| Reviews and photos of South Padre Island attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for South Padre Island sightseeing. South Padre Island Map |
 | South Padre Island Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 24 |  |
A neat place for the whole family to see. They rescue and try to rehabilitate injured sea turtles. There are always at least 4-5 big turtles swimming in large tanks. They ask a $3-a-head donation and give you about a half hour talk on their history and work. A high light is to be there for feeding time. On occasion they also have a small kiddie pool full of hatchlings waiting to be let loose in the open water.
You probably won't spend more than an hour there, but it's a nice place to go when you want to get out of the Sun for a while. Leave a Comment Address: North of Town on South Padre Blvd, on left.Phone: 956-761-4511Website: seaturtleinc.com
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Half a dozen companies on South Padre Island and the neighboring town of Port Isabel offer Dolphin Watch cruises. We took one out of Port Isabel (See our activity tip under that town's page) and enjoyed it so much that we went back for a second Dolphin Watch a couple of days later. Not only did we see numerous dolphins up close, but during a portion of the cruise a net was dragged behind the boat and a wide assortment of interesting sea life was pulled up and put into a tank for us to view. We saw crabs, flounder, shrimp, snails, squid, and much more before they were all released back into the bay. The picture is of a Dolphin Watch boat from another company which was taken from our boat when we passed it. Leave a Comment Directions: Dolphin Watches leave from the pier on the south end of the island, and from Port Isabel, at the western foot of the causeway. The cost is from $10 to $15 per person.
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On the southernmost tip of South Padre Island, Isla Blanca is one of the largest parks in Texas and the crown jewel of the Cameron County Park System. In the park there is more than one mile of clean white beach along the Gulf of Mexico, a fishing jetty, picnic and playground areas, concessions, 600 R.V. camping spaces a boat ramp, and more. Although there are several places on South Padre Island with free beach access, the $3.00 per car fee to Isla Blanca Park is more than worth it because of the many ammenities provided. Leave a Comment Phone: 956-761-5493Directions: Turn right at the end of the causeway and the park is straight ahead.
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South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley is famous as a birding hot spot, with more than 400 species having been recorded in the area. One of the best bird watching sites is the Laugana Madre Nature Trail. The trail consists of two long boardwalks, one cutting through the tall marsh grass, and the other along the tidal mud flats. Each is made of recycled material, and ends at a photo blind. At the beginning of the trail is a Warbler Rest Area, planted with flowers and shrubs designed to attract the winged creatures on a year-round basis.
Although we are only casual birders, sunrise found us on this trail two mornings during our vacation to the island. We were able to add to our life lists several rare species we had never seen before: the Reddish Egret, Least Tern, and Mottled Duck.
We also saw numerous other birds, fish, lizards, turtles and butterflies, but not the elusive alligator which is also said to frequent the area. The trail is free and is always open. Leave a Comment Phone: 800-SO-PADREDirections: Four miles north of the Queen Isabella Causeway, on the left, beside the Convention Center.
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This place is the convention centre for the island as well as a wildlife reserve. There are boardwalks that go out over the bay where you can see many endangered animals from. A painter named Wyland has created a life-size painting of whales and other sealife on the walls of the centre. Leave a Comment
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The Sea Turtle Rescue Center is operated by Sea Turtle, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping sick or injured sea turtles. It was founded in 1977 by Lla Loetscher, the "Turtle Lady of South Padre Island". Ms. Loetscher, a pioneer woman aviator and friend of Amelia Earhart, lived into her mid-90s and passed away a few years ago. She devoted the final decades of her life to rescuing the Kemps Ridley and other endangered or threatened sea turtles.
Karen and I attended the 10:00 a.m. educational presentation and feeding ($3.00 adult donation, $1.00 children) which is held daily, Tuesday through Sunday. Guided tours are also available on the same days from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Come and hear the fascinating story of the different species, how to identify them, how they can become injured, and what you can do to help protect them.
Some of the rehabilitated turtles from this small facility have gone to the great aquariums of the world, including the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Leave a Comment Address: 6617 South Padre Island BoulevardPhone: 956-761-4511Directions: On the north end of town, just before the Convention Centre, across from the Tiki.Website: www.seaturtleinc.com
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You have to go Surfing while you are on the Island! South Padre Surf Co. offers lessons year round. REALLY fun for the whole family! I was suprised at how easy it was to learn...I was standing up after only a few tries and was catching waves on my own by the end of the lesson! What an incredible experience! My whole family was smiling and laughing the whole way home as we talked about how much fun our lesson was! Address: call for reservations they meet you on the beachPhone: (956)772-7272Directions: Isla Blanca Park South Padre Island on the South end of the IslandWebsite: www.spadre.com/spschome.htm Other Contact: www.spadre.com
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It's a great water park to visit with your family, friends, etc. It can be for all ages. So many things to do there! Great water activities, great souveniers, great food. Address: 90 Park Rd. Highway 100Phone: 956-772-SURFDirections: Cross the Queen Isabella Causeway in Port Isabel and take a right onto Padre Island Blvd. The park is on the left side of the road. It's really easy to find. Just drive around the main road of the Island and you can't miss it.Website: http://www.schlitterbahn.com/spi/directions-spi.asphttp://www.schlitterbahn.com/spi
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Of all the many attractions on South Padre Island, no doubt #1 is the beach. It has been rated by the Travel Channel as the "Third Best Beach in America." The wide white sandy shoreline stretches the entire 34 miles of the island, bounded on the eastern side by the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by the shallow and tranquil Laguna Madre Bay. The lower five or six miles of the island are filled with a fabulous array of resorts, restaurants, shops and various attractions. Then the road up the middle of the island comes to a dead end and the larger northern portion of the beach remains undeveloped and pristine. Beyond where the road ends those with 4-wheel-drive vehicles may drive for many miles up the beach. Leave a Comment
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The largest year-round sand castle in the State of Texas is in front of the South Padre Island Convention Centre. Sons of the Beach Sand Castle Wizards, who compete in contests throughout the world, built the sand castle and restore it regularly. For this creation they used 45 tons of sand mixed with about 50 pounds of clay and 200 gallons of water. The 10-foot-tall castle stands on a 10x16-foot base and is topped off with a glue/water solution. About half a gallon of Elmer's Glue is used to coat the castle. It is always available for viewing, 24 hours a day. Leave a Comment Address: 7355 Padre Blvd.Directions: Four miles north of the causeway, on the left (west) side of Padre Blvd.
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on February 17, 2006
on April 6, 2004
on June 8, 2004
on September 5, 2005
on April 15, 2006
