Padre Island National Seashore

Animals The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle The Kemp's ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys kempii, is the smallest of the five species of sea turtles found in the Gulf of Mexico (others include loggerhead, green, hawks ... read more.

At A Glance Contact Information For questions about park administration, policies, concessions, operations, maintenance, protection issues, etc: Superintendent PO Box 181300 Corpus Christi, TX 78480-1300 (361) 9 ... read more.

Camping Camping Bird Island Basin Primitive camping only. A camping permit is required and is available at the Malaquite Visitor Center. No reservations are taken for camping, but space is usually available ... read more.

History History & Culture For almost its entire existence, Padre Island has been wilderness. The first permanent settlement on the island was established around 1804 near the island's southern tip by a Spani ... read more.

In A Nutshell Getting Around In the event that multiple sea turtles nest during the summer nesting season, visitors traveling to and on the gulf beach may experience slight traffic delays. Visitors should notify a ... read more.

Just For Kids For Kids For Kids The park conducts a number of programs during the year. These include beach walks, mini-talks, campfire programs, and bird-watching walks, among others. Most programs originate from ... read more.

Lodging & Dining Lodging There is no lodging available within the park. Only camping is available. The nearest hotels and motels are about ten miles from the park. For information on lodging available outside the par ... read more.

Natural World Frequently Asked Questions How far can I drive down island? Can I get to South Padre from here? Depending upon current beach conditions two-wheel drive vehicles may drive safely on the first five m ... read more.

Park Regulations & Safety Accessibility The Malaquite Beach Visitor Center is accessible. There are graded ramps to the exhibit area as well as accessible restroom facilities. Two wheelchairs, specially designed for use in th ... read more.

Planning Your Visit Operating Hours & Seasons Operating Hours & Seasons The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., during the winter. Summer hours are ... read more.

Plants Plants Padre Island supports 75 plant families composed of almost 400 species. The following are the plant habitats to be found on the island and a few of the species to be found in each. The only st ... read more.

Preservation Clean-up Safety Guidelines   While clean-ups perform an important service for the National Seashore, they are not as important as being safe and maintaining one's good health. There is no bit of tra ... read more.

Sights to See Places Very few structures have survived to remind us of the park's long history. The Novillo Line Camp is the only one the public can easily see and it can be seen only from a distance. A few others ... read more.

Things To Do Interpretive programs Beach Walk Come along on a leisurely 45 to 60 minute walk with a ranger and discover the wildlife of Padre Island and learn how it has changed over time. Discover the remarkable ... read more.

Visitor Services Visitor Centers The Visitors Center has an information desk, small museum, bookstore, concession stand, observation decks, restrooms and showers (open 24 hours), a small auditorium for 20 people, and ... read more.