Photo: William L. Farr, CC BY-SA 4.0Gulf Coast & River Country — 10 Days
Gulf beach → South Texas birding → desert reservoir
Route Map
● Austin (start/end) · numbered stops in order · dashed line shows approximate route
Estimated Trip Cost
Gas estimate assumes 2WD pickup + travel trailer at 10 mpg, 65 mph max, $3.25/gal regular unleaded (approx. national avg). Includes 510 mi of stops + 235 mi return to Austin.
Trip Highlights
- ▶ Drive-on Gulf beach camping → South Texas birding → free international reservoir in one loop
- ▶ Best bass fishing on any itinerary at Lake Amistad (US/Mexico reservoir, 67,000 acres)
- ▶ All drives under 3 hours — most comfortable drive schedule of all five destinations
- ▶ Under $80 total camping with free beach access and free Amistad shoreline camping
Stop-by-Stop
Corpus Christi, TX • NPS • $10/nt + $25 entry/wk
Day 1: depart Austin 10 AM — 200 miles via I-35 S to Corpus Christi, then TX-358 to PINS; arrive ~1:30 PM. Drive onto Malaquite Beach via Access Road 1A — air tires to ~20 PSI past mile 5. Surf fish for red drum and black drum. Port Aransas ferry day trip Day 3.
Day 4: depart 10 AM — 155 miles; arrive ~12:40 PM. South Shore primitive sites. Winter specialty birds: Green Jay, Buff-bellied Hummingbird. Alligators present — keep distance. Day trip to George West or Corpus Christi aquarium.
Day 7: depart 10 AM — 155 miles via US-83 W through Carrizo Springs to Del Rio/Lake Amistad; arrive ~12:40 PM. Free shoreline camping outside developed areas — best bass fishing of the trip. Seminole Canyon SP (Roadrunner Flat) 45 mi east for a day trip to 8,000-year-old pictographs. Day 10: depart 10 AM — 235 miles via US-90 E → San Antonio → I-35 N → Austin; arrive ~2:08 PM.