Photo: William L. Farr, CC BY-SA 4.0Gulf Coast & River Country — 9 Days
Gulf beach → South Texas birding country
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 355 mi of stops + 165 mi return to Austin.
Trip Highlights
- ▶ Drive-on Gulf of Mexico beach camping — sunset and surf right from your campsite
- ▶ Best winter birding in Texas at Choke Canyon — Green Jay at the northernmost range limit
- ▶ Easiest driving of all five destinations — no leg over 3.5 hours
- ▶ Total trip cost under $80 with free beach camping and low-cost Choke Canyon primitive sites
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 marker 5. Surf fish for red drum and black drum. Port Aransas ferry day trip on Day 3 (~45 min round trip).
Day 5: depart 10 AM — 155 miles via TX-358 W → US-77 W → Three Rivers → FM-99 W; arrive ~12:40 PM. South Shore primitive sites. Winter specialty birds: Green Jay, Groove-billed Ani, Buff-bellied Hummingbird. Alligators on shore — keep distance. Day 9: depart 10 AM — 165 miles via US-281 N → I-37 N → Austin; arrive ~12:54 PM.