Things to do on South Padre Island…
This brochure from the sixties says it best! Over 60 years later, South Padre Island is still a place for “healthy do-it-yourself amusement projects” and intriguingly there are still no “race tracks, night clubs, amusement directors, salt-water taffy vendors nor any of the honky-tonk or clutter of other seashore areas.”
Kelsey’s number-one favorite thing to do on South Padre Island is this…
Get in ur car!
Drive down the island’s main road, State Highway 100, ‘til it dead ends into a bunch of sand. This is where nature has perfectly reclaimed civilization.
Park your car on either side of the road
Get out and kick off your shoes and run to the top of the highest dune and look out over the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Laguna Madre bay on the other side.
Other things to do…
Hanging out on the beach — There are several free city beach accesses along the island where you can park and access the ocean from there. They usually have showers. Located on the southernmost tip of the island, Isla Blanca Park is a county park with bathrooms, showers, concession stands, picnic areas, and jetties and surf fishing.
Driving on the beach — A unique aspect of Texas beaches is that you can drive on them. Vehicle entry fees are around $12-$14 per day. As you might expect, this is not for rental sedans! If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle or want to rent an ATV, those will be ideal.
Water sports! — Look at you, Cool Guy! Jet skiing, windsurfing, parasailing, paddle boarding, kayaking, surfing the island has all of these activities and more. Several well-reviewed businesses cater to these activities.
Deep-sea fishing charters — Lots of businesses. on the island and in nearby Port Isabel offer half-day and full-day chartered fishing trips for red snapper, king mackerel, ling, mahi-mahi, and shark in the gulf and trout and redfish in the bay. Captain Murphy’s offers 8-hour deep-sea trips and bay fishing charters that supply all the fishing gear you’ll need. Osprey Cruises offers a similar 8-hour trip, plus bay fishing.
If you’re looking for a private charter boat with your own captain, Captain Bryan Ray Fishing Adventures offers sessions ranging from 6-12 hours for up to 6 people. Apparently there is also something called a Tuna Trip that is described on the site as being a potentially “fast and furious time” that occurs during the month of November.
SPI Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary — 43 acres of protected coastal wetland habitat comprised of both saltwater and freshwater marsh where over 200 species of birds pass through in the fall and spring on their way down south.
Sea Turtle Inc. — A center that rescue and rehabilitates Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. The island is home to more Kemp’s ridley turtles than any other place in the U.S.
The Original Dolphin Watch — plus all these other businesses, too!
Sandcastle-building lessons — YOLO!
Shopping! — The island has a bunch of shops that have been there for years. Ever wanted a custom toe ring? Karen’s has been there for years! Get a temporary (or real!) tattoo, tinsel your hair, and buy all of your beach necessities and Female Body Inspector T-shirts at all of those brightly colored mega stores that line Padre Boulevard with the big shark mouths outside. And two bookstore options…Karma Coffee & Books on SPI and Unruly Cactus in Port Isabel.