Padre Blvd ends 12 miles north of Isla Blanca. North of here, another 20 miles of empty sand and dunes stretch all the way to Port Mansfield Pass. Nude sunbathers, anglers, bird-watchers and other outdoorsy types can find a sandy acre to call their own; vehicles can drive on the beach, but be wary of soft sand.
North End
Gulf Coast & South Texas
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
8.59 MILES
This 70-sq-mile federal preserve, northwest of Port Isabel, has recorded more bird species sightings (400 and counting) than any other national wildlife…
7.67 MILES
No, you can't handle the sea turtles. But you can see rescued turtles and learn firsthand about the slow regrowth of critically endangered Kemp's ridley…
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site
24.17 MILES
On May 8, 1846, General Zachary Taylor and his troops defeated a larger Mexican army on this site in the first major battle of the Mexican-American War…
South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary
7.6 MILES
This 50-acre nature preserve features boardwalks through the dunes, bird blinds, spotting towers and more besides. Look for butterflies, egrets,…
17.37 MILES
Hugging the border just above where the Rio Grande empties into the gulf, Boca Chica is a rarely visited 10,680-acre wilderness very literally at the end…
29.41 MILES
Part of the World Birding Center, this new 1200-acre park surrounds 4 miles of resaca (oxbow lakes), which are ideal for birds and their spotters. Trails…
7.38 MILES
Across from (SPI) Convention Center, this pleasant beach park is surrounded by condo and hotel developments. It has a shaded picnic building with views…
11.83 MILES
Sunken treasure! That's the focus of this fun museum, which displays artifacts from three Spanish galleons that went down nearby in 1554. It does a good…
Nearby Gulf Coast & South Texas attractions
1. Edwin King Atwood County Park
5.67 MILES
Two miles north of Bowie, signed as Beach Access 5, Atwood sports towering sand dunes backing the beach. This is a beautiful, unspoiled area with nothing…
7.38 MILES
Across from (SPI) Convention Center, this pleasant beach park is surrounded by condo and hotel developments. It has a shaded picnic building with views…
3. South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary
7.6 MILES
This 50-acre nature preserve features boardwalks through the dunes, bird blinds, spotting towers and more besides. Look for butterflies, egrets,…
7.67 MILES
No, you can't handle the sea turtles. But you can see rescued turtles and learn firsthand about the slow regrowth of critically endangered Kemp's ridley…
5. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
8.59 MILES
This 70-sq-mile federal preserve, northwest of Port Isabel, has recorded more bird species sightings (400 and counting) than any other national wildlife…
11.72 MILES
The Port Isabel Lighthouse was built (of brick) in 1852, and remained in use until 1905. A climb up its 70 somewhat-precarious steps yields great views of…
7. Port Isabel Historical Museum
11.82 MILES
Built (in 1899) sturdily of bricks to resist storms, the home of the history museum served at various times as the town’s railroad station, post office…
8. Treasures of the Gulf Museum
11.83 MILES
Sunken treasure! That's the focus of this fun museum, which displays artifacts from three Spanish galleons that went down nearby in 1554. It does a good…