OT: South Padre

**BryceC** · 12-12-2010, 06:39 PM

I figure there is somebody on here who can answer my question. My family and I are going to visit my parents around Christmas and they live about an hour from South Padre. I'd like to schedule something really fun for my wife as like a Christmas present. I have been looking online but I can't really find anything that really jumped out at me. Since there are tons of college kids that go there every spring break I assume there is some really fun stuff and I was wondering if anybody participated in any events there they think would be fun for us to do.

PS obviously I'm not into the party stuff. Any input would be appreciated.

**rworkman83** · 12-12-2010, 06:42 PM

Went to South Padre my senior year of high school. Was a great time pretending to be a college kid.

Don't really have any ideas for you, but loved South Padre.

**isuno1fan** · 12-12-2010, 06:43 PM

Not alot to do if you aren't a college kid and on Spring Break to be honest.

**hawkeyescott** · 12-12-2010, 06:55 PM

About the only thing you will find to do is hang out at the beach, not a whole lot of tourist things to do here. You could always schedule a trip to Mexico for the day, it has been a while since I was there, but when I was there you can park a car in the US and walk across the border to the town (I can't remember the name of it) in Mexico. That is what we did and killed a whole day just walking around and did a little shopping as well, of course now you will need a passport and if you don't have one then forget about this as you won't get it by Christmas.

**cyQlone** · 12-12-2010, 07:08 PM

Not a lot of tourism stuff in S. Padre, just a bunch of hotels on the beach. They have a schlitterbahn water park, but not sure if it would be open in December down there or not. The town in Mexico that "hawkeyescott" was referring too was probably Matamoras, it's the town on the other side of the Rio Grand from Brownsville. Ok if you are looking for touristy stuff, but still nothing exciting to do.

**cydswipe** · 12-12-2010, 07:45 PM

I'd be careful if you are considering venturing into Mexico. My folks are in Alamo, about 1 mile from Mexico in southern Texas. The border towns have been suffering from a lot of violence, kidnappings, and beheadings of Mexican police, Army etc. Not a lot of "snowbirds" heading into Mexico because of this. Some cartel vs. govt. action as well as holding folks for ransom. I know it sounds crazy, but that stuff does happen in certain areas.

**cycloner29** · 12-12-2010, 07:52 PM

We spent an afternoon there traveling over from McAllen in January. Not a lot of going on but still the public beach had quite a few people there. Depending if you have a time share there, a night or two would be be about it in terms of a vacation. Matamoros is a dump!! Had more fun in San Antonio.

**DoOrDie** · 12-12-2010, 07:59 PM

Been there, done that, did not buy the t-shirt.

Seriously, though, the island is really only visited by college students because it's a warm place to drink. I didn't find anything totally awesome about it, except for the sea turtle sanctuary. I would pass - it's just a bunch of bars and souvenir stands, which doesn't sound like what you are looking for.