A Visitor's Guide to South Padre Island, Texas!
Intro | Getting to South Padre | Where to Stay | What to Do | Where to Eat
Clubs & Bars | Parting Thoughts
In this guide, we will be providing tips, suggestions, advice and more on how to get to South Padre Island, which airports to use, transportation suggestions, hotel/condo advice, ideas on where to eat, what to do, what clubs to party at, and much more. Also, we will be throwing in our own insider secrets on how to avoid the crowds and where to explore some of South Padre's lesser known areas.
 As you walk the beach of South Padre Island, the sights, sound and smells of the sea shore begin to dissolve bruises and frayed nerves built up by a hectic city pace. The more familiar sights such as birds, sand dunes, driftwood, grasses and sea shells occupy the mind's thoughts as one savors the delights of the beach. The obvious sights and sounds are enough to please the most discriminating person.
Labeled as a top fishing destination by Field & Stream magazine, the #3 best beach by the Travel Channel and a “great little town to get away from it all” by People Magazine (update: SPI just awarded #2 best place for a vacation home in the nation!), South Padre Island lies on the southernmost tip of Texas and is situated on the south end of Padre Island, the longest Barrier Island in the world and the largest stretch of undeveloped ocean beach in North America. South Padre Island is over 34 miles long….and get this….about 26 miles of it is pristine white sand with lush flora, fauna and beautiful wildlife. Those 26 miles are open for leisure off road driving, camping, shore fishing and wildlife viewing while the other 8 miles are devoted to all the necessities for a pampered life: lavish resorts, private condos, a shopping mall, fine dining, laid-back bars, beach clubs, horse back riding and….yes…lots and lots of T-Shirt shops!
Getting to South Padre
The town of SPI is located in South Texas right on the border with Mexico and parallel to the Florida Keys. Since the area is in a tropical zone, the weather is generally warm and in the high 70s and mid-80s most of the year, however, there are times when it may get cold due to a freak Northerner during the Winter, but those times are rare. Be sure to pack some warm clothing just in case.
Tip: Confused about the differences between "Padre Island" and "South Padre Island"? They are both the same island, however, the difference is that they are separated by a boat channel that divides them into two parts. The northern sector is known as "Padre Island" and the highly developed resort town area is known as "South Padre Island" The total island size is somewhere around 134,000 acres--roughly 114 miles of beach! SPI is about 35 miles total and is considered to contain the most beautiful portion of the Island. View our island map for more details.
Flying There
SPI does not have its own airport, but there are two major local airports that service the region. The closest one is Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport in Brownsville which is about 25 miles south of SPI. Valley International Airport in Harlingen is the second airport in the region and is about 40 miles west of SPI, and generally, this is the more popular airport for island visitors because they usually offer better deals and have more flight choices throughout the country. For those of you who have a private plane or can bum rides, you can get even closer to SPI by flying into the Cameron County airport (KPIL) which is located in the town of Port Isabel, about 12 miles west of SPI. Here, it's a bit isolated and the airport is situated in the middle of a wildlife refuge. Call ahead and make sure that there is a car available for use or rent.
Only the Valley International and Brownsville airports offer ground transportation through rental cars, shuttle services and taxis. It is expensive to take a taxi from Harlingen or Brownsville airport to SPI and the cost will generally run you about $70 one-way, so our advice is to just rent a car, especially if you plan to check out the island’s surrounding areas (UPDATE: Brownsville airport now provides shuttle service to SPI for FREE ) Click here to view a schedule and more information about the new shuttle service.
Driving There
Don’t want to fly? The highways running into the SPI region are some of the best in the state and generally see light traffic year round with average speed limits of 70mph. SPI is accessible via US Highway 77 to Park Road 100. It is a very easy drive and the land is relatively flat, but there is one warning: You will be driving through one of the largest ranches in the world, known as the “King Ranch” which spans for some 50+ miles, so be sure that you have at least half a tank of gas! There are no gas stations in the King Ranch region! There will be signs on the road telling you “last service station for 50 miles”, etc. Also, watch out for wild animals such as Javelinas (wild pigs), turkeys and stray cattle as they sometimes jump the ranch fences and cross the highway. Once you cross into the Rio Grande Valley and pass through the town of Harlingen, you'll start seeing South Padre Island billboards and exit signs, so it's not that difficult to find your way.
Intro | Getting to South Padre | Where to Stay | What to Do | Where to Eat
Clubs & Bars | Parting Thoughts |
