Any beach "campers" / boondockers out there?

[Bill's Unlimited]

Another thread got me thinking.... My wife and I bought this cabover camper last year. We have taken several trips in it, including boondocking at Luckenbach - doesn't get much better than that!

We are completely self sufficient - onboard water, generator, solar panel.

We plan on boondocking up in the mountains this summer, but my wife would also like to take it to the beach. Anyone else do this? Where do you go? Any helpful hints?

I have read a few articles on the web that outlined a few important things to remember:
air down tires
carry a tow rope
wood for under the jack

We will probably make our maiden voyage in the next few weeks to a beach somewhere close, maybe Surfside where my brother has his 5th wheel and boat...

[outlook8]

Take a shovel and empty bucket...

[Bill's Unlimited]

Yep, shovel was on the list too...

[Bill's Unlimited]

Anyone?

[Mouse]

We keep a water bucket and an old door mat by the camper to keep some of the sand out of the trailer

[Bill's Unlimited]

Mouse - old "Tide" bottles work real good for that purpose.

[westguy76]

south padre island national seashore

[Bill's Unlimited]

Other than spring break about 25 years ago haven't been to South Padre... That trip would need to be more than a weekend to make it worth while.

However, my FIL lives on North Padre, and we go down to the national seashore on day trips when we would go visit.

[whompum]

Surfside..is good.. they have the jetties and there are some little RV parks round the island. They charge to go park on Surfside Beach.. but if you go down about 4 miles there is a free beach area and you can park near the water...

[Bill's Unlimited]

Yea, my brother has his 5th wheel down there at one of the parks in Surfside. We are wanting to just pull up to the beach and stay until we leave...

[Reaper]

south padre island national seashore

I think he meant PINS. Padre Island National Seashore, which is northpadre. You drive through Corpus to get there. Its the long stretch of undeveloped seashore in the lower 48 I believe.

[Bill's Unlimited]

Reaper - PINS is where we go when we visit my FIL. They are "regulars" there...

[Ricky T]

Skeeter spray. Nice rig, brother!

[Bill's Unlimited]

Thanks Ricky! I think that was one of the first things put in the camper.

Gonna need some long leads for the dogs too...

[CaptainDave]

No matter what you do or how much you wash off, sand will get everywhere.

Just a fair warning, but beach camping isn't what it's all cracked up to be imo. It can be alright sometimes, and others, be down right dreadful. Be sure to bring bug spray as when the wind lays at night the salt grass mesquitoes will come out. Believe me, those are some of the most persistent mesquitoes on the planet. Only time I have ever put bug spray on my face was camping on the beach.

Good luck, many do the beach thing once and never again.