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South Padre Island Travel Guide
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| South Padre Island |
This
booming seaside resort area is on the Gulf Coast at the southern
tip of Texas. It includes the island and the neighboring mainland
town of Port Isabel. The area is especially popular among
high-school and college students during spring break. There
are thousands of hotel rooms, motel rooms and condominiums
to rent and all the amenities and recreational activities
you could want at a beach resort (boating, swimming, fishing,
surfing, sailboarding, beachcombing on long white beaches,
birding, camping, in-line skating, parasailing, bungee jumping,
eating and drinking).
Among the sights in Port Isabel are the lighthouse, which
was built in 1853 and is now a State Historic Site. You can
climb to the top for a bird's-eye view of the coast. Boats
from Port Isabel's fleet can be seen docked all around the
harbor area, and you can watch them head offshore every morning.
Fresh shrimp, fish and other sea critters are available in
local shops and restaurants.
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| South Padre Island
Travels & Tours |
Breakaway
Cruises
Numerous
tours and cruises are available with this unique tour company
including parasailing adventures, fishing charters, water
bike tours, dolphin watch cruises, Texas barbecue cruises,
land and sea tours, snorkeling trips, fireworks cruises,
and sight seeing tours.
Three Flags Over Padre
Fun
for the whole family is available at this amusement center
that features a miniature golf course, go-carts, a ferris
wheel, large arcade room, and a spaceball.
Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark
A
family oriented amusement park that features state-of-the-art
attractions in a natural, waterfront setting. Features of
the park include a five story Sandcastle with six turrets,
surfing rides on man-made waves, two wave pools, an activity
pool, sand volleyball courts, and a full service restaurant.
Island Equestrian Center
Enjoy
one to one and a half horseback riding with this guide company
that offers basic instructions to novice riders and provides
pony rides for children four and under.
Dolphin Docks
This
tour company offers a wide variety of tours and cruises
including daily dolphin watches, bay fishing trips, fireworks
cruises, marine ecology tours, deep sea fishing, and sunset
dolphin watches. Private charters are available.
Sea Turtle
This
unique venue was the home of Ila Loetscher, who was known
as the "Turtle Lady" and who dedicated her life
to saving sea turtles including the endangered Kemp's ridley
sea turtle. Educational shows that feature the turtles are
held on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.
Osprey Fishing Trips
Enjoy
five to twelve hour deep sea fishing excursions aboard two
beautiful fishing vessels with this guide company that provides
state-of-the-art electronic equipment and all bait and tackle.
Food and beverages is available on board.
Andy Bowie County Park
Two
beautiful beachfront pavilions are located at this local
popular park that also features barbecue areas, concession
stands, and beach access. Boogie-board and umbrella rentals
are available.
Island Images
Specializing
in exciting adventure and fun cruises, this tour company
offers historic tours of the island by water, dolphin watches,
snorkeling trips, fireworks cruises, bird watching tours,
and half day cruises.
Windsurf the Boatyard
Full
service windsurf rental shop that offers windsurf equipment
and professional windsurfing lessons, as well as bicycle
rentals, and kayaking rentals. Lessons are available for
beginners.
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| Nature
and Adventure |
| Within
the national seashore, visitors can enjoy long stretches
of beaches, swimming, camping, bird-watching, surfing and
fishing. There's a paved road that extends as far as the
visitors center. Beyond that, you have to drive on the beach,
and you won't get farther than about 5 mi/8 km without a
four-wheel-drive vehicle. (You can hike, of course, but
remember that there's no water along the way and no shade.)
A better way to reach the remote parts of the seashore is
on a charter boat (they leave from Port Mansfield, Port
Isabel and Port Aransas).
If you're just going for sun, the beach
closest to the ranger station (accessible by car) is often
nicer than those farther down the island. Trash that washes
up in the more remote areas isn't picked up, and the beaches
can look very dirty until a storm comes along and pushes
sand up over the litter. Keep in mind that the Gulf of Mexico
is not the Pacific Ocean or the North Atlantic -- don't
expect huge breakers crashing against the shore or gorgeous
stretches of white sand lined with vegetation (even without
the man-made litter, the beaches are often strewn with seaweed).
We have to say, though, that we really enjoy the tranquil
quality of the beach at Padre Island. Padre Island National
Seashore is 150 mi/240 km southeast of San Antonio.
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