Spring Break is a time to relax and re-energize from a stressful semester. South Padre Island and Port Isabel offer plenty of other things to do than getting your party on.
Both cities have places from which to admire the Gulf of Mexico and its environment.
Sea Turtle Inc., a center with the mission to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured sea turtles, educates the public and assists with conservation efforts for all marine turtle species.
Sanjuana Zavala, marketing and public relations manager for the organization, said the community should visit the center to learn about the impact humans have on sea turtles.
“It is very important to us, [people living on SPI] and the people that visit to know what we treasure, and what we hold most dear to our hearts, and that is marine conservation,” Zavala said.
Sea Turtle Inc. has added a new facility to its Rehabilitation Center, the Educational Center, which includes a Marine Debris Tunnel.
“You get to come in and enjoy the Marine Debris Tunnel that you can go under, and look at all the trash and get some information of what our marine life, especially sea turtles, are encountering out in the wild, especially in our beaches,” Zavala said.
The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at 6617 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and military members, $4 for children, and free for children under age 4.
For more information, visit www.seaturtleinc.org.
The Point Isabel Lighthouse, also known as the Port Isabel Lighthouse, constructed in 1852, was built to protect and guide ships through the Brazos Santiago Pass and barrier islands.
The lighthouse recently underwent restoration, which focused on the railing at the top of the tower and the exterior finish of the building. It features a catwalk, giving a 16-mile, 360-degree view from the top of the lighthouse. The project cost about $600,000.
“The restoration was done through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,” said Valerie Bates, marketing director for the City of Port Isabel. “They actually own the property and the city manages it.”
The lighthouse is the only one on the Texas coast open to the public.
“While other lighthouses may be visible, some from land, most only by water, this is the only one that you can actually climb to the top, much like the lighthouse keeper did 150 years ago,” Bates said.
The lighthouse is preparing for Spring Break by conducting maintenance on the building and advertising tours.
The South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, located at 6801 Padre Blvd., provides visitors a chance to see the native birds and butterflies of the Island. They also educate the public about the environment of the Island and the Laguna Madre coastal area.
“Spring Break for us in Port Isabel is not significantly different from another season that we prepare for,” Bates said.
The lighthouse is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and is located at 421 Queen Isabella Blvd.
Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for students and free for children up to age 5.
For more information, visit portisabellighthouse.com/lighthouse/.
The South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to educating the public about the birds, flora, fauna and Laguna Madre coastal area, according to its website.
The facility includes a 10,000-square-foot nature center with an exhibit hall that takes visitors on an educational voyage from the Gulf of Mexico, through the dunes on beaches and into the Laguna Madre Bay.
The center is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 6801 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island.
Admission is $6, $5 for students (ages 13-18) and senior citizens, $3 for children (ages 4-12), and free for children under age 4.
For more information, visit www.spibirding.com.
The Original Dolphin Watch, which began in 1988 at American Diving, has become the most popular form of ecotourism on the Island, according to its website.
South Texas is a year-round home to several large pods of dolphins and The Original Dolphin Watch gives tourists the opportunity to view them in their environment.
Tours are from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the Dolphin Watch Morning Special, which costs $13 per person; 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for the Dolphin Watch Eco-Tour, which is $16 for adults and $13 for children; and 4 to 6 p.m. for the Dolphin Watch Sunset Tour, which is $16 for adults and $13 for children.
For more information, visit theoriginaldolphinwatch.net.
