Another beautiful morning at Mustang Island State Park, a favorite Coastal Bend beach. Courtesy photo
For the whitest sand in the Coastal Bend, visit Mustang Island Beach and State Park. This unspoiled barrier island stretches 18 miles from Corpus Christi north to Port Aransas.
The park was originally called “Wild Horse Island” and then “Mustang Island” after the wild horses that were brought there by the Spaniards in the 17th century. The island was originally inhabited by the Karankawa until the early 1800s.
While wild horses no longer roam the beach these days, plenty of other wildlife still call Mustang Island home. Look for crabs, stingrays, and a multitude of different birds, especially during the spring and fall migrations. You might also spot an occasional jellyfish, so read our tips to know what to do when jellyfish get too close.
Mustang Island State Park is a 5-mile protected stretch of beach. Admission is $5 per person. Children 12 and younger get in free. Entrance into this part of the beach is open year-round from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The state park section of Mustang Island is well regulated and maintained, which means it’s a clean beach. It is large and spans out, so it never feels crowded, regardless of the amount of people out that day — even during Spring Break.
Park rangers patrol the area to regulate the beach, making sure no one is littering, dogs are on leashes, and everyone is enjoying the beach.
At Mustang Island State Park, you can build sandcastles, swim, surf, picnic, fish, hike, birdwatch, relax by a campfire, and so much more.
You can also paddle along the park’s very own paddling trail, which follows the bayside edge of the park and has three segments that make up 20 miles of water trails.
Make a night of it by camping at one of the park's 48 water and electric campsites or one of the 50 drive-up primitive sites. Amenities for campers include full restrooms and hot-water showers.
Mustang Island State Park is located at 9393 Texas 361 in Corpus Christi.
