Vacation In South Padre Island
As you know, South Padre Island is one of the hottest vacation destinations in Texas. You get to see different kinds of beauty in this place and it will offer you a lot of pleasure. The sand on the beach here is white and soft and there are numerous hotels with all the comforts of home that can make your stay memorable, one way or another.
Visiting South Padre Island is an absolute pleasure. With pristine beaches, beautiful accommodations and exciting activities, it’s no wonder that tourists are flocking to South Padre Island year after year.
With its soft white shores, warm ocean waters and subtropical climate, South Padre Island is a natural hotspot for travelers from around the globe. Whether you are looking to dive in and explore underwater treasures, want to hit the sand with a volleyball and some drinks or hang out on one of the scenic beaches, it is hard not to fall in love with this popular vacation destination.
Cancun, Acapulco, and the Caribbean islands are the perfect spot for a vacation. But if you’re not one to enjoy the all-inclusive model, here’s what you should know about South Padre Island Texas:
Vacation In South Padre Island
The island of South Padre in the southernmost tip of Texas is one of those natural places that foments the imagination of vacationers the world over. Its pristine beaches and brisk gulf waters, lagoons teeming with fish and dolphins form a natural gateway to one of the most beautiful regions in North America.
South Padre Island in Texas tends to have a bit of a reputation – a reputation of being a party-happy Spring Break destination.
But before you assume that visiting South Padre Island is bound to resemble a rowdy movie about the American college experience, know that there’s plenty to do on SPI that have nothing to do with partying. Things like dolphin cruises and paddleboarding and horseback riding and even a sea turtle rescue center.
So even though I don’t party (I don’t even drink that much!), I said yes to a trip to South Padre Island with Texas Tourism. Because one of the things I love most about what I do is being able to dispel misconceptions and set the record straight about destinations that have a lot more to offer than people assume.
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.
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Take a moment to read my SPI to-do list and discover what there is to do on South Padre Island OTHER than hang out on the beach and drink.
10 things to do on South Padre Island
1. Rent a paddleboard
I’m so happy that paddleboarding has taken off and become as popular as it has. Not only is it a great way to be out on the water, but paddleboarding can be a great workout, too!
There are quite a few rental options when it comes to getting a board and heading out to explore South Padre’s canals and Laguna Madre, but my pick is Air Padre. They are more well-known for their kiteboarding lessons, but they also rent paddleboards, kayaks, jet skis, and more.
What I liked about renting from them was the fact that they have big plastic paddleboards that are almost like sit-atop kayaks – meaning that they are super stable for standing on!
We rented boards for two hours and enjoyed paddling around in the Laguna.
Tip: I would go paddleboarding early in the morning, as it can start to get really hot (and sometimes windy) in the afternoon.
2. Go horseback riding on the beach
Horseback Riding on South Padre IslandPlay Video
Another great morning activity is a horseback riding tour with Island Adventure Park. To get there, you have to leave the town and drive down South Padre Road 100, a road surrounded on both sides by sand dunes, which in itself is pretty cool.
Once you get there, you’re paired up with a horse and are ready to ride in no time.
The riding tour lasts about 90 minutes, and has you riding along the quiet beach and up into the dunes.
I LOVE horses and horseback riding a lot, and this was therefore one of my favorite things I did on South Padre Island.
Island Adventure has a lot of horses to choose from, and the guides will match you up with one that fits your riding experience. This is something that’s suitable for the whole family, too, as prior riding experience is not required. (Their minimum age requirement is 6, though.)
3. Explore the island in a scootcoupe
It may look a bit weird, but driving around in a little scooter car called a scootcoupe was another of my favorite activities on South Padre Island.
These tiny little cars may look a little ridiculous sharing the road with huge pickup trucks, but I assure you that they are SO fun to drive – and they can actually go more than 40 mph!
While most people visiting SPI probably have a vehicle, spending an afternoon zipping around in one of these is still worth it simply because it’s so fun and unique.
Several of the companies on the island that rent out golf carts and bikes also rent scootcoupes (some places call them “mini cars”). Check out SPI Fun Rentals and Wheels on Padre to see if they have any available to rent.
(You do drive these on the road like a regular car, so a valid driver’s license is required.)
4. Learn about turtles at Sea Turtle Inc.
While driving around in our scootcoupes, we made sure to stop at Sea Turtle Inc., a facility on the Laguna Madre that aims to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured sea turtles. They also protect sea turtle eggs and release hatchlings back into the wild.
Visiting the facility, you can see some of the turtles currently in rehab, as well as a few permanent residents that can’t be released because of amputations and other disabilities.