You’ve been driving through the mesquite trees, prickly pear cactuses and dagger-like yuccas of South Texas. Suddenly, tall palm trees signal that you’re approaching the Gulf of Mexico. Fronds wave like fans in the sea breeze, and then the lighthouse at Port Isabel comes into view. This 72-foot-high, white-brick spire marks the end of the mainland. Across the still waters of the Laguna Madre sits South Padre Island. A resort town of 2,422 year-round residents, it anchors the southern tip of Padre Island, a 113-mile-long, largely undeveloped barrier island that includes Padre Island National Seashore.
Until the 1950s, the only way to reach South Padre was by ferry from Port Isabel. Now the two-mile-long Queen Isabella Causeway connects the former fishing village and the island. Those two miles make all the difference. As you cross the bridge, with the mainland quickly receding in your rearview mirror, stress slips off your shoulders. Both body and mind seem to sigh with relief at the sight of white sand and blue-green water shimmering beyond the string of high-rise condominiums and hotels.
The first explorers arrived here in 1519, when Alonzo Álvarez de Pineda charted what he called la isla blanca (the white island) for Spain. Even today a colonial influence permeates the island. Its architecture and cuisine reflect the interwoven cultures, as does the language: Many of the place names are Spanish—including the word padre, or father—and many of the residents are bilingual. These days the island draws vacationers, second-home buyers and naturalists lured by the wildlife preserves alive with pelicans, green jays and javelinas.
BEST OF THE BEACH
The main appeal for modern-day explorers has to be South Padre’s 34 miles of beach, considered the best in Texas. The stretch in front of Gulf Boulevard’s condos and hotels is a great place to hunt for shells, soak up the sun, bodysurf the waves or build a sandcastle. Those who crave more privacy and adventure can drive less than five miles north on Park Road 100 to Edwin King Atwood Park (956-761-3704; $4 per vehicle) at South Padre’s northern end. There you’ll find a beachfront picnic pavilion, concessions and driving access to more than 25 miles of undeveloped beach. To avoid getting stuck in the sand, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. Failing that, you can park and walk between dunes studded with sea oats and the lapping waves.
If you had to pick just one spot to stake your colored umbrella in the sand, make it Isla Blanca Park (956-761-5493; $4 per vehicle) at the island’s southernmost tip. Families and surfers flock here for the superb waters, more than a mile of beach, a picnic area and playground, a fishing jetty and some of the biggest waves in Texas. You can wax your board and paddle out, or just watch the wild rides and wipeouts from shore.
While you’re on the island’s southern end, stop by the University of Texas–Pan American Coastal Studies Lab (956-761-2644; panam.edu) to gawk at indigenous marine life like the gray triggerfish, named for dorsal spines that can lock or unlock to prevent predators from swallowing them. Kids and adults are invited to touch displays of shark jaws, coral, a whale fossil, a dolphin skull and other bones and fossils.
If you’re craving more water, head to the slides at nearby Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark (956-772-7873; schlitterbahn.com; from $27). You can surf man-made waves, float a “river” with still water and rapids, and test the totally radical Tempest thrill ride, which powers you up and down a network of chutes using water blasters.
BEST BITES
While South Padre’s Gulf side has a slew of activities, the calmer western shore of Laguna Madre Bay, has a sedate beauty. It’s the yin to the Gulf’s yang.
After a day of boogie boarding in the waves, playing water volleyball in the hotel pool or deep-sea fishing, visitors tend to gravitate to the bayside, where many of the island’s best restaurants are located. There you can sip a margarita; watch the sunset cast red, orange and pink shapes upon the smooth water; and savor the island’s dual but complementary personalities.
Many bayside restaurants have docks where you can moor your boat while you eat at outdoor tables. Some, such as Amberjack’s Bayside Bar & Grill, will even prepare your catch, allowing you to select the cooking style—fried, broiled or blackened—and sauce. The vibe is tropical and casual, but still upscale. Not a fisherman? Amberjack’s has plenty of red snapper and grouper ready to throw on the broiler. (Recently remodeled, the restaurant was due to reopen by Thanksgiving.)
Any trip to South Padre must include Louie’s Backyard, a two-story restaurant with lookout decks, waterfront dining, a sports bar and a sunset bar. The nightly prime rib and seafood buffet draws families and seniors, while people of all varieties converge for the sunset views and some of the island’s best seafood. Louie’s becomes the center of Padre’s nightlife on weekends.
Rovans Bakery & Restaurant on the main drag, Padre Boulevard, is where locals and visitors in the know go for brunch. Open since 1969, this island institution has won loyal followers for its migas, a Tex-Mex breakfast dish of scrambled eggs with sautéed onions, tomatoes, peppers and cheese, accompanied by refried beans and fresh flour tortillas.
BEST SIDE TRIPS
When you’ve had enough sun and surf, head back across the causeway to Port Isabel for a journey into the region’s history. Before the Spanish explorer Álvarez de Pineda charted Port Isabel, Karankawa Indians called the area home. Over the years, pirates frequented the islands as well.
You can get a seagull’s-eye view of the island and Gulf by climbing the winding staircase of the Port Isabel Lighthouse (421 E. Queen Isabella Blvd., 956-943-2262; portisabelmuseums.com), a state historic site. Built in 1852 to help sea captains navigate through the barrier islands, it’s one of the few historic lighthouses in Texas open to the public.
To see what happened to ships before the lighthouse lit the way, take a short walk to the Treasures of the Gulf Museum (317 E. Railroad Ave.; 956-943-7602), and learn about three Spanish galleons that ran aground on the island in 1554, about 30 miles north of Port Isabel. The museum uses murals, interactive exhibits and salvaged coins and ship parts to tell the stories of those and other Gulf shipwrecks.
With Mexico so close, you can have a two-nation vacation by making a trip to Matamoros. It’s just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, a half-hour drive from the island. Increased security sometimes causes long lines at the border bridge crossing, and many rental car agencies won’t permit you to take their cars across the border, or require additional insurance if you intend to do so. You can park in one of the large lots near the Gateway International Bridge (about $6) and walk across. If you’re planning a day trip to Matamoros, consult the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov) for the latest updates on passport requirements.
Most of the shops, restaurants and cantinas that cater to American tourists are on the Avenida Obregon in Matamoros. The Mercado Juarez, a cluster of shops that sell Mexican arts and crafts, is about a 20-minute walk from the bridge. You can browse the stalls for colorful talavera pottery, stamped silver jewelry, hand-tooled purses and belts, and striped serapes and blankets. If you don’t feel like walking, catch a taxi (check the fare in advance; it should be about $6 to $8), or take the free shuttle bus. Most shopkeepers, restaurateurs and cab drivers speak English and accept U.S. dollars. Many shops don’t display price tags; bartering is expected and even enjoyed.
BEST SPOTS TO COMMUNE WITH NATURE
Birdwatching is a rewarding pastime on Padre Island, since the Laguna Madre is a breeding ground and nurturing habitat for all sorts of waterfowl. One of the best places to watch wildlife is the Laguna Madre Nature Trail (956-761-3005). (It’s right next to the South Padre Island Convention Center, whose exterior walls display a giant mural of killer whales.) A 1,500-foot boardwalk cuts across four acres of wetlands. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to spot herons, oystercatchers, terns, white-morph reddish egrets, yellow-billed loons and brown boobies.
More birdwatching vantage points are in the works. A planned World Birding Center will add 3,800 feet of boardwalk as well as a visitor center. It’s expected to open in fall 2008.
Outdoor enthusiasts can also cross the causeway to visit the 45,000-acre Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge on the mainland side of the Laguna Madre (956-748-3607; fws.gov; $3 per vehicle). Tour by car or bike on two roads, or hike on five trails. The refuge provides sanctuary for brown pelicans, ocelots and at least eight other federally endangered or threatened species. It also has the most documented bird species (an incredible 411) of any national wildlife refuge. Look for Texas tortoises, green jays, chachalacas and javelinas in the thorny brush areas; alligators, least grebes and black-bellied whistling ducks at ponds and resacas (oxbow lakes); and roseate spoonbills, egrets, herons and piping plovers in the wetlands along the Laguna Madre.
No wonder the birds love it here—they’ve found an ideal place in which to thrive. After a few days in South Padre, visitors are sure to agree that this stretch of coast is, indeed, a sanctuary.
PLAY
Go fish: Dozens of guides offer fishing trips into the bay or the Gulf of Mexico to reel in tarpon, red snapper, amberjack and pompano. Rates start at $350, and while it may seem pricey, don’t forget that you’ll likely be coming back with dinner. Look for guides at fishspi.com or through the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. 956-761-6433; sopadre.com
STAY
Sheraton South Padre Island Beach Hotel
This hotel lays claim to the largest swimming pool in South Texas and 251 rooms with balconies and bay views. 310 Padre Blvd.; 956-761-6551; starwoodhotels.com; doubles from $79
Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort
A 227-room hotel on the beach, next to the Schlitterbahn Waterpark. 100 Padre Blvd.; 956-761-5401; sunspreeresorts.com; doubles from $109
Peninsula Island Resort & Spa
This 39-room luxury resort is in South Padre’s secluded southern end. 340 Padre Blvd.; 800-761-2514; peninsulaislandresort.com; studio suites from $185
Radisson Resort South Padre Island
Two outdoor pools with waterfalls, seasonal kids’ programs and lighted tennis courts draw couples and families to this 192-room hotel. 500 Padre Blvd.; 956-761-6511; radisson.com; doubles from $105
Inn at Chachalaca Bend
Seven luxury guest rooms surrounded by 40 acres make up this peaceful inn. 20 Chachalaca Bend Dr., Los Fresnos; 956-233-1180; chachalaca.com; doubles from $145
EAT
Amberjack’s Bayside Bar & Grill
A casual but upscale spot, specializing in local seafood. 209 W. Amberjack St.; 956-761-6500; dinner for two, $50*
Louie’s Backyard
The place to eat and party on weekends; there’s dancing after 10 p.m. 2305 Laguna Blvd.; 956-761-6406; dinner for two, $55
Rovans Bakery & Restaurant
Tex-Mex and more from breakfast to dinner. 5300 Padre Blvd.; 956-761-3930; breakfast for two, less than $20
*Dinner prices cover a three-course meal for two, not including drinks, tax or tip.