( Music controls located top right
corner )
Isla Tours offers our
guests the ultimate adventure for the entire family. Activities
include Dolphin Watch; Sunset Dolphin Watch Cruises; Snorkeling,
Friday Night Fireworks Cruises; Private Party Cruises; Kayaks; Bay and
Deep Sea Fishing; Parasailing; and Jetskis.
DOLPHIN WATCH: Enjoy
two hour cruises along the beautiful Laguna Madre and view Bottlenose
Dolphins in their natural habitat. Not only will you see dolphins- you
can watch native birds, Boca Chica Beach, Dolphin's Cove, the Old Queen
Isabella Causeway, and more!!!!
SUNSET DOLPHIN WATCH:
After watching dolphins in the bay, you can take in a gorgeous sunset as
you cruise back into port.
FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORK
CRUISES: This is a cruise you don't want to miss... it's the ultimate
adventure!!! Watch the dolphins and take in the sunset... then we turn
the disco lights on and turn the music up. Then we watch the fireworks
right on the bay!!! Fun for all ages!!!
SNORKELING: Swim the
crystal clear waters of the Laguna Madre- where you are sure to see
abundant marine life!!! Everything from different species of fish,
Starfish, Crabs, Spanish Dancers, Rays, and more!! We provide the masks
and fins for you.
PRIVATE PARTY
CRUISES: All of our vessels are available for private cruises.
Whether it's a relaxing and intimate sunset cruise on the Bigg Cans or a
wild party on So. Padre Island's ONLY party boat... the Murphy's Law-
it's sure to the party of the year!! Perfect for weddings, birthdays,
company parties, and more.....
KAYAKS: Single and
triple Seater kayaks are available for hour and half day rates.
DEEP SEA FISHING: Full
day and half day deep sea fishing charters available. We are the RED
SNAPPER Specialists!!! You'll have a blast and fish your limit with our
experienced and friendly crew aboard the totally rebuilt
Thunderbird.... We also catch Grouper, Shark, LIng, Kingfish, and
Amberjack.
BAY FISHING: Fish the
bay in style aboard the newly remodeled Hard Bottom Too. Catch whiting,
sand trout, kingfish, and more..... Our crew makes your fishing
adventure fun and entertaining for the whole family.
PORT OF BROWNSVILLE
TOURS: Cruise up to the Brownsville Ship Channel and view vessels and
barges as they are being dismantled, cargo being loaded and unloaded,
and ships coming into and out of port from all over the world. We offer
these tours during the fall and winter. So please call for more
information.
We offer Information for South Padre Island Activities.
parasailing, dolphin watch, surfing lessons, banana boats, sailing,
horseback riding, diving, fishing, sunset cruise, boating, windsurfing,
Kiteboarding, jet ski, wave runners, fireworks, eco tour, bungee jump, go
carts, snorkeling, Real live Bay, Beach and Surf cams and much more...
Isla Tours offers Dolphin Watch Nature tour boat trips into the waters
surrounding South Padre.
We offer a slow safe comfortable trip around the Laguna Madre Bay and
Dolphin Cove Area. If you are
looking for an excellent family adventure with Whooping Cranes, Dolphins or fishing in the
bay with friends, we can accommodate all your needs.
One of the most uniquely fun activities on South
Padre Island is our dolphin watch tour.
South Padre Texas is a year-round home to several large pods of dolphin
and Isla Tours Dolphin Watch is your ticket to viewing them in their
entire natural splendor. One of the most memorable activities you will
take part in while visiting South Padre is a cruise with Captain Murphy.
Share the thrill of meeting our Laguna Madre friendly dolphins in the wild
and experience the unique sort of bond and kinship they inspire in all of
us.
South Padre was recently named by the Travel Channel
as the one of the best beaches in the country, South Padre Island offers
endless expanses of beautiful sand, warm Gulf waters, bird watching, deep-sea
fishing, and a wide variety of recreational activities. So whether you prefer to
jump in the water and bodysurf, lounge in a beach chair and watch the surf, or
stay in a luxury hotel and channel surf, South Padre Island is your ideal
destination!
While the island itself is a 34-mile-long barrier reef,
only a 5-mile stretch is developed as the official "Town of South Padre Island."
The other 29 miles are unspoiled coastal wilderness, full of windswept dunes,
indigenous sea grasses, and native wildlife.
Only half a mile wide at its widest point,
South Padre Island offers visitors easy access to either the warm,
wave-free waters of the Laguna Madre Bay to the west or the ocean surf of the
Gulf of Mexico to the east. Accommodations are even categorized as bay side,
Gulf side, or inner island to help you find your perfect vacation spot. Once you
do, get ready to have some fun!
At the Beach
South Padre Island Beach
We'll begin with the most obvious attraction at South Padre Island-the wide,
clean, soft-sand beach. Unlike some other beaches in Texas, South Padre does not
allow vehicles on the beach. That's a plus not only for aesthetics but for the
environment and overall safety as well. It also means, however, that you should
be prepared to pack a big beach bag!
If you're staying at a Gulf-side hotel
condo, or resort, it's just a short walk out to find your preferred spot of
sand. There are no private beach areas, so take your pick. To get there from
anywhere else, drive along Gulf Boulevard and look for the "Beach Access" signs.
There you'll find free public parking and convenient wooden bridges leading you
directly onto the beach.
The island has two public parks
Isla Blanca Park, at the southern end, offers RV camping sites, picnic
areas, showers, rest rooms, and a snack bar. Andy Bowie Park, just four miles
north of the causeway, offers picnic pavilions and a children's playground. Both
parks charge a small day-use fee, but for some families the conveniences that
the parks offer will be well worth it.
Beach photos on south padre island Texas
Chairs and umbrellas are a good idea, especially if you plan to spend an
entire day in the sun. Both are available for rent from concessions on the
beach, several of which are run by the beachfront hotels. Besides a chair and an
umbrella, you'll want to bring towels, sunscreen, hats, and some snacks and
refreshments. Glass containers are not allowed on the beach, and all trash must
be taken with you when you leave or deposited in the trash bins provided.
As the sand can get toasty
during those long, sunny days, beach shoes or sandals
are a good idea as well-especially if you plan to do any beachcombing! The tides
at South Padre Island bring a fresh batch of seashells up onto the sand each
night, so every day can bring new discoveries. kids on south padre
For those who prefer to make a beeline for the water, the Gulf of Mexico is
ready and waiting. With water temperatures that range between 65 in the winter
and 85 in the summer, South Padre offers a refreshing dip anytime.
The waves along the beach are a big draw for surfers
Those using a surfboard tend to prefer the waves at the north jetties, near
Isla Blanca Park. Boogie boards are popular in the shallower waters close to
shore, and bodysurfers can find good wave action almost anywhere.
Another favorite on-the-beach pastime is building sand castles
You can create your own or take a lesson from a member of the island's own
team of professional sand sculptors, the "Sons of the Beach Sand Castle
Wizards." Team founders Amazing' Walter & sandy feet have built sand sculptures
all over the world and have taught literally thousands of people how to have
more sand castling fun on the beach. To learn more about sand castle-building
lessons, visit www.sonsofthebeach.com .
If you can't get enough of that salt-kissed wind in your hair,
you might want to
try horseback riding on the beach. An equestrian center at the north end of town
offers horses for beginners and experienced riders alike. No trail rides or
predetermined routes here-just point your horse toward the beach and "giddyup."
On the
Laguna Madre bay
The Gulf waters are not the only venue for water sports
enthusiasts visiting South Padre Island. The Laguna Madre Bay, between the
island and the Texas mainland, offers a variety of ways for visitors to enjoy
the water without the big waves.
Perhaps two of the fastest-growing sports at South Padre Island over the past
several years are windsurfing and Kiteboarding, and both owe their popularity to
the windswept waters of the Laguna Madre.
Windsurfers head for South Padre
to sail the bay because it ranges in depth from
three to five feet, and wind speeds average about 18 miles per hour. Some of the
more experienced windsurfers also test their skills at other South Padre
locations, including the Jetties, Boca Chica, and the Ditch, site of some of the
fastest windsurfing speeds achieved in North America.
Kiteboarding
is a relatively new water sport in the States, and the Laguna Madre
Bay at South Padre Island is widely recognized as one of the best spots in the
country to learn and hone your skills. Imagine standing on a surfboard and being
dragged across the water by a big parachute, and you've got the general idea.
More-experienced boarders perform jumps, flips, and aerial tricks, making
Kiteboarding as much fun for the observer as for the participant.
Those who want their entertainment to be somewhat less athletic need only check
out the many boat charters available on the bay side. Guided boat tours leave
the bay several times a day for dolphin watches, sunset cruises,
glass-bottom-boat and marine ecology tours, and deep-sea fishing trips.
And Speaking of Fishing . . .
South Padre Island
was recently named a Top 20 fishing destination by Field and
Stream magazine! Whether you prefer to cast your line from a boat, a pier, or
standing out in the surf, you'll see why the island is a favorite with Texas
fishing enthusiasts.
In Laguna Madre Bay
speckled trout, redfish, and flounder are daily catches. A
deep-sea charter trip takes you out into the Gulf, where expert guides can help
you tackle an 800-pound marlin or a record-setting Wahoo.
Discovering Coastal Wildlife
When the sun and the surf get to be a little too intense, South Padre Island
offers an escape into the quiet sand dunes, marshes, and wetlands of the Laguna
Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
A federal reserve for birds and other area wildlife, the refuge encompasses
45,000 acres that are a one-of-a-kind blend of temperate, subtropical, coastal,
and desert habitats. It's a unique combination that attracts a unique array of
wildlife and makes the Laguna Atascosa famous around the world for its bird
watching opportunities.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the best viewing times are
early mornings and late afternoons or cool, overcast days. The observant visitor
can expect to see quite a show. Ocelots, Texas tortoises, green jays, and
javelinas prefer the dense, thorny brush land areas of the refuge, while
alligators and black-bellied whistling ducks choose the ponds and Resaca's.
Desert dwellers like roadrunners and cactus wrens inhabit the scrub areas, while
species like roseate spoonbills, egrets, and herons join black-necked stilts,
American avocets, and piping plovers at the shore of Laguna Madre Bay.
Another opportunity to walk among the wildlife
can be found at the Laguna Madre
Nature Trail. This 1,500-foot boardwalk overlooks four acres of natural
wetlands. Although these lands look much different today than they did when
Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Piñeda arrived in 1519, visitors can study
the dune systems and wildlife habitats and imagine the abundant wildlife that
inhabited the area back then.
If you'd like to help
preserve one of the area's currently endangered species,
visit Sea Turtle, Inc. Once the lifework of Ila Loetscher, better known on the
island as the "Turtle Lady," Sea Turtle, Inc., continues Ila's work, devoting
its resources to aid in the protection of the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle and other
marine turtle species. Kids will enjoy the daily "Meet the Turtles" program,
when a volunteer tells visitors about different species of sea turtles and
introduces two or three of the facility's residents for an up-close-and-personal
look at this fascinating animal.
When the Sun Goes Down
Dining and entertainment
options abound on the island. Many restaurants feature
outdoor seating and live music, and some go so far as to offer volleyball
courts, swimming pools, and bungee jumping!
The large number of hotels and resorts
on South Padre means that there's always
a wide choice of activities, events, shows, and celebrations planned
specifically for family entertainment. Check in with the concierge at your hotel
or look through one of the island's daily or weekly publications for current
listings.
There is a movie theater
on the island, featuring first-run films, and
many of the shopping centers are open after dark for those late-night souvenir
hunts.
Other Area Highlights
If the sunburns get a little too bright, or you're just looking for an afternoon
excursion, pack the kids into the Suburban for a short drive to some of South
Padre Island's neighboring attractions.
The fishing town of Port Isabel
is just across the Queen Isabella Causeway and
features shopping, dining, and local crafts stores. To get a good overview of
the coastal area, visit the recently renovated Port Isabel Lighthouse. Built in
1853, the lighthouse guided many a fishing boat back to port. Now it affords
visitors panoramic views of the coastline, the island, and the Gulf of Mexico.
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