Texas is well known for its big hats, big pickup trucks and real-life cowboys. But there’s one thing that can’t be ignored in Texas, and that’s its great sunsets. Some of the best places to see the sun dip behind the horizon are the beaches along South Padre Island.
South Padre Island sits along the eastern Gulf Coast. These beautiful beaches stretch for a whopping 113 miles and are full of white sand and warm water. Starting in Corpus Christi, Texas, which is the hometown of the legendary singer Selena and actress Eva Longoria and ending in the resort town of South Padre Island. The northern beaches of Padre Island include Mustang Island, which is about 15 minutes east of Corpus Christi. At the southern tip of the island, sits the more secluded Brazo Island.
During the spring, Padre Island is a destination for many Texas spring breakers as an alternative to going to places like Cancun and Miami. For most of the year, though, Padre Island is full of peaceful beaches and dunes, great for a quick weekend getaway during the brutal Northern winters. If you’re the outdoors type, pay $5 at Mustang Island, pitch a tent and stage an overnight romantic night with your mate. How much more cost efficient can you get? Rent a sailboat and float along the peaceful waves. Grab a stand-up paddle board or kayak and wade through the calm Gulf waters. Bring the kids along and have some splashy fun at Schlitterbahn waterpark and resort.
In between catching some waves, or letting the sun kiss your skin, you’re bound to get hungry. Seafood lovers are in for a treat. The Gulf waters cultivate some of the best tasting and fresh seafood in the country. And you can’t come to South Texas and not partake in the flair that is Tex-Mex.
South Padre Island provides a relaxing alternative to the normally rustic, country music-filled, barbecue-laced state that is Texas. Viewing the oranges, reds, yellows, purples, and clear blue water brush up against the sandy beaches is the perfect way to appreciate one of the best parts of the Lone State.
Photos credit: Autumn Wlliams
