South Padre Island, Texas

South Padre Island is a resort town in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,066 at the 2020 census. The town is located on South Padre Island, a barrier island with the Laguna Madre situated to the leeward of the island and the Gulf of Mexico on the windward flank, along the Texas Gulf Coast. South Padre Island is accessible via the Queen Isabella Causeway from the town of Port Isabel. South Padre Island is named after José Nicolás Ballí (Padre Ballí), a Catholic priest and settler.

The island is only accessible via the Queen Isabella Causeway and has become a popular tourist destination for both the spring, summer and for winter Texans. It features many activities such as fishing, snorkeling, parasailing, surfing and horse back riding. SpaceX Starships are launched from the SpaceX Starbase facility and can be observed across the Brazos Santiago Pass in Boca Chica, TX.

Storms

 * In September 1967, Hurricane Beulah caused extensive damage to much of the town of South Padre Island.
 * On July 23, 2008, Hurricane Dolly made landfall on the island as a category 1 storm, also causing extensive damage to the town. The Bahia Mar Condominium had extensive damage and had to be gutted due to the damage.
 * In September 2008 Hurricane Ike caused moderate damage to the island.
 * In July 2010, the island received heavy rains from Hurricane Alex, but the storm left the island generally unscathed.
 * On June 19, 2024, Tropical storm Alberto caused moderate damage and brought heavy rains and winds to the island.

Tourism
Subsequent to rebuilding from Hurricane Beulah, the island became a popular spring break destination for college students and a resort destination for families. Many multistory resort hotels and condominiums have been erected along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. The Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark, the second of its kind in Texas, opened in South Padre Island in 2001.

South Padre Island is renowned for its diverse range of tourism activities, making it a popular destination for visitors. Key attractions include:

Beaches: South Padre Island boasts beautiful sandy beaches that are ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing. Regarding Isla Blanca Park in SPI, USA Today ranks Isla Blanca Park in South Padre Island as the #1 beach destination in Texas.

Water Sports: The island offers a variety of water sports, including kiteboarding, windsurfing, and jet skiing.

Surfing: The continental shelf drops steeply offshore of South Padre Island, creating the kind of waves not typically seen in the shallow Gulf.

Fishing: South Padre Island is a prime location for both deep-sea and bay fishing, attracting fishing enthusiasts from around the world.

Bird Watching: The island is home to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, where visitors can observe a wide array of bird species in their natural habitat.

Eco-Tours: Eco-tourism is popular on the island, with activities such as dolphin watching tours, sea turtle excursions, and nature walks.

Amusement Parks: Attractions like Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark provide family-friendly entertainment and fun water rides.

Nightlife: South Padre Island has a vibrant nightlife scene, with numerous bars, restaurants, and live music venues.

Port of Brownsville
The Port of Brownsville plays a significant role in the economy and industry of South Padre Island. As one of the largest ports in Texas, the Port of Brownsville facilitates substantial maritime traffic through the channel south of the island, contributing to local economic growth and providing numerous employment opportunities. The port handles a diverse range of cargo, including petroleum, agricultural products, and manufactured goods, which are essential to the region's trade activities.

The economic impact of the port extends to various sectors, including shipping, logistics, and transportation, creating a robust industrial network that supports the local community. Infrastructure projects associated with the port, such as channel deepening and dock expansions, further enhance its capacity and efficiency, leading to increased economic activity in the area.

Environmental considerations are also a crucial aspect of the port's operations. Efforts are made to mitigate the impact of maritime activities on the surrounding ecosystem, ensuring the protection of local wildlife and marine habitats. These measures include pollution control initiatives, habitat restoration projects, and adherence to environmental regulations.

Additionally, the port's presence influences the tourism and recreational activities on South Padre Island. While the industrial operations are concentrated in specific areas, the overall economic benefits from the port contribute to the island's development, enhancing the quality of life for residents and attracting visitors.

Recreation
The year-round warm tropical weather attracts tourists allowing them to experience the 34 miles of beach, over 300 days of sunshine, and all forms of entertainment from water sports to live music. With personal water craft rental, parasailing and dolphin watches being the most popular. Other favorites are horseback riding adventures on the beach, visiting the Sea Turtle sanctuary, the Birding Center and other ecological tours that explore the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico.

Fishing is also popular. Every summer, the Texas International Fishing Tournament is held the first weekend of August, with winnings totaling almost a quarter million dollars. Other fishing tournaments include the Ladies Kingfish Tournament, the Ron Hoover Tournament, just to name a few.

In March, the island is a popular spring break destination for college students. The rest of the year it is a popular family resort destination, with July being the most crowded.

In January 2011, the island hosted the NBA Development League Showcase at the South Padre Island Convention Centre. and is designated as the "Official Island Escape" for the NBA team the San Antonio Spurs

Rocket launches at the nearby SpaceX South Texas launch site at Boca Chica have attracted thousands of tourists.

Geography
The town of South Padre Island is located at the southern end of South Padre Island, with the town limits extending from the northern edge of Isla Blanca Park in the south to the end of development north of Wharf Street in the north, a distance of 6 mi. The Queen Isabella Causeway is the only road access to the mainland; it leads 2.5 mi across Laguna Madre to the city of Port Isabel. Brownsville is 25 mi southwest of South Padre Island.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.0 km2, of which 5.5 km2 is land and 0.5 km2, or 8.44%, is water.

Climate
South Padre Island experiences a warm humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), transitioning into a hot semi-arid climate (BSh). The average high in January is 68 °F and the average low is 52 °F. The average high in July is 90 °F, and the average low is 77 °F. The warm season is long, as average high temperatures are 80 - 89 F, and average low temperatures typically around 77 °F. The region experiences relatively high dew point values, around 75 °F in the summer time, resulting in higher relative humidity values from June through September. Rainfall tends to be the highest during the summer and autumn months, usually ranging from 2 to 6 inches of rain each month. September has the highest rainfall, averaging 6.3 inches, followed by October, which averages 4 inches of rain. Due to the island being next to the ocean, temperatures above 100 °F are not common. South Padre Island went down to at least 25 F during the 2021 Texas freeze.

Due to the fact that South Padre Island is surrounded by water, precipitation is a little higher than cities farther inland in the Rio Grande Valley. In March, the island is a popular resort area to many tourists. Tens of thousands of tourists come to the island to enjoy the warm temperatures South Padre Island offers. The island even ranked #1 in Best Spring Break Destinations by U.S. News & World Report

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,066 people, 1,477 households, and 892 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,422 people, 1,222 households, and 662 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,335.9 PD/sqmi. There were 4,685 housing units at an average density of 2,584.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.59% White, 0.70% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.77% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 22.83% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,211 households, out of which 15.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.54.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 12.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 34.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,417, and the median income for a family was $53,250. Males had a median income of $39,250 versus $30,028 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,708. About 10.2% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Children living in South Padre Island are zoned to schools in Point Isabel Independent School District. Children go to Garriga Elementary School (prek-5th), Port Isabel Junior High School (6–8), and Port Isabel High School (9–12). All of the schools are in Port Isabel.

In addition, South Padre Island residents may apply to schools in the South Texas Independent School District.

All of Cameron County is in the service area of Texas Southmost College.

Government
The United States Postal Service operates the South Padre Island Post Office.

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island is a United States Coast Guard search and rescue station on South Padre Island.

Transportation
Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport in Brownsville and Valley International Airport in Harlingen serve the island.

A new, second causeway to South Padre Island has been designated as Texas State Highway 104, it will be situated 3 to 4 miles north of the existing Queen Isabella Causeway, just north of the South Padre Island Convention Center and approximately 3 to 4 miles north of State Highway 100.

In popular culture
South Padre Island is the main setting of Season 4 Episode 20 "Conflicted" of Criminal Minds.