UFO Beach
South Padre Island, TX
UFO Beach sits roughly ten miles north of South Padre Island's last paved beach access, an unofficial clothing optional stretch named for a genuine landmark, a 14 foot orange oil rig escape pod that washed ashore around 2003 and has been slowly decorated with beachcombed junk ever since by a local artist. There's nothing else out here, no restrooms, no showers, no cell service to speak of, just sand, the pod, and whoever else made the drive.
A genuinely strange, memorable local landmark that's become a real piece of South Padre culture, though the total lack of facilities and the long 4x4 drive keep it from being anyone's casual beach day.
How we score beachesThe drive north from Beach Access 6 covers over ten miles of soft sand, so a real four wheel drive vehicle isn't optional. Air down the tires before starting out.
There's no lot. Vehicles park directly on the beach after the long drive north from Beach Access 6, four wheel drive required.
No paved path, no facilities of any kind. Access is entirely by four wheel drive or a long hike along the shore.
Spring and fall bring milder heat for the long drive out, while summer sun on this exposed stretch with zero shade can be brutal. Hurricane season runs June through November.
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