Getting to South Padre Island, Texas

Lets get a little familiar with where exactly South Padre Island is located. The town of SPI is located in South Texas right on the border with Mexico and parallel to the Florida Keys. Since the area is in a tropical zone, the weather is generally warm and in the 80s most of the year, however, there are times when it may get cold due to a freak Northerner during the Winter, but those times are rare. Be sure to pack some warm clothing just in case.

Flying There

SPI does not have its own airport, but there are two major local airports that service the region. The closest one is Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport in Brownsville which is about 25 miles south of SPI. Valley International Airport in Harlingen is the second airport in the region and is about 40 miles west of SPI, and generally, this is the more popular airport for island visitors because they usually offer better deals and have more flight choices throughout the country (they even have Starbucks coffee!). For those of you who have a private plane or can bum rides, you can get even closer to SPI by flying into the Cameron County airport (KPIL) which is located in the town of Port Isabel, about 12 miles west of SPI. Here, it's a bit isolated and the airport is situated in the middle of a wildlife refuge. Call ahead and make sure that there is a car available for rent.

Only the Valley International and Brownsville airports offer ground transportation through rental cars, shuttle services and taxis. It is expensive to take a taxi from Harlingen or Brownsville airport to SPI and the cost will generally run you about $70 one-way, so my advice is to just rent a car, especially if you plan to check out the island’s surrounding areas.

Check out South Padre Island Flight Fares Here!

Driving There

Don’t want to fly? The highways running into the SPI region are some of the best in the state and generally see light traffic year round with average speed limits of 70mph. SPI is accessible via US Highway 77 to Park Road 100. It is a very easy drive and the land is relatively flat, but there is one warning: You will be driving through one of the largest ranches in the world, known as the “King Ranch” which spans for some 50+ miles, so be sure that you have at least half a tank of gas! There are no gas stations in the King Ranch region! There will be signs on the road telling you “last service station for 50 miles”, etc. Also, watch out for wild animals such as Javelinas (wild pigs), turkeys and stray cattle as they sometimes jump the ranch fences and cross the highway. Once you cross into the Rio Grande Valley and pass through the town of Harlingen, you'll start seeing South Padre Island billboards and exit signs, so it's not that difficult to find your way.

Note: While South Padre Island is part of the longest island beach in North America, its resort town is spread out only about 3-4 miles, with most of the hotels and condos within a 1-2 mile radius from each other. Most people just walk from one place to the next. However, there’s a free shuttle called “The Wave” that goes around town every couple of minutes.

Page TWO : Where to Stay