Padre Island South Beach

Located in the southern part of Padre Island National Seashore, Padre Island South Beach – also known as South Beach – Padre Island National Seashore and South Beach – is a 60-miles-long beach with white sand and nearby sand dunes.  Two parts of this beach are known as Little Shell Beach and Big Shell Beach.

Padre Island South Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities except a few nearby restrooms.  Dogs on leash are allowed here.

Padre Island South Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, picnicking, biking, camping, fishing, surfing, volleyball, swimming, paddleboarding, boating, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, and wildlife watching.

This beach is ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, and canoers because the Gulf of Mexico water here is known to have mild and manageable waves, particularly during summers.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, surf, paddleboard, or surf-ski here, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents, dangerous waves, and occasionally severe undertows.  In addition, Portuguese man o’ war and stingrays have also been known to live nearby.

If you like fishing, the best time for fishing here is between the months of August and October.  If you like beachcombing, we recommend visiting this beach on summer mornings, winter and spring days during low tide, and after storms.  In addition, two portions of Padre Island South Beach – Big Shell Beach and Little Shell Beach – are particularly great for beachcombing.

There are multiple campsites on and near this beach that offer a fun oceanfront camping experience.  If you are planning to camp around Padre Island South Beach, please visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the campsite amenities and charges.

You can drive your car on Padre Island South Beach, and if you are planning to drive your car here, please visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the beach driving regulations.

Padre Island South Beach does not offer wheelchair access to visitors with disabilities.

Getting to Padre Island South Beach is easy – this beach is easily accessible through a road named Park Road 22.  You can easily access Park Road 22 from Texas State Highway 361 and from Texas State Highway 358.  There are multiple free parking lots near the beach. 

Please also note that you need to pay a fee to enter Padre Island National Seashore – you can visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the entrance fees for Padre Island National Seashore.

We also recommend being careful while visiting this beach because it is known to have a large amount of trash.  In addition, large balls of tar are also known to wash up on this beach – this sticky tar can stick to your feet and cause discomfort.

The critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles seasonally make their nests at this beach.

There are many attractions near Padre Island South Beach within a 30-minute drive.  Mustang Island State Park is a state park that has a beach named Mustang Island State Park Beach and it also offers many fun activities including sunbathing, swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, camping, geocaching, hiking, biking, and wildlife watching.  The state park also has a vibrant coastal dune landscape and you can see many unique kinds of animals here including green sea turtles, rare aplomado falcons, pocket gophers, and crabs.  Padre Balli Park is a waterfront recreational park that has a beach named Padre Balli Beach and it also offers many fun activities including surfing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, picnicking, beach-driving, and beachcombing.  In addition, this park also has a campground, along with many other amenities including restrooms, two pavilions, picnic areas, and a 1200 feet-long pier named the Bob Hall Pier.  Texas Sealife Centeris dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of coastal and aquatic wildlife – this center offers guided tours of its premises where visitors can see the center’s permanent resident animals, along with the center’s temporary sea turtle patients.  In addition, this center also has a gift shop.  In The Game Funtrackers is an amusement park that offers many fun rides and things to explore including go-karts, bumper boats, a laser maze, and an arcade.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Sandy and Don Billish Park is a waterfront recreational park that offers many amenities including grassy recreational areas, walking paths, a playground, and picnic tables.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Padre Island South Beach within a 32-minute drive.  Black Sheep Bistro offers a variety of excellent dishes including pork chops, steaks, pastas, risotto, burger, seafood, and salads.  Ol’ Steakhouse Co. is a steakhouse that is known for serving outstanding steaks, along with many other delicious dishes for lunch and dinner including chicken dishes, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, and pastas.  Saltwater Grill is known for serving excellent seafood dishes, along with a variety of other dishes including pastas, chicken dishes, sandwiches, burgers, and salads.  Doc’s Seafood & Steaks is known for excellent seafood and steaks, along with excellent soups, salads, chicken dishes, burgers, sandwiches, and tacos.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Catfish Charlie’s is known for serving excellent catfish and it also serves amazing Southern-style dishes including gumbo, Southern-style seafood, and chicken fried steak.

If you are looking for a hotel near Padre Island South Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 35-minute drive.  The 4-Star Omni Corpus Christi Hotel  offers many amenities including a pool, multiple restaurants, a pool, racquetball courts, gift shops, fitness center, and a salon.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Wyndham Corpus Christi Resort North Padre Island that offers many amenities including a pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and a gift shop.  The 3-Star Best Western Padre Island is another moderately priced hotel that offers many amenities including a pool and complimentary breakfast.  The 3-Star La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Corpus Christi-N Padre Isl is another moderately priced hotel that offers many amenities including a pool, complimentary breakfast, a hot tub, and a fitness center.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Hawthorn Suites By Wyndham Corpus Christi Padre Is offers many amenities including a fitness room, a convenience store, and complimentary breakfast.