South Padre Island

[Mina]

We are thinking of going to South Padre Island for vacation but have never been there. Does anyone have suggestions for places to stay condos/hotel on the beach? Also, what time of year is best to go? It will be me, my husband and our 5 yr old daughter. Thanks in advance for any help!

[mooski]

I hope we get some good info about padre Island.... that is somewhere I have always thought about going tooo.

[SunKneeMarie]

I've never done South Padre, but we've done the north end of Padre many times and stayed at the Port Royal... the coast is definitely NOT a Playa coast but it has nice waves and the kids were happy....

[hrlydavison]

Are you flying or driving? I can think of a couple of places that would top south padre with the kids in tow. Not Disney either.

[Bumper]

Spent a week on South Padre many years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed the place. We rented a condo, but not on the beach. It was on the opposite side of the narrow island on the inland waterway, the name of which escapes me at the moment. It was about a 3 minute drive to the opposite side of the island to the beach on the ocean. We were there just after they completed the causeway, and I understand the island has really built up since then. Drove into Brownsville to golf a few times. The town is an armpit, but the golf was decent. We were in a restaurant called Blackbeards every day on Padre. Fabulous place with incredible margaritas, but like I said, this was years ago, so no guarantees about what it's like today.

[Mamacita]

Last time to SPI we stayed at a timeshare condo, so that's no help. I don't think we'd drive to SPI anymore anyways, since going to Port Aransas last year. But if your flying, then it's a different story. Have you added up the cost to compare to a great deal in Playa? Seriously, the beach is NO comparison at all. Not trying to be a downer on the TX coast, cuz I live here, but couldn't you visit Destin or the Georgia coast or someplace for the same cost? The water is brown and foamy here.

[hrlydavison]

Originally Posted by Mamacita

Last time to SPI we stayed at a timeshare condo, so that's no help. I don't think we'd drive to SPI anymore anyways, since going to Port Aransas last year. But if your flying, then it's a different story. Have you added up the cost to compare to a great deal in Playa? Seriously, the beach is NO comparison at all. Not trying to be a downer on the TX coast, cuz I live here, but couldn't you visit Destin or the Georgia coast or someplace for the same cost? The water is brown and foamy here.

Orange beach, Alabama or Daytona Beach, FL we have stayed at both places and both are great, lots of fun for the kids and adults. If you visit ..VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® Vacation Homes Rentals by Owner you can find private owners who rent condos at both locations. If you go/rent last minute you can negotiate a KILLER deal. We stayed at ocean walk for $125 a night in a 2 bedroom condo 23rd floor ocean view. The Kids attractions at both places are above and beyond!!! (indoor/ outdoor pools, game rooms, putt putt, lazy river at both) Just don't tell to many people. The Ocean walk has great nightlife within the complex at the Caribe you have to go into town. Beach is better at Orange beach vs Daytona they have some of the best sand in the world(yes...the world)

Caribe - The Resort

Wyndham Ocean Walk Resort (formerly Fairfield Daytona Beach at Ocean Walk) - An Upscale, Oceanfront Condo Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida

Check them out and Enjoy!!!

[Mina]

Thanks for all the replies! We are flying in. I was just looking for a place that wasn't too long of a flight (from MPLS) and was on the ocean. My daughter really wants to see the ocean. Any good kid-friendly places would be fine. Playa might be an option if I ever get around to getting her passport.

[hrlydavison]

Well the only place you can go farther south than South Padre thats worth anything is Key West, FL.

We flew into JAX(Jacksonville,FL) and drove an hour south to Daytona. Lots for kids to do at the resort of Ocean Walk.

I imagine a flight into JAX from MPLS would be cheaper too.

Keep us posted on what you decide and have a great time wherever you go!!!

[SunKneeMarie]

Originally Posted by Mina

Thanks for all the replies! We are flying in. I was just looking for a place that wasn't too long of a flight (from MPLS) and was on the ocean. My daughter really wants to see the ocean. Any good kid-friendly places would be fine. Playa might be an option if I ever get around to getting her passport.

The north Florida beaches (Destin area) are much prettier beaches than the Texas Coast, if you can swing that flight. That being said, we do the Texas Gulf Coast almost every year and enjoy it. Of course we live in Texas and go because it's just the cost of gas to get there.

We go to Port Aransas, which is North Padre. We stay at the Port Royal, which is pretty nice, but more expensive than I would like. Here's the link to their website. And yes, the pool is that big and that nice:
Port Royal Ocean Resort & Conference Center

here's my short trip report from a year and a half ago:
http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...its-beach.html

[louden48]

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

The north Florida beaches (Destin area) are much prettier beaches than the Texas Coast, if you can swing that flight. That being said, we do the Texas Gulf Coast almost every year and enjoy it. Of course we live in Texas and go because it's just the cost of gas to get there.

We go to Port Aransas, which is North Padre. We stay at the Port Royal, which is pretty nice, but more expensive than I would like. Here's the link to their website. And yes, the pool is that big and that nice:
Port Royal Ocean Resort & Conference Center

here's my short trip report from a year and a half ago:
http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...its-beach.html

Yes, the Port Royal is nice. We've stayed there many times but found out we could go to Playa or Cozumel for what we paid to drive and stay there. I know it's crazy, but true. Although I know she couldn't get that kind of price in Minneapolis.

I think as far as Texas beaches go, I like North Padre better than SPI. SPI is *very* busy and not very relaxing. We also found that we liked to drive and park on the beach better than walking and carring all of the beach gear across and down the boardwalk to get to the beach at Port Royal. We started staying in places like Plantation Suites and Holiday Inn Express and just driving to the beach. Our most favorite place to drive to the beach is to go across the JFK Causeway and continue driving straight instead of turninng left to go to the Port Royal. The road dead ends into the Padre Island National Seashore. It is a part of the National Park Service. It is awesome. The beaches are primitive and people can camp out there. Because we have a 4WD truck, we could go about 25-40 miles down the beach and enjoy much larger shells (the area is called Big Shell) if we wanted a real remote area..that was our favorite place, or we could just drive until we saw no one (about 5 miles down) and park where we wanted to. It wasa a blast. Here are a few of our picture from a few years ago.
My son at Malaquite Beach...it is the beach as you drive in to the National Seashore.

Sunrise at the Port Aransas

Another sunrise at Port Aransas

Big Shell Beach at Padre Island National Seashore

Big Shell Beach at Padre Island National Seashore

[sideways]

Is Padre Island near Galveston? Im heading that way this weekend

[Just Lucky]

Originally Posted by sideways

Is Padre Island near Galveston? Im heading that way this weekend

Nope sorry. Galveston is essentially part of Houston, Padre Island runs from Corpus Christi to Brownsville. They are quite a distance from each other,

Have fun in Galveston!

[sideways]

Bummer...have heard others mentioning it when I mention Galveston...Oh well. Was in Galveston 8 years ago..had lots of fun!! Gracias!

[SunKneeMarie]

Great pics, Christy!