South Padre Island Spring Break Guide
Intro | Getting to SPI | Where to Stay | Things to Do | Where to Eat | A Reminder
(guide last updated: August/13/2005)
 Welcome to our Spring Break 2006 Guide made exclusively for college (and high school) students looking for help and advice on having a great time in South Padre Island, Texas. In this guide, we will be providing tips and suggestions based on our own experiences on how to get to SPI (flying or driving), which airports to use, transportation suggestions, hotel advice, where to eat, what events to see, what clubs to party at, how to get to Mexico, a rundown of the legal drinking ages in both countries, what to bring along, and much more!
Every year, national magazines such as Time, People and the Travel Channel rank South Padre Island as one of the Top 5 destinations for Spring Breakers world-wide. Never mind that the beach is already ranked in the Top 3 in the nation, South Padre is the “Jewel of Texas” and definitely the hot spot for Spring Break 2006. To put it simply, it was awesome last year, but this year…it will be off the chain!!
Populated with only 2400 residents, the Island literally peaks overnight in early spring with over 300,000 students who trade in their winter clothes for shorts and bikinis and turn the area into one of the wildest places you have ever been. Unlike Ft. Lauderdale and Panama City , the locals at SPI actually love spring breakers and will go out of their way to make sure YOU have a great time (and they party with you!). Lets face it, if it were'nt for Spring Breakers, SPI would not be the hot get-away that so many people are discovering everyday. And, lets not forget, Mexico is only 20 minutes away from SPI. That’s a two-nation vacation!
How to Get to South Padre
First of all, lets get a little familiar with where exactly South Padre Island is located. The town of South Padre Island is located in South Texas right on the border with Mexico and parallel to the Florida Keys. The weather is generally warm and in the 80s during Spring Break, however, there are times when it may get cold due to a freak Northerner, but those times are rare. Be sure to pack some warm clothing just in case.
Flying to South Padre
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, despite the longer mileage to SPI, this is the more popular airport for Spring Breakers 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.
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! Instead, some people just reserve rental cars at the airport, but here’s a better tip: Before you land at the airport of your choice (Harlingen or Brownsville), you should call Rio Grande Transit Transportation Services at 1-866-934-6882 and ask for the “Spring Break Special” of $30 per person—round trip! They will provide vans and large shuttle vehicles for Spring Breakers and generally fit large numbers of people in their vehicles, so everyone saves money. This is the easiest and fastest way to SPI, in my opinion. But wait, we just got an update new for this year!! If you are flying into the Brownsville airport, you can now take a FREE shuttle from the airport to a participating hotel on SPI! For more details, check this out. If your hotel does not participate in this deal, you can still get a ride for only $2!
Driving to South Padre
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… I’ve seen some unfortunate Spring Breakers pull off to the side of the road after smashing into several wild turkeys.
Note:If you are driving back home after Spring Break, be aware that there is a Border Patrol checkpoint on Highway 77 near the ghost town of Armstrong and Sarita. So, if you are taking "questionable" items back with you, watch out as their patrol dogs will sniff it out.
Intro | Getting to SPI | Where to Stay | Things to Do | Where to Eat | A Reminder |
