72-par championship course and provides a beautiful lateral view of the Island, and is decidedly different with rolling green hills and “wildlife corridors” of native brush. For more information call 956.943.5678 or go to www.spi golf.com Isla Blanca Park Located on the southernmost tip of South Padre Island, Isla Blanca Park is the crown jewel of the Parks system. Over one mile of pristine beach along the Gulf of Mexico that offers an abundance of beachfront recreational facilities. Major renovations in 2018 and 2019 included the addition of an event center and an amphitheater, new pavilions with concession areas, beachfront boardwalks, beachfront parking, walking trails and dune walkovers. Visitors can also enjoy fishing on the south jetty, restaurants, retails shops, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley marine exhibits, and the Beach Park at Isla Blanca. There is a full-service marina with a public boat ramp, daily fishing charters, dolphin watch cruises and watersport activities (snorkeling, diving, jet skis, parasailing, etc.). With close to 600 R.V. sites, Isla Blanca is not only one of the biggest parks in Texas, it is also the best. If you do not have an RV you can still enjoy an overnight stay at the park in one of eight cabanas. Each cabana sleeps 4 and has air conditioning, a shower and bunk beds. For more information call 956.761.5494. Land, Sky and Water Adventures South Padre Island is where dreams come true for those that love land, sky and water adventures. There are several places on the Island to rent just about anything you can think of that will let you propel through the water, swim with the fish or soar with the birds. Waverunners, stand up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes and banana boats, just to name a few, can be rented for as little as one-half hour to whatever your heart desires. Kiteboarding and windsurfing are also popular water sports and the shallow water of the Laguna Madre and the brisk winds provide the perfect playground for these activities. There is also a wide array of opportunities to tour the Island
by land and water. From amphibious vehicles to catamarans and horseback riding — we have it all! Pick your favorites and make a day of it! There is nothing more breathtaking than the view of the Island from the sky, so for the more adventuresome don’t forget to try your hand at parasailing, or ziplining. Our birds are friendly and enjoy the company. Swimming with the fish on a half-day or full-day snorkel trip is another experience that should be had by all. Another favorite water adventure and big treat for the nature enthusiast is the dolphin. South Padre Island has its very own families of Bottlenose dolphins that live in the rich waters of the Laguna Madre bay and can be seen near shore playing and frolicking in the waves. Our dolphins are wild and free, can be seen year round, and live their entire lives here raising their babies and feeding on the rich food sources the surrounding waters of the Island have to offer. Please remember it is against the law to swim with, feed or touch wild dolphins. There are numerous dolphin watch boats that provide tours of our waters and our beautiful dolphin. Point Isabel Lighthouse Complex The Point Isabel Lighthouse Complex, located at 421 Queen Isabella Blvd., is home to the Point Isabel Lighthouse and the Keeper’s Cottage. The lighthouse is the only one on the Texas coast open to the public. The replica of the Keeper’s Cottage at the base of the lighthouse serves as a visitors center. The complex is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information call 956.943.2262 Port Isabel Historical Museum / Treasures of the Gulf Museum The Port Isabel Historical Museum is housed in the historic Champion Building which was built in 1899. The museum is a state-of-the-art facility housing hands on exhibits, audio presentations and videos that commemorate the history of the area. The museum has two exhibit levels, a theater and gift shop. On the south end of the building is the famous “fish mural” painted in 1906 by a local fisherman. The
Treasures of the Gulf Museum tells the story of the three ill-fated Spanish ships that wrecked off the northern end of the Island in 1554. Hands on displays allow visitors to try on period clothing and map out a treasure site. There is also a children’s section with a small scale ship and a Children’s Discovery Lab. Both museums are located at 317 E. Railroad and are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For more information and current admission prices call 956.943.7602 RGV Reef RGV Reef is a result of a vision to build a great place to fish 13 miles northeast of the South Padre Island Jetties. The goal of this amazing project is to put more fish back in the Gulf of Mexico than is taken out, primarily Red Snapper, by alleviating a juvenile snapper survival bottleneck caused by a lack of habitat. Mortality is high on the flat bottom of the Gulf. The idea came out of scientific research at the experimental level. RGV Reef will be the first reef to provide that habitat on a large scale. All deployments are positioned and spaced in ways and numbers that can be used for scientific research. Most of the local research has been spearheaded by Dr. Richard Kline with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the projects primary science advisor. What is being done is on the cutting edge of marine science, and The Harte Institute of Corpus Christi and University of Texas Galveston also have research projects in the reef. What has resulted is basically a net-less aquaculture driven by creating a cradle to adult fish habitat for reef fish, primarily Red Snapper. It also turns out when you get it right for all the life stages of Red Snapper, you have a reef for all fish. Worms, shrimp, and turtles, too. At 1,650 acres, it’s the largest, and most complex, artificial reef off the Texas Coast. The large size is to accommodate the very first industrial scale reef fish nursery in the Gulf of Mexico. The people behind this amazing project, Friends of RGV Reef, are long time recreational , commercial and charter fishermen, scuba divers, marine biologists leavened with contractors, busisopadre.com
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