South Padre Island Vacation and Trip Information

Once a fishing village, today South Padre Island is known as a popular resort town located on the Gulf Coast of Texas. The area was named after Padre José Nicolas Balli who built the first church and co-founded El Rancho Santa Cruz de Buena Vista with his nephew.

Explore the gulf waters by fishing, boating or horseback riding along miles of beaches. For adventures with the family, visit the Schlitterbahn Waterpark or spend a day in Mexico, which is less than 30 miles away from South Padre Island.

See the island’s creatures in their natural habitat by dolphin watching or seeing the Sea Turtle Rescue Center release baby turtles into the water. Along the Laguna Madre Nature Trail, you can spot some of island’s native birds such as the yellow-billed loon and white-morph reddish egret. Other popular bird watching destinations include the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Each year the Rio Grande Valley hosts the Birding Festival which features field trips, seminars and workshops.