North Padre Island

Padre Island is the largest of the Texas Barrier Islands and the world’s longest barrier island. The island is located along Texas’s southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is noted for its white sandy beaches. We are here to talk about North Padre Island! This is not to be confused with South Padre is about a 3.5-hour drive from Port Aransas on the southern part of the island. 

North Padre Island is a district of the city of Corpus Christi. “The Island” as known by locals consists of high-income residential housing and condominiums and is a popular fishing destination. The Packery Channel, an inlet that connects the Gulf of Mexico to the Laguna Madre separates North Padre Island from Mustang Island. Boating is also a popular activity on the island as the residential neighborhoods are connected by a series of canals that lead to the Gulf of Mexico.

Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) is the national seashore located on the island. In contrast to South Padre Island, known for its beaches and vacationing college students, PINS consists of a long beach where nature is preserved. Most of the park is primitive, but camping is available, and most of the beach is only accessible to four-wheel-drive vehicles. All but four miles is open to vehicle traffic. PINS is the fourth designated national seashore in the United States.