Population 1,796 Altitude 5 General Incorporated n 1973, small resort town is on the southern tip of storied Padre island just across Laguna Madre, the bay separating the island from the mainland. Access via free causeway on Park Road 100. Visitors find wide range of accommodations from campgrounds and family motels to high-rise luxury hotels and condo rentals, marinas and seaside cottages.
Restaurants feature fresh seafood harvested daily from the gulf.
Other island activities include bicycling, tennis, shelling, and horseback riding on the beach. The South Padre Island Tourist Bureau provides detailed information about accommodations, activities and events related to boating, sailing, fishing, and seashore recreation. Sat. - Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Padre Blvd. Offshore species may include tarpon, sailfish, marlin, kingfish, mackerel, ling, pompano, bonito, red snapper, warsaw, and wahoo.