many island piers provide a welcome respite to visitors who want to take a break from dancing on the sand. “Fishing is really popular, as well as windsurfing and sand sculpting lessons. There’s a huge nature component in why visitors love the area,” said Arnold. “SPI offers a lot of entertainment from water-based to nightlife activities; it’s the whole package. Just walking on the beach is enough to make someone happy.” Arnold recommends any visitors, both new and returning, research the Island to find the kinds of activities they’d wish to explore and see if they can get to them all in one trip. “The quality of our beach is better than any in Texas. It’s what makes us a destination for visitors,” Arnold said. “We know you can’t explore the entire island in just one trip — even if it’s a week-long trip.” Even though Spring Break occurs once a year, the city starts to prepare for it months ahead of time. SPI’s city manager calls for regular meetings between the public safety and works department starting in the fall. As part of their planning, the city even hires up to 180 “temporary workers” to ensure they have enough hands to help clean up the city or work security, Arnold said. The Spring Break committee also installs port a potties throughout the city in designated areas and commits to daily bach cleanup to make sure the beach is “more presentable than usual.” Another essential item the committee covers is alternate traffic routes to prepare for the onslaught of traffic brought on by thousands of visitors — a sure sign of a successful Spring Break, according to Arnold. “We’re a friendly city and we don’t complain about traffic since it means more people will stay here to help our economy,” Arnold said. “We’re happy to have them here.”
We know you can’t explore the entire island in just one trip — even if it’s a week-long trip.” - Kieth Arnold
MARCH/APRIL 2017
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