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Started By
Message
South Padre Island suggestions
Posted on 4/25/24 at 11:23 am
Posted on 4/25/24 at 11:23 am
Who has stayed and where? Is this a nice destination?
6
Posted on 4/25/24 at 12:38 pm to MaxXL
Stay away from SPI during spring break and all Mexican holidays. Great beaches and above average seafood. Drive to Progresso (65 miles) to go into Mexico, do not go in at Brownsville. Auturo's is a good stop to eat. Have a beer at Red Panty Bar! 
This post was edited on 4/25/24 at 12:45 pm
Posted on 4/25/24 at 12:54 pm to MaxXL
Yes it’s quite nice. Not as pretty as Florida or Gulf Shores in terms of white sand and clear water but still a very nice beach. Definitely wanna avoid major holidays but a random weekend in June/July could be nice. There’s outstanding fishing in the bay as well. Specs, reds, flounder etc
Here’s my post from an older thread which i’ll link at the bottom. I grew up down there and spent a ton of time at SPI. It’s grown a lot from a business standpoint.
The sea turtle place is really cool. If you like catching trout and reds, hire a guide to take you out in the bay. Incredible fishing. The dolphin watch is fun too.
Tom and Jerry’s
Blackbeard’s
Marcello’s (in PI)
D’Pizza Joint
Padre Island Brewing
Dirty Al’s
Liam’s
Sea Ranch
Pirate’s Landing right before the causeway (kids can take a pic with the pirate)
You also have a Dairy Queen and Whataburger on the main drag if you need something quick for the kids
Louie’s and amberjacks for live music
You can buy fresh seafood around the docks, but not sure there’s an actual market. You can get local caught shrimp/fish at the HEB in PI
Check if there are any shows in McAllen which is about an hour away.
LINK
Here’s my post from an older thread which i’ll link at the bottom. I grew up down there and spent a ton of time at SPI. It’s grown a lot from a business standpoint.
The sea turtle place is really cool. If you like catching trout and reds, hire a guide to take you out in the bay. Incredible fishing. The dolphin watch is fun too.
Tom and Jerry’s
Blackbeard’s
Marcello’s (in PI)
D’Pizza Joint
Padre Island Brewing
Dirty Al’s
Liam’s
Sea Ranch
Pirate’s Landing right before the causeway (kids can take a pic with the pirate)
You also have a Dairy Queen and Whataburger on the main drag if you need something quick for the kids
Louie’s and amberjacks for live music
You can buy fresh seafood around the docks, but not sure there’s an actual market. You can get local caught shrimp/fish at the HEB in PI
Check if there are any shows in McAllen which is about an hour away.
LINK
Posted on 4/25/24 at 12:57 pm to S
PI= Port Isabel and if you want to do Mexico, Progresso is definitely the best point of entry. If you’re flying Harlingen will probably have the cheapest flights.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 1:14 pm to S
We went to SPI a bunch back in the day. Never had to get out of your tube at Schlitterbahn 
Posted on 4/25/24 at 3:30 pm to The Boat
quote:
Schlitterbahn
In the same manner of the Grand Casino Avoyelles, it’ll always be Jeremiah’s to me
Posted on 4/25/24 at 3:36 pm to S
I've been thinking about going down there to catch a SpaceX launch. I haven't been farther south than Corpus since moving over here.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 3:52 pm to The Boat
Damn baw i didn’t know you were in textastiger08 country
Posted on 4/25/24 at 5:47 pm to MaxXL
It’s been 16 years, but we stayed at the Holiday Inn near Schlitterbahn. It was fine for us (we weren’t that rich) and the kids were little, so they didn’t care or know any better.
We went to a turtle release, we visited the light house, one day we did Schlitterbahn, it was a fun four days.
Funny story, the first night, our room wasn’t ready when we checked in. They apologized, said they’d get on it, and we went out to eat, came back, and it still hadn’t been cleaned. It’s about 9 o’clock by now. The manager and a maid cleaned it, and they completely comped that first night. Well, it had a bar next to the pool, and you could charge stuff to your room. We used up every bit of that $179 plus about 50 more at the bar over the next three days.
We had a good time there.
We went to a turtle release, we visited the light house, one day we did Schlitterbahn, it was a fun four days.
Funny story, the first night, our room wasn’t ready when we checked in. They apologized, said they’d get on it, and we went out to eat, came back, and it still hadn’t been cleaned. It’s about 9 o’clock by now. The manager and a maid cleaned it, and they completely comped that first night. Well, it had a bar next to the pool, and you could charge stuff to your room. We used up every bit of that $179 plus about 50 more at the bar over the next three days.
We had a good time there.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 6:15 pm to alajones
Can’t believe i forgot the lighthouse
Laguna atascosa wildlife refuge is another nice activity
Maybe see if anything’s happening at the convention center
Laguna atascosa wildlife refuge is another nice activity
Maybe see if anything’s happening at the convention center
Posted on 4/26/24 at 7:21 am to S
Go to one of the seafood markets in Port Isabel and get them to make some Mexican shrimp cocktail for you. Tell them make it hot. A quart of that, some saltine crackers, and some ice cold Mexican beer is good living.
Sit at the Wanna Wanna bar, get some fried shrimp, and people watch.
Sit at the Wanna Wanna bar, get some fried shrimp, and people watch.
This post was edited on 4/26/24 at 7:26 am
Posted on 4/26/24 at 10:22 am to Mr Sausage
quote:
Sit at the Wanna Wanna bar, get some fried shrimp, and people watch.
this right here. Wanna Wanna is the best on beach bar on the island. Grab a Turbo Colada and some fried shrimp, fish, or oyster basket and watch the show.
went there once with some guys early on Sunday of The Masters - just to have a few before we went back to the beach house to watch the entire Sunday final. Never left until we got kicked out. Saw Speith hit it into the water on 12 - I think. We were a mess.
This post was edited on 4/26/24 at 10:23 am
Posted on 4/26/24 at 10:50 am to MaxXL
What are the best condo or resorts here?
Posted on 4/26/24 at 10:56 am to MaxXL
Two questions
Any particular hotel/resort/condo you guys can suggest
You can just drive into Mexico, hang out and drive back?
Thanks in advance
Any particular hotel/resort/condo you guys can suggest
You can just drive into Mexico, hang out and drive back?
Thanks in advance
Posted on 4/26/24 at 12:00 pm to MaxXL
We stayed at the Marriot. Recently built with very nice rooms. They have a Bar Louis inside and an adjoining outside bar right next to the pool and beach. Very nice set up. Next door is Clayton's Beach Bar. Massive bar with live music every night.
Posted on 4/26/24 at 12:01 pm to MaxXL
quote:
Any particular hotel/resort/condo you guys can suggest
Holiday inn, hilton, bahia mar, radisson, sangria, sunchase. Check out rental properties as well
quote:
You can just drive into Mexico, hang out and drive back?
If you wanna do this, Progresso is the best place tho I’d still probably park and walk across
This post was edited on 4/26/24 at 12:01 pm
Posted on 4/28/24 at 7:12 am to S
Brother S hit on a lot of good spots 
My in laws have a beach house in SPI so I can’t weigh-in much on hotels/resorts. There are also a ton of vacation rentals in houses or condos near or on the beach.
You gotta get breakfast tacos as well—don’t go to Denny’s. The best are at a cash only hole in the wall called Isabel’s Cafe in PI. On the island, I would go with Dona Carmen over El Chilango, but El Chilango is closer to hotels/resorts.
Also, check the schedules for fireworks on the bay near Louies. You don’t have to eat there, the city setup a nice grassy area nearby to watch the sunset and fireworks. Clayton’s down at the end of the island also does fireworks. If you grab a drink, you can go out on the pier.
If you go the condo route, definitely hit up HEB in Port Isabel on the way in because groceries on the island are expensive. Tortuga (i think that’s the name) in PI is a good fish market.
F&B is probably the fanciest and best food on the island, but there is no view and it’s a stale atmosphere. Nautico Grill is a good new spot near a lot of the action, but same with F&B on stale food/atmosphere. Yummies down by a lot of the hotels is really popular as well, but it’s more of an old person and basic white woman spot.
Cafe on the Beach is one of our favorite spots. It’s in a quaint little hotel on the beach and a cool vibe.
My in laws have a beach house in SPI so I can’t weigh-in much on hotels/resorts. There are also a ton of vacation rentals in houses or condos near or on the beach.
You gotta get breakfast tacos as well—don’t go to Denny’s. The best are at a cash only hole in the wall called Isabel’s Cafe in PI. On the island, I would go with Dona Carmen over El Chilango, but El Chilango is closer to hotels/resorts.
Also, check the schedules for fireworks on the bay near Louies. You don’t have to eat there, the city setup a nice grassy area nearby to watch the sunset and fireworks. Clayton’s down at the end of the island also does fireworks. If you grab a drink, you can go out on the pier.
If you go the condo route, definitely hit up HEB in Port Isabel on the way in because groceries on the island are expensive. Tortuga (i think that’s the name) in PI is a good fish market.
F&B is probably the fanciest and best food on the island, but there is no view and it’s a stale atmosphere. Nautico Grill is a good new spot near a lot of the action, but same with F&B on stale food/atmosphere. Yummies down by a lot of the hotels is really popular as well, but it’s more of an old person and basic white woman spot.
Cafe on the Beach is one of our favorite spots. It’s in a quaint little hotel on the beach and a cool vibe.
This post was edited on 4/28/24 at 7:13 am
Posted on 5/1/24 at 9:51 am to TheChosenOne
quote:
The best are at a cash only hole in the wall called Isabel’s Cafe in PI.
I wanna say they do fireworks every Friday night in July and August around 9pm. The bayside hangouts like Louie’s are a good place to watch.
Posted on 5/2/24 at 8:37 am to MaxXL
It may not be as nice as AL beaches or the FL panhandle, but it’s still several leagues above Galveston and Biloxi.
This post was edited on 5/2/24 at 8:39 am
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