Imagine a beautiful tropical Island with miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. It lies in the sun beside the sparkling Gulf of Mexico. It is a place where sparkling beaches, warm water, friendly hospitality and relaxing activities come together. It's not your imagination, it's the ideal vacation paradise, it's South Padre Island.  

Welcome to South Padre Island, the Tropical Tip of Texas! Enjoy our free Real live web cam views of our beautiful beaches with South Padre's only real live Beach Cam you can control,Watch the sunset over the Laguna Madre with the only real live South Padre Bay Cam that you can control, and view our new South Padre Island and port isabel live streaming web cams! Check live South Padre weather conditions and forecasts, pictures, videos, Book your South Padre hotels, condos, and vacation rentals, check out South Padre real estate listings, golf, watersports and activities, dolphin watch, diving, snorkeling, parasailing, horseback rides, restaurants, RV parks, or charter a fishing trip. Plan your entire family vacation, South Padre Island beach wedding, or Spring Break to South Padre Island  - Home of The only real live streaming cams with the controls for you the viewer

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Where is South Padre

 

Padre or South Padre

 


 

 

Our address is www.southpadrelive.com and the reason it is about padre because this site takes in advertisers from the southern most point of Texas.

We want you to know that there is a MAJOR difference from Padre Island to South Padre Island.  The difference is approximately 160 miles.  Padre Island used to be 150 miles long many decades ago.  It stretched from Corpus Christi, TX.  south to Port Isabel, TX.  Approximately 4 or 5 decades ago a ship channel was cut through the barrier reef island approximately 36 miles north from the south tip of the island.  This cut is now called Port Mansfield, TX.  This allowed ship access to the inter-coastal waters.  There was NOT a bridge constructed over this channel.  The isolated south tip of Padre Island was now renamed “SOUTH PADRE ISLAND.”  Padre Island was reduced in length to approximately 120 miles long.

The reason I am attempting to explain this is due to conversing with folks.  They would say where do you live?  I would say South Padre Island.  They would say I love that place we ate here and we stayed there, etc.  I would look at them oddly because the places they mentioned I had not heard of.  I would then say you were at Corpus Christ, TX. right?  They would say Right!  I would then explain to them that they were NOT on South Padre Island.  You were on Padre Island!  South Padre Island is 160 miles south about 24 miles from the Mexican border at Port Isabel, TX.  They would look at me with eyes full of enlightenment and say Ohhhh! 

This has been a point of confusion to many vacationers.  People have made reservations on planned vacations on Padre Island thinking they were going to South Padre Island.  If they would have only looked at a map and followed Padre Island down to the south they would have plainly seen South Padre Island.

So don’t be confused.  Look at a map and get your facts straight.  Don’t say, don’t confuse me with the facts!  Have the facts!  I hope this clears up the distance between the two Islands.  They are most definitely two separate places many miles apart.  That is about a 2 ½ hour drive . 
 

Another good point of checking is if you fly into Corpus Christi, TX airport you are arriving to vacation at Padre Island.  However, if you fly into McAllen, Harlingen or Brownsville, TX than you are vacationing on South Padre Island.  This depends on what airline you fly.  Mc Allen which is the furthest from South Padre Island has about 7 airlines servicing that point.  Harlingen which is the next closest airport to South Padre Island is serviced by Southwest and Continental Airlines.  The Brownsville International airport which is the closest airport to South Padre Island is serviced by Continental airlines only.

It’s easy to remember that Padre Island is located at Corpus Christi, TX.  South Padre Island is located across the bridge from Port Isabel, TX.  Always check your map! 
Tours of South Padre Island, Texas: Explore breathtaking beauty with a South Padre Island, Texas vacation package. In the spring and fall, wildlife enthusiasts flock to South Padre Island in search of rare migratory birds and the other fauna native to the island. Tours can be arranged locally on South Padre Island through companies such as Nature Adventure Tours. Unique horseback riding tours of South Padre Island and the Gulf Coast can be scheduled locally through the Island Equestrian Center. Experience scenic beauty with a South Padre Island, Texas vacation package from Southwest Airlines Vacations!

   

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