Living it Up on South Padre Island: A Tropical Playground

Story & photos by Barbara Beckley

A cellist as bar entertainer. World-class marine sanctuaries. Million dollar waterfront homes and laid-back beach bars. The most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen. Am I in Hawaii? South Florida? No. I’m on South Padre Island in Texas!

I didn’t know what to expect when I recently visited Texas’ largest barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico – “at the tropical tip of Texas 25 miles north of Mexico” – as the locals say. I’m happy to report I loved the delightful mix of upscale and lowbrow eateries and bars, big splashy watersports and world-class marine ecological programs, history and contemporary hotels.  

Plus — at 30 miles in length and only half-a-mile at its widest – it’s easy to see it all.  

The Southern Wave Sailing Charters’ Sunset Dinner Cruise made a perfect introduction to the island – and to Texas’ hospitality. Cruising the quiet waters of Laguna Madre Bay, between the island and the mainland, I enjoyed an overview of the fun waterfront bars and restaurants, ritzy neighborhoods and protected estuaries and dunes. “Can I bring you something from the buffet?” To my surprise, this wasn’t a deckhand asking. This was a darling 20-something fellow passenger, who was worried that if I stood in line, I’d miss the stunning sunset.

At first I was disappointed that kayaking was rained out the next morning. But not for long! I went shopping instead. “Woo hoo!” Texas hospitality continued at two of the chicest shops – in the form of wine served while you shop. My kind of boutiques. Both are owned by interior designers. Cactus Flower Gifts & Interiors poured bubbly and Sisters Interiors poured light rose. Paragraph Books, an independent book store, was dry, but provided a cheery environment with overstuffed sofas and chairs to sink into while perusing its wide selection of good reads from Little Golden Books to novels. “Business is great,” owner Griff Mangan told me. “Visitors are always looking for something to read. We carry it all – books, gifts, cards, music and DVDs.”  

Sipping rum and coke with a local girlfriend and rocking out to a cellist playing original tunes on her amplified cello at Laguna BOB (Bar on the Bay), a favorite waterfront hangout, rounded out the evening. Who knew a cellist could be Jimmy Buffet hip? Or that sunsets could be so dramatic? As the sun hit the horizon, it literally appeared to melt onto the sea like fiery butter spreading on water. “Oh, we see these sunsets all the time,” my friend said.

The next morning dawned clear and sunny. Perfect for enjoying the pristine beaches that stretch for miles along its eastern Gulf coastline. These soft, powdery sands and calm shallow waters are ranked among the 2019 Top 10 U.S. beaches for families by Better Homes and Gardens.   

“We’re the “sand castle capital of the world,” Andy Hancock, owner/instructor of Sand Castle Lessons, bragged as he showed me how to carve a turret into the four-foot high castle with a kitchen spatula. In fact, the rock-solid sand – created by millennia of outflow from the Rio Grande River, according to Hancock – jump-started the sand castle craze more than 30 years ago. Thousands of enthusiasts hit the beach in October for the annual Sand Castle Days competition. (The 33^rd celebration is October 3-6, 2019). The island’s Sandcastle Trail features more than 30 permanent sand sculptures.  

Sea creatures also love South Padre’s unspoiled waters and beaches. Laguna Madre Bay is a nationally protected wildlife refuge. And the locals do all they can to preserve and protect them.  

“Awe…” The Sea Life Safari with Osprey Cruises was heart-warming, as we watched a mother dolphin and her baby swim shoulder-to-shoulder in the sparkling lagoon. Like a proud papa, Captain Jesse guided the vessel safely beside the pair, and explained about this newest member of the lagoon’s several bottle nose dolphin pods. Earlier, the onboard naturalist had netted a small sting ray and a puffer fish from the shallow lagoon bottom – putting them into a saltwater tank as he explained their role in the eco system, then releasing them back into the water. “We preserve through entertainment – by educating and entertaining our passengers,” explained Capt. Jesse.

Sea Turtle, Inc. is not only a favorite attraction, it’s a major force in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured sea turtles, I learned. Especially the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, which frequent the waters surrounding South Padre Island. “We’ve been here 42 years and are funded by tourism,” explained Jeff George, executive director. “We’re the only sea turtle center in the world with its own CT scan.” In 2020, the facility plans to open a major new sea turtle hospital. It also funds international turtle rescue programs off the coast of Mexico, in Athens, Greece, and in Indonesia. I enjoyed seeing the dozens of large and small turtles, each in its own tank, regaining their health – and for several too injured to return to the wild – living happily ever after.  

Beautiful views and beautiful birds took my breath away at the South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary. The 360-degree view from the fifth story observation tower was magical. Walking along the boardwalk through the protected bay-front lagoon and mangroves, I spotted of flock of bright pink roseate spoonbills, and later, an alligator lazing in a pond. The alligators are “nuisance” gators, I learned, rescued from Florida where they posed a threat to people or animals.

Dinner at the F&B SPI restaurant was an upscale treat. Chef-owner Walter Greenwood has used his experience working with Wolfgang Puck and stints in New Orleans, Las Vegas and LA to create a sleek, airy space that could easily be on Palm Desert’s El Paseo or Santa Monica’s Ocean Boulevard. My Manhattan cocktail, beet salad, sea food risotto and double bone-in pork chop were a delicious ending to a perfect day.      

I stayed at the luxury-like beachfront Hilton Garden Inn — and enjoyed the largest wine pour of my life at its stylish bar. Next door, a Courtyard by Marriott is set to open in October 2019.

Everywhere I went, people were talking about celebrity singer Jimmy Buffet’s four-hour island visit just two weeks before mine. Is a Margaritaville resort in the island’s future? Stay tuned! 

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