🌊 From Padre Island to South Padre | Your Ultimate Coastal Escape

Summer is all about beach time! ☀️👙 We did our homework before the trip — hit up the best spots and dodged a few tourist traps 🎯. Here’s our 4-day itinerary for your reference: Day 1: Corpus Christi Downtown We stayed in the city for more hotel and dining options 🏨🍽️. The downtown waterfront wasn’t great — some areas smelled bad and had trash 🚯. But Cole Park Pier had these cool fishing stools at the end — perfect for sitting, relaxing, and enjoying the breeze 🌬️🎣. Day 2: Mustang Island State Park → Padre Island National Seashore Just a 30-40 min drive to the island! 🚗💨 Both beaches are amazing. At Mustang Island, you can drive and park right on the sand 🏖️🚙 — plenty of space between cars (very social-distance friendly!). Swim, sunbathe, or climb up the rocks to watch the waves — it’s all awesome 🌊😎. Padre Island National Seashore is ideal for camping ⛺️ with shaded picnic tables. You can also set up right by the water. Best spot for sunset? Near the exit! 🌅 Day 3: South Padre Island — Andy Bowie County Park Drove 3+ hours with a “we’ve come this far” attitude 🚙💨… The water was clear and the beach was pretty — great for shell collecting, swimming, and surfing 🐚🏄‍♀️. It’s a full-on tourist town though. We tried Cajun/fried seafood in town — pricey and just okay 🦪😕. The oysters weren’t fresh. The public beach was PACKED 🥵, so we skipped the crowded water park and went to Andy Bowie Park instead. Still busy, but easier to spread out. On the way back, we saw a cute lighthouse ⛰️🔦. Verdict? The 6-hour round trip wasn’t really worth it 🙃. Day 4: Texas State Aquarium → Rockport On our last half-day, we hit the aquarium 🐠✨ — you can touch jellyfish and stingrays! 🪼🌟 (Student discounts available ✅). Then on the way back, we stopped in Rockport for some AMAZING BBQ (from my last post!) 🍖🔥 and drove along the coastal road — so beautiful 😍🌊. ⚠️ Tips: Bring a beach umbrella — it’s crazy sunny! ☀️⛱️ Mosquito spray is a must 🦟🧴 If you drive back from South Padre on Hwy 77, there’s a border checkpoint 🛂. Driver’s license alone isn’t enough — bring your visa and I-20. We got held up for 20+ minutes and were warned we could be fined next time 🚓💔. #BeachLife #CorpusChristi #TexasTravel #CoastalGetaway #TexasRoadTrip #USA