South Padre Island Beach Driving Tips

If you haven't done so, please read the previous articles (Part One and Two) as they explain some tools you should take and a few rules and regulations you should be aware of when driving on the beach. Once you feel you are ready, lets go over some tips and tricks on how to make your trip virtually fun and “stuck-free”.

It is recommended that you drive the beach with a four-wheel drive vehicle. Four wheel drive, or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. It does not matter how old or new your vehicle is as long as it has four wheel drive capability. Sure, two wheel drive vehicles can be used, but we'll talk about that later.

Driving on the first few miles of the beach is easy because the sand is tightly packed due to heavy vehicle traffic. After about five miles, though, all signs of human life disappear and the word isolation starts to take on a whole new meaning. From this point, the sand is several inches deep and extends from the dunes to the water's edge when the tides are high. Normally, at low tide, a strip of hard-packed sand is exposed that is wide enough for vehicles, and sometimes people drive on this section. However, I strongly caution you not to drive near the water as sometimes there will be air pockets trapped beneath the wet sand and can cause your vehicle to cave into the ground (think of Vietnam booby traps). It is rare, but I have seen photos of cars buried half way in the sand because the driver was unable to get help in time as the tide came in and swallowed his ride. Just follow the tire trail from previous drivers and you should be fine. Also, do not drive partially in the water like those cool Jeep commercials! The salt from the ocean and the wet sand clay will stick to the underside of your vehicle and will be a b*tch to get off. It's safer on the dry sand anyways.

If you are driving a four wheel drive vehicle, it is recommended that you put your vehicle in a “4x4 Part Time” mode. This setting enables positive 50/50 drive to both axles and locks them ensuring all four wheels rotate in unison so you'll get better performance on difficult off-roading conditions such as sand and snow. Be sure not to use this mode on dry pavement as it can ruin your vehicle.


However, not all four wheel vehicles have that setting and you might only have a "4Hi mode" (also known as "4 Full Time") which allows the front and rear axle of your vehicle to rotate at different speeds. In this case, select that mode as it's an all around general purpose mode for off road driving (rain, sleet, ice, etc).

Some vehicles also have a "4 Lo" setting, but this is mostly reserved for towing trailers, driving steep inclines and where wheel-spin is your enemy. Some people swear by this mode, but I believe you do not need it on the sand unless you need that extra low gear and/or need to go super slow (which is bad idea since you run the risk of getting stuck).

Alright, if you have a two wheel drive vehicle, I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that you can get stuck a lot easier than a four wheeler. But, I bet you knew that, right? The good news is that it is actually quite easy to drive on the beach with a station wagon! The local fishermen mostly drive two wheelers…and they are good. They are also driving with experience and common sense, have good eyes and constantly scan the terrain ahead of them. If you have a two wheeler, look for the tightly packed sand and do not let your speed down (stay above 25mph). Be sure not to stop or use the brakes! If you must slow down, just let go of the gas pedal and let the car coast to a slower speed. By braking forcefully to a complete stop, you can create a thick sand berm around your tires that would make it very difficult for them to overcome when you accelerate again. This is also important to remember when four wheel driving.

And now, I am going to reveal a secret that will make you virtually stuck free on Padre Island and give you some peace of mind! This is the secret that will keep you from getting stuck. It will also put embarrassment on the faces of those stranded macho drivers who watch your vehicle float by their sand-sunken monster trucks (but you will assist them, right?). Here it is…

AIR DOWN YOUR TIRES TO A PSI OF 13.

That's it. That's all there is to it. It's a simple fact. The bigger the footprint, the softer the stuff you can travel on. Mother Nature knows it. Take a look at the feet of camels, polar bears and marsh birds. They are big and spread out to distribute their weight over a large surface area. For those who say skinny, hard tires are better for snow, mud and sand, please tell me why they don't use ten-speed bicycle-type tires on snowmobiles?

Airing down your tires gives them a bigger “footprint” that will offer them flotation on the sand, rather than digging into it like a bicycle would. Once aired down, you will be able to literally “float” over the sand as you drive and your driving velocity will not give the tires any time to sink in the sand. Airing down all four of your tires is like giving your vehicle another two pairs of tires, and the more rubber you have on the sand, the more support your tires will get if one of them gets into a bind.

Okay, so how do we air down? If you remember on Page One, I told you to bring along a tire pressure gauge. Right next to your wheel, on the tire, find the small black print that specifies maximum load pressure and you will see the maximum psi for that tire. Mine says 35psi, but I usually set the street pressure to around 27psi. But, for sand, you need to let the air out to around 13-15psi! The sidewalls of the tire will bulge down and make the tire appear flat. First timers, don't be afraid to bring down the psi to 13-15. Anything above 16 psi will not make much of a difference in the sand, but it's the 13-15 psi that counts! A good indicator other than ease of movement comes by watching your engine temperature gauge. If you are heating up, your tire pressure is still too high or you're really in some tough stuff!

You two-wheelers take note, for this trick works equally well in 2WD. But remember, you must still deflate all four tires even though you are only putting power into two. Your front tires create sand hills that your rear must continually try to climb.

Once you complete your drive on the beach and get your tires back on asphalt and head back into town, you'll need to drive a bit slow…around 35mph. This is so your tires don't heat up due to the low tire pressure. It's not a good idea to drive on hard pavement like this, but as long as you get to a gas station with an air pump and fill them back up to 27/30 psi, you'll be fine. People do it all the time. At South Padre Island , the nearest gas station with a WORKING air pump is about 10 miles south of beach access 6. The price is 50 cents and this usually fills up all my tires.

Overall, I feel that lower pressure is more ecologically compatible. With better traction you don't have to spin the tires and dig into the sand and risk destroying Mother Nature.

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