By boat[edit]
There are no ferry boat services
, but if you have your own boat, just point yourself to the place on the Gulf of Mexico where Texas meets Mexico and you're at South Padre Island! There's several marinas both on South Padre and at Port Isabel.
Can you drive into South Padre Island?
You cannot drive to South Padre Island
or the Rio Grande Valley along the beach. The only way to reach these destinations is to return to Corpus Christi and follow state Highway 358 (South Padre Drive) to state Highway 44. Take Highway 44 to Robstown.
What is the closest major airport to South Padre Island?
What airports are near South Padre Island? The closest airport is
Brownsville South Padre
Is. Intl (BRO) (21.35 mi). Other nearby airports are Harlingen Valley Intl (HRL) (31.2 mi), Matamoros (MAM) (32.39 mi), Reynosa Gen Lucio Blanco (REX) (66.15 mi) or McAllen Miller Intl (MFE) (66.5 mi).
What is the best time of year to visit South Padre Island?
The best time to visit South Padre Island is from
September to February
. Unless you are planning to join in on the spring break fun – rowdy partying at all hours of the day – you'll find this tiny town rather unbearable in March.
Can you swim in South Padre Island?
South Padre Island is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States.
Swimming, fishing, kiteboarding, dolphin watching, horseback riding adventures on the beach, ecological tours and access to personal water craft rentals are available on the island
.
Do you need a car in South Padre?
Q: If I fly, do I need to rent a car to get around South Padre Island? A:
No
. South Padre Island provides a free public transportation system called the Island Metro or you can take a taxi. The Island is also easily walkable and bike-friendly.
Is South Padre Island close to Mexico?
Go for Spring Break
And, since the island sits a mere
20 miles north of the Mexican border
, it offers visitors the opportunity for a “two-nation vacation.”
How long is the bridge to South Padre Island?
Designed in 1971 and constructed in 1974, the causeway connects Port Isabel to South Padre Island. It has a total length of
2.4 miles
, a width of sixty-eight feet, and a top-of-deck height of seventy-eight feet above mean high tide at the center of the main span.
Can you drink alcohol on South Padre beach?
Yes, it's totally and completely legal to drink to your heart's content on South Padre Island
, as well as around the Padre Island National Seashore near the Northern end of the island, which is also open to local boozers looking to escape the heavy crowds back on the main island.
Can you walk around South Padre Island?
free. According to many,
the best way to experience South Padre's wild side is to take a stroll along the Laguna Madre Nature Trail
, a boardwalk that runs from the South Padre Island Convention Centre out to the Laguna Madre wetlands.
Is North or South Padre Island better?
Water Quality
Beaches in
South Padre Island
are objectively more scenic and isolated than those on the North end of the Padre Island National Seashore. Gulf waters are tested annually and South Padre Island regularly rates among the safest, cleanest water.
Is there a shuttle from Brownsville airport to South Padre Island?
The Brownsville / South Padre Island Airport offers a free shuttle service
to and from the airport, see the schedule here. It is about an hour trip using the free shuttle from the Brownsville airport to South Padre Island.
What is the size of South Padre Island?
3.74 mi2
Is there a shuttle from Harlingen airport to South Padre Island?
SPI Surf Shuttle
provides comfortable transportation between the Harlingen and Brownsville airports to and from South Padre Island, Port Isabel, and Laguna Vista. (956) 443-1406, Valley Metro public transportation, metro bus system connecting the lower Rio Grande Valley.
Is South Padre Island worth visiting?
South Padre Island is definitely one of those destinations. After spending four days there, I concluded that not only is it a great destination for people who love the heat and the outdoors, but it's also a year-round destination that can appeal to everyone from Spring Breakers to families with kids.
Is South Padre Island crowded?
Fewer Crowds & Traffic
Since most people come to South Padre Island during the summertime, you can imagine that
this season is hectic and crowded
. Additionally, you're likely to encounter heavy traffic that can take up a large portion of your day, time that could otherwise be spent enjoying the island's activities.
Do hurricanes hit South Padre Island?
Storms. In September 1967, Hurricane Beulah caused extensive damage to much of the town of South Padre Island.
On July 23, 2008, Hurricane Dolly made landfall on the island as a category 1 storm
, also causing extensive damage to the town.
Are there alligators in South Padre Island?
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (ValleyCentral) —
Alligators are not uncommon in the Rio Grande Valley
, but according to a Naturalist Educator of the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, it is against the law to feed a wild alligator.
Is the water blue in South Padre Island?
While the island is still home to spring breakers for just over a month, the area has seen a rebirth of sorts as a popular family vacation destination. That's because South Padre, or SPI, delivers with wide sandy beaches,
sparkling blue water
and a mixture of fun activities for kids of all ages.
What is the prettiest beach in Texas?
- Boca Chica.
- Padre Island National Seashore.
- South Padre Island.
- Mustang Island.
- Rockport Beach.
- Crystal Beach.
- Corpus Christi.
- Lighthouse Beach.
Is there Uber in South Padre?
South Padre Island
lacks Uber
, Lyft and Taxi drivers, demand keeps growing | KVEO-TV.
Are there shuttles on South Padre Island?
The Island Metro (formerly the Wave) is a free shuttle system, operating daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The shuttle runs the length on the Island, stopping at beach accesses, hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other points of interest.
Can you walk into Mexico from South Padre Island?
Nuevo Progreso is located about an hour from South Padre Island
, and is a tourist border town that literally survives on tourist money from the approximate 100,000 Winter Texans that live in the Rio Grande Valley each winter and 1.25 million vacationers that cross the pedestrian bridge each year to visit.
How far is South Padre Island from Mexico border?
Texans know that if you want to do a beach trip right, you head to South Padre Island. SPI, as it's known, is a city located on a barrier island of the same name, just
20 or so miles
, as the piping plover flies, from the border with Mexico.
What is South Padre Island known for?
With 34 miles of beautiful white sand and clear emerald water, South Padre Island is
one of the world's most exquisite barrier islands – and the only tropical Island in Texas
. Calm weather and water and more than 300 days of sunshine make South Padre Island a great place to live and visit all year.
