getaway | South Padre Island

I've finally got an hour to myself and I'm going to spend it catching up on my blog!  I can't wait to share my photos from lovely South Padre Island and tell you guys all about the experiences we had along the way.  But before I get into it, let me assure you my praise isn't simply hot air...

Will calls me a beach snob because I grew up on Australia's Eastern coastline which (in my opinion) is home to the most beautiful and diverse beaches in the world.  I'll admit that I'm somewhat hard to please in this department and I don't like the murky water and brown sand around the Gulf of Mexico or America's east coast.  I wouldn't consider this coastline 'beautiful' or even safe to swim in!  But South Padre Island is south enough that it's completely free of that murkiness: its water is blue and its sand is yellow and bright, so I give it a huge 'beach snob' tick of approval.

The other thing I loved about the Island was how (genuinely) pet friendly it is!  Like many people without children, Will and I treat our pooches like them instead and love to include them in the things we do.  But so many places claiming to be pet friendly actually turn our family holidays into separation holidays - with the 'kids' left alone in hotel rooms while we go and do things they're not allowed to!  This isn't the case at South Padre Island.  All the beaches, many restaurants and several State Parks are pet-friendly!  We got to take them almost everywhere we went and I wholeheartedly recommend bringing your pooches if you're planning on visiting.  Ours had a great time!

We arrived at the Island on a Sunday (22 June) when the weather was gloriously sunny but insanely hot!  It was so cute watching the dogs on the beach for their first time: seeing the waves and feeling the water and sand, but with their fur coats on they could only stand the heat for so long!  Luckily though, Sunday's sun was the only one we saw.  Without checking the weather report (rookie mistake), we didn't realize that our four-day holiday would be cloudy and rainy but that actually worked out because despite only seeing clouds and rain, the weather stayed mild and we were at the beach to get wet anyway!

Monday we rose bright and early, packed the cooler full of snacks and refreshments, and headed straight for the beach.  We set up our beach tent which sheltered us from the several, small rain showers and enjoyed an entire day doing nothing but swimming, playing with the dogs, reading, snacking and relaxing.

Tuesday was heavy rain, a slow start and a visit to the amazing Resaca de la Palma State Park in the nearby town of Brownsville.  There's something truly magical about visiting a forest after the rain and Will, the pups and I were the only ones there that day so we got to experience it in all of its splendour without interruption.  The colours were so vivid; the air so crisp; the animals, insects and birds were all so active and smell of wet dirt filled our noses as our minds filled with peace.  We really enjoyed the walk through this park and got to see rabbits, many beautiful bright coloured birds and even an armadillo!

In the afternoon, the sky cleared just enough to give Tuesday the perfect ending: a dolphin watch boat cruise and seafood dinner at Pier 19.  

Wednesday was another day spent on the beach and exploring the Island.  South Padre has so many attractions and conservation sites, including my favourites: a sea turtle rescue center and the animal preservation at Boca Chica State Park.   

The landscape at South Padre Island and Brownsville are not at all what I was expecting.  The lush forests, wildflowers and abundant wildlife really were in contrast to my preconceived ideas about how dry and barren the Southern-most part of Texas bordering Mexico would be.  Even the actual border fence was green and bright!

my feet covered in sand but standing upon lush rain forest soil

SIDE NOTE// I've been considering a different approach to my travel posts and wanted some feedback from you guys... since Will and I frequently get told that 'we must be made of money' to be able to go so many places, I thought maybe it would be fun if I began honestly detailing how we are able to do it and what we spend on accommodation, eating out etc - I could call it 'travel on a budget.'  What do you guys think?