Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach.
Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach. NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

Padre Island National Seashore

National Seashore / Lakeshore · Texas · National Park Service

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline Laguna Madre, tidal mud flats teem with life. Native Americans, Spanish explorers and cattle ranchers have walked along its shores. Padre Island National Seashore is waiting to be rediscovered.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Biking

Camping

Camping · Backcountry Camping · RV Camping

Site types & reservations: see the official site.

Know before you go

Phone
(361) 949-8068
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Arts · Schools and Education · Animals · Birds · Fish · Tortoises and Turtles · Coasts, Islands and Atolls · Dunes · Geology · Night Sky · Astronomy · Unique Species · Endangered

Activities & features: Arts and Culture · Auto and ATV · Auto Off-Roading · Astronomy · Stargazing · Boating · Car or Front Country Camping · Fishing · Saltwater Fishing · Paddling · Canoeing · Kayaking · Junior Ranger Program · Swimming · Saltwater Swimming · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Park Film · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store

Photos

  • Small shell fragments in the sand long the beach.
    NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe
  • Two deer feed on grass. Their antlers have velvet on them.
    NPS Photo/ Kara Rogers
  • Several sea turtle hatchlings crawl on the sand towards the Gulf of Mexico.
    NPS Photo
  • A hawk like bird with an orange beak stands on a fence post.
    NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe
  • Small wooden structures are seen looking through a wood fence.
    NPS Photo
  • Several brown pelicans stand on the sand next to the edge of the sea.
    NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe

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Guides for the trip

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Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12