Beach Access 2, South Padre Island, TX 78597, USA 
273 miles from Houston, TX
Andy Bowie Park is a small and quiet campground with complete hookups, friendly staff, and convenient beach location. The beach is a great family destination, long (about 30 miles!) and spacious enough for everyone to find a private spot, spread towels, set chairs, coolers, and umbrellas and chill out while the kids are looking for shells, building sandcastles or playing in the water. The beach is popular and does get crowded in the summer months, but you can always walk a little further to get more space.
Access and Parking
Andy Bowie Park boasts a good location and easy access. Convenient but limited parking is available and the parking fee is 10 dollars. If you want to save money, there is an option to park your vehicle at the beach entrance. In this case, you’ll have to walk about 10 minutes to the beach.
Campground
The campground offers the most basic amenities and full (though not perfectly maintained) hookups. Being $45 per night, the price is rather high, which could be a little bit more justified if there was a beach view and the sites were more spacious, but the view is nothing special and the sites are located quite close to each other.
Amenities and Vendors
There are well-maintained public restrooms and showers to rinse the sand off. There are vendor trucks with food and drinks visiting the beach – in case you get hungry. Note that their offers are overpriced, so probably it’s better to bring your own food and have a picnic – there are shaded picnic areas with barbecue grills where you’re welcome to cook something delicious for yourself and your family. By the way, there are also playground facilities to keep the children busy while you’re engaged in cooking – or chilling out.
Activities
This 30-mile beautiful beach with hard-packed sand is good for strolling and enjoying the views. You can take your dog if you have one. The local wildlife is quite diverse including seagulls, pelicans, cranes, egrets, different species of fish, and, of course, turtles. Laguna Madre Nature Trail is definitely a place of interest for birdwatchers, hikers, and, overall, those who want to commune with nature.
If you have kids, they’re going to have a blast looking for shells that are abundant on this beach. Swimming is enjoyable as well, the water is much better than in Galveston or Corpus Christi, the waves are gentle, and there are lifeguards on duty (in the entrance area), so you can feel safe. Nevertheless, keep in mind that there is a riptide.
Driving Time
- 45 minutes from Brownsville, TX
- 55 minutes from Harlingen, TX
- 2 hours 50 minutes from Corpus Christi, TX
Hotels and rentals
If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:
- Nearby rentals from VRBO.
- Nearby rooms and properties from Booking.com.
Beaches nearby
Additionally, there's a number of beaches near Andy Bowie Park Beach which you can visit:
- Isla Blanca Park Beach (5 miles)
- Boca Chica Beach (10 miles)
- UFO Beach (15 miles)
6608 Padre Boulevard Unit 110, South Padre Island, TX 78597, United States
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5 mi away