This well-equipped park covers 4000 acres and has 5.5 miles of beach. It is popular with surfers, but given the normally calm nature of the gulf, you may have to wait for storms to see any surfable waves. Some picnic areas have shade. There are 300 nonreservable campsites on the beach ($10) that have access to water, showers and rest rooms.
The campsites (a 1.5-mile hike to the facilities from the furthest sites) are a good compromise for people who want to wake up to the sound of waves but don't want to dig a hole to poop. A more formal – and reservable – area with sites with utilities costs $20 per night.
