before taking a heavy trailer onto the beach.
Developed sites reserve through the Texas State Parks system, opening 5 months ahead at 8 AM Central, and popular weekends fill in minutes. Primitive beach sites are not reservable.
Developed sites sit about 400 yards behind the dunes; only the 50 primitive sites are directly on the sand.
Yes. October through April brings the most comfortable weather; summer is hot and humid with hurricane risk, and the park closes when storms threaten.
Compare alternatives before you book — or browse the whole Texas hub.