- Galveston Island State Park
The best camping in Galveston Island State Park, TX
91% (17)
The best camping in Galveston Island State Park, TX
91% (17)
Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Galveston Island State Park adventure.
Camper favorites near Galveston Island State Park
Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.
Snag sold-out campsites.
Get notified the instant a national park campsite becomes available, for free.
See the best spots in one place.
Explore 500K+ public lands, RV resorts, and private sites you won't find anywhere else.
Book with confidence.
Read millions of real reviews from campers like you—so you know what to expect.Stories from the community
M
Mary
2 weeks ago
41 ft Class C
With pets
Loved it. Big sites, clean, well maintained, just didn’t like the alligator. Pool was clean, warm. Large sites. Good water pressure.
See more
Jimmy
2 weeks ago
29 ft Class C
Beautiful park, nice amenities. Close to the gulf. You have to try the pizza food truck.
See more
Randy
2 weeks ago
30 ft Class C
With pets
It was great for a fairly isolated spot. I'm sure the fishing in the area is better during other times of the year, but we still enjoyed our visit. Mosquitos and ants were terrible though....
See more
K
Keith
3 weeks ago
21 ft travel trailer
Easy check-in, good price, quiet, and level concrete pads. No luck seeing the northern lights but could see the stars well. Just down the street from the main driving entry to Crystal Beach / the Zoo and the gas station that sells driving permits for the beach.
See more
M
Meghan
3 weeks ago
20 ft travel trailer
With pets
Great place to camp and fish. It’s one of our favorite places!
See more
J
John
November 2025
25 ft travel trailer
With pets
Place is very well maintained. Clean and with good hookups. The fence was great for our dogs so they could run and play. A good kind of isolated.
James provided us with good info and things to take into account. He made us aware of the mosquitos, which is something to plan for and know when and where be outside. The weather while we were at the camp was chilly so we were able to enjoy mornings and late evenings without worrying too much about them. If you are visiting plan ahead - shelter, permethrin, wondercide, citronella and protection for your dogs and yourself.
We will certainly be coming back.
See more
T
Toni
October 2025
16 ft car
With pets
Edge of the Waters was perfect for what we needed. We really enjoyed the screen porch and the property was fenced for my dogs and also made us feel more secure being behind a fence. Everything was just as it was stated on the website. The canal behind the house was enjoyable. We could see water even though we were not right on the beach.
See more
David
October 2025
18 ft campervan
With pets
Lisa's property and RV pad is impeccably well maintained. The location is perfect for relaxing on their property, hanging by the beach right in front of the property or heading down the public beach nearby. We are looking forward to coming back!!
See more
Christan
October 2025
21 ft travel trailer
With pets
GREAT space for your dogs to roam free. They only came inside at night. Excellent Host!
See more
B
Britta
October 2025
With kids
Lovely place to stay, tons of space, well equipped and close to beaches and restaurants.
Fire pit worked well too.
Had a really lovely long weekend.
Host is super nice and responsive and place was amazingly clean and well stocked with everything we needed
See more
N
Nichole
September 2025
30 ft travel trailer
With pets
Always a good stay! Sunrises are amazing. Quiet place that is always clean. 100% would recommend it, but kind of want to keep it a secret lol the place is so nice.
See more
A
Alan
September 2025
21 ft Class B
With pets
My dog and I enjoyed a quiet peaceful visit to Magnolia Gardens and were so relaxed walking along the San Jacinto River while the train made its way across the old trestle bridge at the far end of the park. Very nice place and the sunset over the river was icing on the cake! Thanks!
See more
Karen
September 2025
24 ft Class C
With pets
We loved the privacy and serenity of this location. We were quite literally the only people around! You just couldn't beat the views either. Loved it so much!
See more
Carl
September 2025
30 ft travel trailer
Great place to stay . Enjoyed catching a few crabs, then relaxed and ate them in the screened shelter. Nice thick lawn, perfect for barefooters .
See more
H
Hamilton
September 2025
20 ft travel trailer
With pets
Very nice, well kept property in a good location. Close easy access to beach. Fenced in yard was nice for the dog and was larger than expected.
See more
V
Valerie
September 2025
15 ft travel trailer
Came on Labor Day weekend, so I was expecting it to be crowded. It wasn’t. Not like Galveston or Corpus. Nice, peaceful, seaside town. This property has one side on the intercoastal waterway, the other is the beach. Great for fishing or beach combing. The road in is sand/gravel/shells. It has some potholes from the weather, but 2wd can make it. Just go slow. Property was well kept - clean and mowed. I know the description says the host will be there upon arrival, but they weren’t. But, everything was self evident. Host did respond quickly to my message. There is water, 20/30/50 electric, and sewer. There is a trash bin. The pads are pretty wide, enough room to have your lawn chairs/table etc. next to RV. The pads, though, are pretty close to each other. They are very flat. Bring your mosquito and ant repellent. There’s a small Texaco station on the mainland for gas and such. There’s a BBQ stand about a couple miles inland, and the largest restaurant, The Crab Trap, about 8 miles inland. If you are familiar with driving on the sand and have a capable vehicle, you can drive right out there and go quite a ways. A lot or two over is a mooring park that boats will pull up to rest. There’s not any shade so if this is something you desire, be sure to prepare accordingly. There’s lots of frogs at night, but they aren’t loud. I’ll post a review video in a week or so on YT at Camp Check.
See more
Farley
August 2025
35 ft Class A
The site and facilities were well maintained; considering we were not flat towing on this journey, we loved the close proximity of community amenities. The campsite itself is in an easy-to-find location and located relatively close to major highways for easy exit. Thank you for a wonderful experience.
The Calhoun's
See more
E
Elizabeth
August 2025
21 ft travel trailer
With pets
Moss Island was perfect. It was peaceful and very clean. I read previous comments before booking. The ants and mosquitos were minimal. The beach is literally right across the road. We just walked the beach some, it was not crowded and you could fish in the surf. The sites were clean and concrete slabs were nice. There was a large grass area, we were able to set up our chairs, tent, and poles. We caught a variety of fish and an eel. We also had fun crabbing. It was cool looking at all the big barges in the waterway . The only issue we had was the heat, but that is expected in August in Texas. We will definitely book again when it cools off some!
See more
Cristina
August 2025
30 ft travel trailer
With pets
It is our second time here and our only regret is not coming back sooner. We absolutely love it here. We love it so much we would want to live here! James’s spot is amazing especially if you have dogs. If we lived closer we would be here more often. Please do not ever stop renting it!!! Thank you for your kind hospitality!
See more
S
Sydney
August 2025
35 ft travel trailer
With pets
Once again we truly enjoyed our stay. Jennifer was great as always and we had a great week enjoying Bolivar!
See moreTop-rated campgrounds
Other options near Galveston Island State Park
The best camping in Galveston Island State Park, TX guide
Overview
About
Located between the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay, this park is the last undeveloped area on Galveston Island and includes a top-rated gulf coast beach, dunes, wetlands, coastal prairie, lagoon, and salt marshes. Several miles of trails offer opportunities for hiking, biking, and paddling for all ability levels. Fishing is also popular, with anglers casting their line in the bay or surf. The park is also home to a wide range of wildlife, including more than 300 species of birds. Families will enjoy the excellent ranger-led programs, including star parties, paddling tours, and art programs, and can spend the night at one of several campgrounds that offer sites for tents, RVs, and lodges.
Notable campgrounds
- Best for RVs: The Bay Side Campground offers 20 water and electric sites with a communal pavilion and shared fire rings.
- Best for beach access: The Beach Side Campground has 36 sites right by the Gulf of Mexico.
- Best for families and groups: Two ADA-accessible lodges offer kitchens, bathrooms, air conditioning, heat, washers, and dryers.
Tips for snagging a campsite
- Campsites can be reserved up to five months in advance. Make a reservation as soon as you know your dates, especially for weekends during the peak season of March to October.
- If your plans are flexible and you want to beat the crowds, try to visit during the week, during non-holiday periods, or during late fall or winter. The park is open year-round.
- If visiting as part of a group, consider booking the cabins, which can be reserved up to 12 months in advance.
When to go
Summer is the most popular season at Galveston Island State Park, even though it can get quite hot and crowded. Visit during the spring and fall migration seasons to see a wide variety of birds. Peak season rental rates apply from March to October. Be sure to check the weather before confirming plans during hurricane season, from June to November, as the park closes for tropical storms and hurricanes. The nature center is open on weekends only.
Know before you go
- There’s very little shade in the park, so bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water. Mosquito repellent and hiking boots are also a good idea.
- Bring binoculars for spotting birds and wildlife, and make use of the bird blinds and two observation towers.
- Fishing licenses are not required to fish from shore, and fishing equipment rentals are available.
- Open containers and public consumption of alcohol are prohibited in the park.
- The park has no lifeguards.
- Bring your own kayak or canoe, as rentals are not available.
91%
17 ratings · 4 reviews
Recommends
· November 2025
22 ft campervan · With pets ·
Galveston Island Beach Side Campground
Well kept, quite site. We enjoyed so much we extended our stay. Water and electric hookups. Bathroom and showers available. Walking distance from beach, dumpsters and dump station available, along with an ice vending machine.
My only negative experience is the bathrooms. It is surface level clean-
the sinks need cleaned along the top edge and the water pressure of hand sinks is almost non existent- but make up for it in showers 🤣
A
Ann K.
2 reviews
Recommends
· November 2017
Great breeze in the spring time and not too far from the adorable downtown Galveston area which was totally rebuilt and improved after hurricane Ike. Not too much to do at the campground unless you want to attempt to fly kires or just hang out by the water. It does offer small shade structures which is nice.
K
Kelsie L.
8 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2017
It was close to the beach, what else can I say?
Peg G.
8 years on Hipcamp
October 2015
I stopped by here on a day trip and I found the undeveloped beach to be a refreshing break from the car-packed beaches that surround most of the island. In addition to the oceanfront beaches, there are also picnic areas, showers, and lots of other activities inland, especially for kayaks and canoes in the inlets and marshes on the backside of the park.
Devin B.
10 years on Hipcamp