Texas Beaches: Big, Cheap and Easy

Almost everything in Texas is big, cheap and easy. A Texas beach vacation is no less. The coast of Texas encompasses more than 600 miles of beach, and the best of it is in South Padre Island, the southern part of the 130-mile long Padre Island.

Famous for its spring break student vacations, South Padre Island specializes in accommodations for middle-income visitors, ranging from $60 to $150 a night in early spring for hotels and $100 to $300 for a condo. But spring breakers can easily be avoided by checking the websites of south Texas universities if you're more interested in a quieter, family vacation.

THE LAY OF THE LAND
SPI has 14 miles of road from the Queen Isabella Causeway (which connects it to the mainland at Port Isabel) to the abrupt end of the road amid sand dunes and vacant beachfront. Most of SPI is within four miles of the bridge. South of the bridge is Isla Blanca County Park, which includes a beach, fishing jetty, playground, the Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark, as well as restaurants and day trip concessions.

The main downtown area includes plenty of shopping, a grocery store, convenience store and two gas stations, one car wash and 61 restaurants ranging from McDonald's to the upscale Scampi's on the lagoon side of the island. The western coast, the Laguna Madre side, has a handful of other more moderately priced restaurants for sunset dinners, and the gulf side has restaurants including the Peninsula Island Resort, the Sheraton and Isla Grand Beach Resort. Almost everything is on the main drag, Padre Boulevard, and easy to find.

The local population is 2,500. The width of SPI ranges from one quarter mile to one half mile, at most three blocks. Winter temperatures average 65 degrees Farenheit, perfect for golfing and beach running. Summer averages 80 degrees and humid - but much cooler than the sizzling cities of Houston, Dallas and McAllen, where masses of people head for the beach on weekends.

ACCOMMODATIONS
There are 30 hotels, 70 condominiums, 2 B&Bs and 3 camping areas on the island. Middle range hotel chains include Travel Lodge, Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, Super 8, Howard Johnson, La Quinta, and many others. La Quinta is on the north-end of South Padre Island (SPI), on the beach, and has a pool and hot tub.

For visitors who want higher-end accommodations, Sheraton South Padre Island Beach Hotel & Condominiums range from $249 to $569 in high season, and it has the largest pool in South Texas at 6,000 square feet.

SeaBreeze Resort ranges from $155 low season to $265 per night in high season for a room accommodating 4 people. It is on the beach and has two pools (one heated), a hot tub, large balconies, barbeque areas and picnic tables poolside. For inside information on rentals with waterfront docks, beachfront, and properties with more amenities, contact one of the many local real estate brokers.

A few properties are still closed from Hurricane Ike damage from late 2008, including the South Padre Beach Resort and the Bahia Mar which will re-open in fall of 2009.

Condos occupy the majority of the beachfront and are easy to find online, including user reviews on sites like TripAdvisor.com. Be sure to use googleearth.com to look at the property and see its exact proximity to beach and layout for wind protection and children's play areas. The SPI Chamber of Commerce visitor guide lists accommodations by proximity to the beach.

EATERIES
Dirty Al's is the number one rated restaurant according to TripAdvisor.com. It has good seafood and a great atmosphere, located on the southern tip of the island at 3396 State Park Rd. #100. Again, big, cheap and easy - i.e., generous servings, reasonable prices, informal setting. The menu includes Blackened Fish for $9.25, Taco Salad for $9.25, Grilled Shrimp Kabob for $13.99, and of course, onion rings and cold beer.

Naturally's Health Food Store & Café at 3109 Padre Boulevard offers smoothies, soups, salads, and sandwiches -- like the vegetarian Beachin' Burrito with quinoa, millet, adzuki beans, jalapeno jack cheese, cilanto pesto and greens and a homemade pico de gallo for $7.95, and the Free-Range Turkey Burger with jalapeno or cheddar, onion, tomato and greens for $7.35.

Palm Street Pier Restaurant has outdoor dining on the dock where they also rent jet skis. The menu includes fried coconut shrimp, taco salad and a kid's menu. The ambience is great, the food is good.

Yummies Bistro at 700 Padre Boulevard offers breakfast and lunch, and has WiFi and coffee for everything in between. Fresh, delicious fresh baked pastrries, gourmet coffee drinks, smoothies, chai tea, Italian ice cream and sandwiches on homemade breads are served.

ATTRACTIONS
• The Beachcomber's Museum of Local and Natural History, 104 West Pompano Street, has 'treasure' of all sorts - antique coins, sea beans, books, coffee and ice cream,
• South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce, 600 Padre Boulevard, has tons of information and an amazing sand castle in the lobby.
• Sea Turtle Inc. at 6617 Padre Boulevard is an educational nonprofit that is home to rescued turtles including the rare Kemp's Ridley, the Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Green Sea Turtle. Guided tours are available, as well as educational presentations and a gift shop. Entry is a $3 donation for adults, $1 for children.
• The South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center will open mid-summer 2009. Is a local educational nonprofit focusing on conservation and environmental awareness. It has a 10,000 s.f. visitor center on the north end of SPI on the Lagoon side, and 3,800 feet of bay-view boardwalks and paths, 43 acres of freshwater ponds, marshes and upland brush habitat. It also has a 5-story observation tower and 5 bird blinds.
• SPI Convention Center is four miles north of the causeway on the lagoon side, has 45,000 square feet of meeting space, views, outdoor reception areas, and nature trails open to the public.

ACTIVITIES
Sailing, fishing, windsurfing, dolphin watching, horseback riding and golf are all available from local or nearby concessionaires. Texas is one of the few places where beach driving is allowed. At the north end of SPI is Edwin K. Atwood Park, which has an access road that opens up 20 miles of beach driving. A channel separates north and South Padre Island, which has 20 miles of beach driving and 14 miles of road.

NEARBY
• Port Isabel is a beautiful historic town. Attractions include the historic lighthouse and the Dolphin Research and Sea Life Center with hands-on exhibits, and Pirate's Landing Restaurant at 110 N. Garcia St. on Lighthouse Square, and a long wharf for fishing that is home to the pirate ship "Black Dragon," which sails daily and entertains kids with water-gun fights, face painting and tall tales.
• Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark has four water coasters, a hot tub, river rides, whitewater rapids, a giant surfing wave and interior beaches and the Schlitterbahn Beach. Entry is $36.95 for ages 12 and up, $28.95 for 3-11, age 2 and under are free. Two-day passes and season passes are also available.
• Isla Blanca County Park has RV parking, tent camping, picnic areas, a children's playground, a one-mile long beach with a nondenominational 'Chapel by the Sea' and a fishing jetty. Entry to the park is $4 per person.
• Corpus Christi is 2.5 hours away and has a fun beach near the U.S.S. Lexington Museum, which is open for tours daily, World of Discovery/Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the Ships of Christopher Columbus and the Texas State Aquarium.
• Across the bridge from Corpus Christi is Port Aransas on Mustang Island, and Padre Island, which includes Padre Island National Seashore, the longest undeveloped stretch of barrier island in the world -- 70 miles of sandy beaches, wind-carved dunes, vast grasslands, fragile tidal flats, and warm, near-shore waters. The Park Headquarters are located about 10 miles south of the JFK Causeway connecting Corpus Christi to (north) Padre Island.
• Mexico day trips are available through vendors, or just a 1-hour drive to Brownsville. Passports are required.

GETTING THERE
Part of the 'easy' part of vacationing on SPI is the drive from anywhere. The three regional airports include Brownsville South Padre International Airport, 30 minutes away, Miller International Airport at McAllen, one and a half hours away, and Valley International Airport at Harlington, 50 minutes away. Both Brownsville and Harlington airports have rental cars, and Brownsville airport offers a shuttle service to SPI, which has a free shuttle system for getting around the island without a car.

Carriers include Continental, American, Southwest and Sun Country. Limousine services are available from the airports.