PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE AND THE BEAUTIFUL TEXAS GULF COAST

Padre Island National Seashore is a beautiful stretch of beach along the Texas Gulf coast. Enjoy the sounds of crashing waves as you watch an amazing Texas sunset. Experience the joy of building sand castles with your kids or combing through the sand for sea shells and sand dollars.

The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico will have you surfing, kitesurfing, boogie boarding, or simply playing in the surf. The beaches along Padre Island National Seashore and Mustang Island are the most popular beaches in Corpus Christi. I have many wonderful memories of these beaches. I grew up and lived near Corpus Christi.

I always enjoyed boogie boarding when I was a kid. If you are not familiar with boogie boarding, it is somewhat similar to surfing. However, you use a shorter board and instead of standing up as you ride the waves, you lay flat on the board. Boogie boarding is not nearly as complicated as surfing, so it is a fantastic alternative to surfing. It is a great way to experience the waves of South Texas.

Building sand castles was always a favorite of mine when I was at the beach. It is a hit with most kids. Sometimes I would build the sand castles so close to the surf that the waves would eventually come up far enough and crash over the sand castle.

Of course, if you want to see professionals build some amazing sand structures, C-101 hosts the annual C-101 C-Sculptures event. The event is held every June at Newport Pass Beach (near JP Luby Surf Park). C-Sculptures is centered on sand sculpting competitions, but area bands and the Beauty on the Beach Bikini Contest draw thousands of locals and tourists alike.

Here are some basic facts about Padre Island National Seashore.

• Padre Island National Seashore stretches 113 miles along the Texas Gulf coast
• Comprised of 70 miles of protected natural beaches
• One of the largest undeveloped barrier islands in the U.S.
• It is the largest remaining undeveloped stretch of barrier island in the world
• Padre Island is home to some 350-380 native bird species

If you would like to surf but do not have a surfboard, surfboard rentals are available. Wind and Wave Water Sports is located on the edge of Flour Bluff. It is on the right side before the JFK causeway. Wind and Wave has surfboards, boogie boards, and kayaks for rent. Or, if you are interested in buying a surfboard, they have a huge selection to choose from.

Check out Momentum Beach Rentals and Port A Surf Company if you are in Port Aransas. Both offer surfboard rentals. The charge to rent a surfboard from Port A Surf Company is $25 for a 24 hour period. Port A Surf Company also offers surfboard lessons at a rate of $40 per hour with a minimum of an hour and a half requirement.

Are you interested in hiking? You many hike through the white sand dunes by tackling the 3/4 mile Grasslands Nature Trail. Brochures of the nature trail are available at the entrance station to the park or at the visitor center. If you have come to South Texas in a camper or just for the weekend with your camping gear, camping is available at Padre Island National Seashore.

Spending time at Padre Island National Seashore is sure to have you leaving Corpus Christi with a wealth of memories. The beaches here are the most beautiful in Texas, and for that matter, the entire gulf coast.

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