South Padre Island Texas - Sand Dunes and Empty Beaches

/Home/Worldwide Tours and Travel by Continent/North America Tours and Travel/United States Tours/United States Tours - States/Texas Tours/Texas Travel Sites/Texas Beaches

South Padre Island Texas - Sand Dunes and Empty Beaches
Spadre.com
spadre@spadre.com

Sand Dunes and Empty Beaches

Location: North of City Limits
Directions: Drive north on Padre Blvd. to beach access #5 or #6. Head north on the beach to find your secluded getaway.
4 wheel drive is highly recommended, but on low tide 2wd access is possible.

Padre Island, the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world, stretches for 110 miles along the Texas Gulf Coast. The national seashore occupies miles of uninhabited island paradise, a place where sandy beaches are met by the warm and gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Padre Island is named for Padre Jose Nicolas Balli, who built a mission on the island in the early 1800s to Christianize the native Karankawa Indians. The sand dunes north of city limits is the perfect getaway if you are looking for your very own private stretch of beach. Camping is allowed and free. Driving is allowed on the beach, you can drive nearly 30 miles on the sand until the Port Mansfield jetties. Four wheel drive vehicles are recommended for driving on the sand, otherwise you can drive to the end of the paved road, Padre Blvd, and climb up one of the tall sand dunes that borders the national seashore, where you have a stunning view of both the bay and Gulf. It is a great place to enjoy our beautiful sunsets over the Laguna Madre, sunrise over the surf, and a perfect spot to relax and look at the stars. This is a highly recommended activity for kids!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

City and County Beaches

Location: East side of Island
Directions: There are public beach access points every couple of blocks. Turn off of Padre Blvd. on any cross street to get to Gulf Blvd.and park at one of the public beach access points to get to the city beaches. Or visit one of the county beach parks on the southern or northern ends of the Island.

The beaches of South Padre Island are the number one attraction for many Island visitors.
There are no privately owned beaches in Texas, so everyone is welcome to enjoy every inch of the entire coast line. There are beach access points every few blocks along Gulf Blvd, or you can go to one of the county park beaches where you'll find pavilions with picnic tables, playgrounds, restrooms, and showers.
Travel Channel names South Padre Island as one of America's best beaches for family beach travel. When summing up America's best beaches, the Travel Channel says "Calling all soccer moms: It's time to kick off your work pumps and throw on your flip-flops. Treat yourself to a relaxing day at the beach. These kid-friendly beaches are just the place to unwind with the family. Don't worry. While you peacefully soak in the sun, your children will be entertained with plenty of activities on and off the beach. South Padre Island is perfect for vacationing families and honeymooners. This beach is for the value-conscious traveler."
Just remember to please leave only your footprints in the sand.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Gulf of Mexico and The Laguna Madre

Location: The Gulf of Mexico is on the East facing side of the Island. The Laguna Madre is on the West facing side of the Island.
Directions: Turn right off of Padre Blvd. on any cross street to get to Gulf Blvd. to get to a public beach access for the Gulf of Mexico. Turn left off of Padre Blvd on any cross street to get on Laguna Blvd.

The waters surrounding our barrier Island provide for many unique opportunities. Surfing, swimming, fishing, dolphin watching, sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, wind surfing, and kite boarding are just a few of the activities taking place daily in the Gulf of Mexico and Laguna Madre here at South Padre Island. Isla Blanca Park on the south end of the Island is commonly known as the best surf in the Gulf of Mexico, our gentle waves make South Padre Island the perfect spot to jump right in and learn how to surf. The Island boasts some of the best fishing in the country. Whether you are going fishing off of the jetty, wade fishing along the beach or in the Laguna Madre, or going on a bay fishing or offshore fishing charter, you are likely to hook into some red snapper, grouper, redfish, snook, flounder, trout, tuna, marlin and more. The Laguna Madre is a very popular spot for wind surfing and kite boarding, and is known as one of the best places in the United States to catch some good clean wind and ride in the beautiful shallow waters of the bay.

All photos and content of Spadre.com is copyrighted and may not be used without permission.
South Padre Surfcam™, South Padre Beachcam™, and South Padre Baycam™ are registered trademarks of Spadre.com © 2002-2007