South Padre Island Texas
A Tropical Island Paradise In Texas!
Without a doubt, South Padre Island Texas is one of our FAVORITE vacation destinations!
My family and I discovered this little tropical paradise a couple of summers ago. We have been hooked ever since!
Our favorite things to do in South Padre Island are the beaches, a visit to Schlitterbahn, and fishing. If you're going to South Padre, I want to tell you about our favorite hotels and restaurants. I also want to give you a map to help you get around, tell you about other events, and also give you and idea of what to expect of the weather.
Beaches On South Padre Island
The beaches on South Padre Island are probably the main reason why we go.
A seemingly endless stretch of soft, white, powdery sand along the Gulf-side of the island...
We usually take some goodies for the beach, like a beach shovel, frisbee, and boogie boards along. This provides for hours of fun in the sun. I like building sand castles with the boys. Last summer their quest was to ride the boogie boards in shallow water standing upright!
The boys also nagged me last summer to go parasailing. As a Dad, I was a little nervous, but in the end it was a fantastic
experience! They just loved it...
Oh, and don't forget the sunscreen! 
Schlitterbahn South Padre Island Texas
Although somewhat smaller than the Schlitterbahn waterpark in New Braunfels, Schlitterbahn South Padre Island makes for
at least a whole day of water fun!
My kids usually race from one ride to the next. I prefer to simply lie on a tube and go round and round on the "river"
that connects all the rides.
Schlitterbahn could seem a little pricey, but at least they let you take a cooler. So once you're in, you don't have to spend
anymore money.
There is a restaurant (Shrimp Haus), and a sports bar (El Jefe's Sports Bar) in Schlitterbahn. After every three
or four laps around the river, I also enjoy stopping off at Jefe's Backyard for a drink. It's important to keep the
hydration up... 
Next time we go to South Padre Island, we're definitely spending a day at Schlitterbahn!
Fishing South Padre Island Texas
If you're into deep sea fishing, South Padre Island Texas has it!
The story goes that South Padre Island is closer to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico than any other place along
the Gulf coast. So you spend less time getting there, and more time fishing! Afterall, that's why you're there, right?
You can fish for Red Snapper, Grouper, Kingfish, Shark, and more.
Keep in mind that these fishing trips last anywhere from 3 to 12 hours, depending on what you choose. Fishing captains are
typically not in the habit of turning back if one person gets sea-sick. Be sure to take motion sickness medication if you're
unsure how your going to handle the sea!
Fishing in South Padre Island is a great experience!
South Padre Island Restaurants
My favorite of South Padre Island restaurants is Scampi's.
They serve great seafood. We've also seen some magnificent sunsets from there!
I enjoy the home brewed beers of the Padre Island Brewing Co
a lot too, and try to go there at least once during our stay. Another great seafood restaurant that has good pasta too, is the
Sea Ranch.
If you're in the mood for good pizza in a restaurant with a nice atmosphere, go to D Pizza Joint.
We've also had some great pizza with the kids at Gabriella's Italian Grill & Pizzaria.
They love it, and the price is great!
For more choices, here is a list of South Padre Island restaurants.
South Padre Island Lodging
The last time we went to to South Padre Island Texas, we stayed in the South Padre Beach Resort (formerly Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort) because we wanted a beachfront room at a reasonable price. Although this hotel can do with some updating, we had a great time.
It had a nice pool (where I had way too many Piña Coladas), easy access to the beach, and it's convenietly located right
next to Schlitterbahn waterpark.
Another good choice is the Holiday Inn Express,
which isn't on the beachfront, but it is a great hotel at a reasonable price, and you only have to walk a block or two to get to the beach.
The Super 8 Motel
is a great hotel to consider too. It is great for families, pet-friendly, and is reasonably priced.
If these hotels have vacancies or you want to look at other choices, here is a list of South Pade Island hotels.
South Padre Island Map
I have created a South Padre Island map
to help you find your way to all the fun things to do in South Padre Island.
South Padre Island Events Calendar
There are events that take place in South Padre Island that aren't fixed attractions. They can be a lot of fun too. Take a look at my South Padre Island Texas Events Calendar to find some fun events for your family.
South Padre Island Texas Weather
It always helps if the weather plays along when planning a trip to South Padre Island. To find out what the weather's plans are for the next few days, check out South Padre Island's weather.
If you've never been to South Padre Island Texas, you have to go! It's a blast!
If thousands of students is not your thing, don't go over Spring Break though...
C'mon summer... c'mon South Padre!
Do YOU Have A Favorite Thing To Do In South Padre Island?
You've now read all about our favorite things to do in South Padre Island. Do you have a favorite thing to do in South Padre Island? If you've ever been to South Padre Island, you probably do.
Share it with us! We'd love to hear about it!
(Please describe your favorite activity, then tell us what you did there and why you thought it was great. This story is a great example!)
Others' Favorite Things To Do In South Padre Island
Click below to read about the favorite things to do in South Padre Island that other visitors to this page have written about...
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