Padre Island, Texas travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Padre Island is actually two barrier islands off the Gulf Coast of Texas. At 113 miles in length combined, it would be the longest barrier island in the world. However, because of the artificial Mansfield Channel created in 1964, the island is split into two: North Padre Island, which is a residential subdivision of Corpus Christi with a small degree of tourism infrastructure, and contains the National Park Service's Padre Island National Seashore, which protects 60 miles of undeveloped coastline; and South Padre Island, a popular Spring Break and summer resort community that is accessed via the Rio Grande Valley in deep south Texas.

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Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 95°F; winter lows dip to about 48°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Sep and Jun. (climate data from nearby Corpus Christi)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
CRP Corpus Christi International Airport, Corpus Christi — 54 mi away. Directions
HRL Valley International Airport, Harlingen — 56 mi away. Directions
SAT San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio — 187 mi away (major hub). Directions

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 2-day trip

Day 1: South Padre Island — Air Padre Kiteboarding, South Padre Island Sailing Charters, Sea Turtle, Inc.
Day 2: Padre Island National Seashore — explore the town.

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.

Photos

Places in Padre Island

South Padre Island

City / town · 51 listings

Padre Island National Seashore

Park

Understand

Direct access between North and South Padre Islands

Direct access by car between the two islands is not possible, due to the Mansfield Channel separating the two, in addition to the protected lands of Padre Island National Seashore. The nearest roads are 55 miles to the north or 22 miles to the south. The only access between the two islands is to return to the mainland and take US Highway 77 between Harlingen, Kingsville, and Corpus Christi.

Regions

South Padre Island

City and popular spring and summer resort

Padre Island National Seashore

Protected area for the northern part of the world's longest barrier island

Cities

Other than South Padre Island, the only other city on Padre Island is a portion of Corpus Christi at the northern extreme of the island. This part of the city is largely residential, but there are a handful of resort hotels and restaurants for visitors.