If you’re thinking about vacationing on one of the barrier islands on the Texas Gulf Coast, but are having trouble deciding which one, consider going to South Padre Island!
This town offers the best overall experience compared to other Texas Gulf towns like Corpus Christi, and it’s not hard to see why – it has all the elements of a quintessential beach town and then some!
It’s home to soft, sandy beaches where visitors can soak up the sun while listening to the waves gently washing up on the shore.
The calm waters also mean that it’s a great location for swimming, snorkeling, and other types of water sports such as kayaking and paddleboarding.
South Padre Island is also home to a vibrant nightlife scene with live Las Vegas and Latin-style entertainment, bars, clubs, and cocktail lounges.
For nature lovers, the Padre Island National Seashore offers 60 miles of protected beaches with opportunities for wildlife viewing and birding.
Whatever your interests, you’re sure to find it in South Padre Island – the beach town that has it all!
Looking for more ideas? Keep reading for a list of additional attractions and activities
The 26 Most Popular Things To Do In South Padre Island, Texas
26. South Padre Island
5.0 (1 review)
25. Brazos Island
5.0 (1 review)
24. Del Mar Beach
5.0 (3 reviews)
23. Treasures of the Gulf Museum
3.9 (19 reviews)
Location: 317 E Railroad Ave Port Isabel TX
Tel: 956 943 7602
22. Port Isabel Historical Museum
4.4 (97 reviews)
Location: 317 E Railroad Ave Port Isabel TX
Tel: 956 943 7602
Web Address: http://portisabelhistory.com/
21. Arturo Galvan Coastal Park
4.3 (115 reviews)
Credit: Nicole Wiebe, Google Maps
Location: 1801 2nd Street Port Isabel TX
Tel: 956 943 2682
Web Address: https://portisabelsouthpadre.com/2018/01/19/arturo-galvan-coastal-park-improvements-to-continue/
20. Ka Motion Sailing Adventure
4.8 (154 reviews)
Credit: Ka Motion Sailing Adventure, Google Maps
Location: 200 Pike Street South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 410 9945
Web Address: http://kamotionsailingadventure.com/
19. Brazos Island State Park
4.5 (206 reviews)
Location: Brownsville TX
18. Isla Blanca Beach
4.6 (217 reviews)
Credit: Vince Smith, License, Flickr
17. Sea Life Center Dolphin Educational Boat Tours
4.3 (219 reviews)
Credit: Sea Life Center Dolphin Educational Boat Tours, Google Maps
Location: W Garcia Street Port Isabel TX
Tel: 956 299 1957
Web Address: http://spinaturecenter.com/
16. Beach Access #16 – Neptune Circle
4.7 (228 reviews)
Credit: Rachel Polk, Google Maps
Location: South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 6456
Web Address: http://myspi.org/egov/apps/map/viewer.egov
15. Jetties South Padre Island Tower
4.7 (285 reviews)
Credit: Karla Sanchez, Google Maps
Location: 1 Padre Blvd South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 320 0556
Web Address: https://newsofsouthpadre.com/christ-of-the-fishermen-statue/
14. Jesus Christ of the Fisherman Statue
4.7 (310 reviews)
Location: South Padre Island TX
Web Address: https://newsofsouthpadre.com/christ-of-the-fishermen-statue/
13. South Padre Island Farmers’ Market
4.4 (328 reviews)
Location: 8605 Padre Blvd South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 0044
Web Address: https://facebook.com/SouthPadreIslandFarmersMarket/
12. Cameron County Parks & Recreation
4.5 (529 reviews)
Credit: Wendell Hickerson, Google Maps
Location: 33174 Streetate Park Road 100 South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 3700
11. Queen Isabella Memorial Park
4.6 (585 reviews)
Credit: Glenn Hanna, Google Maps
Location: TX 100 San Benito TX
Tel: 501 456 7835
Web Address: https://myspi.org/mobile/department/
10. Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier
4.5 (1,301 reviews)
Credit: J. Stephen Conn, License, Flickr
Location: 501 E Maxan Street Port Isabel TX
Tel: 956 943 7437
Web Address: https://piratespier.com/
Our Top picks
9. Sea Breeze 1
5.0 (4 reviews)
Location: 4300 Gulf Blvd South Padre Island TX
Web Address: https://seabreeze1.net/
8. Laguna Madre Nature Trail
4.6 (149 reviews)
Credit: www.naturespicsonline.com, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 7355 Padre Blvd South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 3000
Web Address: https://sopadre.com/listing/laguna-madre-nature-trail/1079/
7. Southern Wave Sailing Charters
4.7 (243 reviews)
Credit: Southern Wave Sailing Charters, Google Maps
Location: 205 W Palm Street South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 772 7245
Web Address: http://sailspi.com/
6. Andy Bowie County Park
4.4 (1,068 reviews)
Credit: J. Stephen Conn, License, Flickr
Location: 7300 Streetate Park Road 100 South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 3704
Web Address: http://cameroncounty.us/parks-coastal-parks/parks-andy-bowie/
5. Gravity Park
4.4 (1,333 reviews)
Credit: Gravity Park, Google Maps
Location: 106 W Marlin Street South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 8588
Web Address: http://gravitypark.squarespace.com/
4. Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site
4.6 (1,396 reviews)
Location: 421 E Queen Isabella Blvd Port Isabel TX
Tel: 956 943 2262
Web Address: https://portisabellighthouse.com/
3. South Padre Island Birding And Nature Center
4.8 (1,724 reviews)
Credit: Andy Reago Chrissy, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 6801 Padre Blvd South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 6801
Web Address: http://spibirding.com/
2. Beach Park At Isla Blanca
4.2 (2,826 reviews)
Location: 33261 Streetate Park Road 100 South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 772 7873
Web Address: https://beachparktx.com/
1. Sea Turtle, Inc.
4.7 (4,688 reviews)
Credit: runarut, License, Flickr
Location: 6617 Padre Blvd South Padre Island TX
Tel: 956 761 4511
Web Address: http://seaturtleinc.org/
Final Words:
Thank you for reading our list of the best things to do in South Padre Island, Texas! We hope it helped you plan the perfect itinerary for your next trip to this fantastic destination. Happy travels!
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