![]() ![]() The beach shelves quite gently and so is good for paddling though the waves can become quite high in windy conditions. Sea temperatures in summer are in the 80s and the water is clean the only hazards are the stinging Portuguese men-o-war jellyfish that are sometimes encountered. The weather is warm all year and onshore breezes moderate temperatures in summer - usual highs then are around 90☏ compared with often over 100 inland, and also tend to keep clouds away - see weather and climate summary. ![]() Most people visit the beach on day trips, for typical activities of sunbathing, swimming, windsurfing and fishing. ![]() The endangered sea turtle may also occasionally be spotted, and during the egg-laying season park rangers patrol the beaches looking for any signs of activity. Diamondback rattlesnakes, coyotes, deer and rabbits live in the dunes, while ghost crabs inhabit the area just above the high tide mark, and are responsible for the many small holes in the dry sand that mysteriously stay unblocked, even when sand is blown about by the strong sea breezes that affect the island during most summer afternoons. Most common are laughing gulls, sandpipers, geese and herons but over 300 other species are recorded. Padre Island has particularly varied bird life. It is shorter and narrower, but the far southern end is a bustling center for recreation and leisure, with many hotels and bars, famous amongst other reasons for being a major spring break destination. South Padre Island (not part of the national seashore) is rather different in character. Along the main road is a large visitor center complex, with a developed campground, a 0.7 mile nature trail and a nearby boat launch ramp (on the west side of the island). The road starts off as I-358 through Corpus Christi, becomes P22 across the John F Kennedy Causeway onto the island, through North Padre Island village - a few miles of typical beachfront town with holiday homes, hotels and sea-related businesses, then past several miles of empty dunes across the NPS boundary, finally ending directly on the beach a few miles later (see map). The north is the main island this is the area protected as a National Seashore and it is more easily reached - the first 10 miles by a paved road or a hard pressed track on the beach, the remainder by 4WD vehicle only. ![]() If you are looking for information about a visit to the resort community of South Padre Island, visit the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau site.Beyond is quite empty and often inaccessible due to shifting sand and occasional submerging of narrow sections. The park is located at the end of Park Road 22, at the northern end of Padre Island in Corpus Christi, Texas. This website and information contained within is about Padre Island National Seashore, the national park. The only way to drive from Padre Island to South Padre Island is by driving inland to Corpus Christi, down Highway 77, and back out to the south end of the island - a driving trip of 3-4 hours. An artificial waterway, Mansfield Channel, cuts through Padre Island at the southern end of the national park. It is not possible to drive from the park, located on Padre Island, directly south to South Padre Island. The two popular destinations are now at opposite ends of the once long, continuous barrier island named Padre Island and are about 100 miles apart. The city is located on South Padre Island near the city of Brownsville, Texas. The City of South Padre Island is a resort community with numerous hotels, clubs, and souvenir shops. The national seashore is located on Padre Island near the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. Padre Island National Seashore is a national park that includes about 66 miles of undeveloped beaches and natural habitat. Split by an artificial waterway the once continuous island in now broken in two, Padre Island (sometimes just referred to as North Padre Island), and South Padre Island. Padre Island was once one island -today it is two. A drive from Padre Island National Seashore to South Padre Island will take approximately 3.5 hours. ![]()
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