We’ve all been there — spending a relaxing day in the sun, enjoying the sand and the surf when the call of nature strikes. But you’re on vacation, not at home. What do you do? If you’re on South Padre Island, there’s a map for that.
Recently, the city of South Padre Island published an interactive map using Google Maps that allows visitors to learn where they can find a whole host of public amenities, from bathrooms and rinse stations to water fountains to parking to beach accesses that are accessible to those who use wheelchairs or have mobility issues.
“With numerous public beach access points, the beach is accessible to everyone!” South Padre Island officials said in a Facebook post announcing the new interactive map.
The map lists the amenities at the city’s more than two dozen beach accesses — which are all free — as well as several other areas tourists might be interested in, including the location of the South Padre Island police and fire departments, public parking areas, a butterfly park with public picnic tables, boat ramps, and bus stops for the free public transit system, Island Metro. Users can click on the map’s icons to see photographs of the amenities at each access, such as wooden dune walkovers and water fountains.
However, the list isn’t exhaustive. It only shows the public beach accesses located within the city limits that are maintained by the city of South Padre Island. Other popular beach accesses, like Isla Blanca Park, Beach Access No. 5 and E.K. Atwood Park, are owned and maintained by Cameron County.
The city of South Padre Island maintains 28 public beach accesses within the city limits, but not all of them have bathrooms. And of those that do, you’re more likely to find portable toilets rather than a brick-and-mortar restroom facility. Only about half of the city’s beach accesses offer restrooms or rinse stations. Below, find the full list of beach accesses — listed from south to north — and what amenities can be found at them.
Unless otherwise indicated, all of the city of South Padre Island’s beach accesses are located off of Gulf Boulevard. The locations below denote the nearest cross streets.
Some of the city’s beach accesses also have public water fountains with spigots at various heights, making them accessible for adults, children and pets.