The Texas coast,
made for you.
Live here, visit here, or move here. Your guide to North Padre Island and the Coastal Bend — what to do, where to go, where to eat, and how to call it home.
- Days of sunshine
- ~270
- Coastline protected
- 70 mi
- Metro population
- ~430k
- State income tax
- $0
Bright, breezy & subtropical
Padre Island National Seashore
Corpus Christi metro area
Texas has no state income tax
Four ways to be here
However you found your way to the island, there's a path for you. Pick a lane and dive in.
Visit Here
Plan the perfect coastal getaway, from beaches to a sample weekend.
ExploreThings to Do
Fishing, surfing, birding, the National Seashore, and family fun.
ExploreMove Here
Cost of living, jobs, schools, weather, and the relocation playbook.
ExploreLive Here
Seasons, events, and the everyday rhythm of Coastal Bend life.
ExploreWhere the city ends and the wild Gulf begins
Cross the JFK Causeway and the pace changes. On one side, a real city — aquarium, university, port, and a Tejano soul. On the other, 70 miles of protected barrier island that runs out of road long before it runs out of sand.
- The longest undeveloped barrier island on Earth, right out your door
- World-class fishing and birding on the Laguna Madre and Central Flyway
- No state income tax and a cost of living below the U.S. average
- A genuine coastal community — Selena's hometown, founded on the Gulf
27.6° N, 97.2° W
Where the sun comes up over the Gulf and the redfish are always biting somewhere.
The island's greatest hits
A taste of what fills a calendar here. There's enough to keep visitors busy for a week and locals busy for years.
Padre Island National Seashore
The world's longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island
Seventy miles of protected Gulf coastline begin just south of town. Drive right onto the sand, camp under the stars, and watch endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings released at Malaquite Beach on summer mornings.
World-Class Fishing
Redfish, trout & bull reds in the Laguna Madre
The shallow, hypersaline Laguna Madre is a legendary flats fishery for redfish and speckled trout. Wade, kayak, or pole a skiff — or run offshore out of Port Aransas for kingfish, snapper, and the occasional billfish.
Surf, SUP & Paddle
Gulf swell at Bob Hall Pier & Packery Channel
It's not Hawaii, but a good south swell at Bob Hall Pier or the Packery Channel jetties brings a friendly, beginner-welcome lineup. Calm bay water and the Laguna are perfect for stand-up paddleboarding any day.
Windsurfing & Kiteboarding
Bird Island Basin — one of the best wind spots in the U.S.
Steady Gulf breezes and waist-deep flat water make Bird Island Basin a nationally ranked spot for windsurfing and kiteboarding. Lessons and rentals are right on the water inside the National Seashore.
Birding the Central Flyway
500+ species on the way to a Big Year
The Coastal Bend sits squarely on the Central Flyway. Spot roseate spoonbills and herons at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, hike Hans & Pat Suter Refuge, or chase wintering whooping cranes near Aransas.
Beach Days, Done Right
Drive-on sand, shelling & sunrise swims
Whitecap and North Padre beaches let you park right on the sand. Hunt for sand dollars and whelks after a storm, fly a kite in the constant breeze, and catch a sunrise over the Gulf that's worth the early alarm.
From canal homes to a golf-cart beach town
The Coastal Bend isn't one place — it's a handful of distinct communities, each with its own pace and price.
North Padre Island (The Island)
Canal homes, beach access & resort living
Beach lovers, boaters & remote workers
Flour Bluff
The mainland gateway to the Island
Families, military & first-time buyers
Southside
Newer master-planned suburbs
Families & commuters wanting new builds
Downtown & Uptown
Bayfront, marina & walkable revival
Young professionals & empty nesters
Calallen & Annaville
Northwest, family-friendly & well-schooled
Families prioritizing schools & space
Port Aransas
Golf-cart beach town on Mustang Island
Beach-house dreamers & getaway buyers
Reasons to circle a date
The Coastal Bend throws a good party. Here's a sample of what fills the year.
Texas SandFest
Late April · Port Aransas
The largest native-sand sculpture competition in the U.S. — master carvers turn the beach into a gallery.
Buc Days
Spring · Corpus Christi Bayfront
A decades-old festival with a carnival, rodeo, illuminated night parade, and live music on the water.
Fiesta de la Flor
Spring (select years) · Downtown
A celebration of Selena's life and legacy that draws fans from around the world to her hometown.
Beach to Bay Relay Marathon
May · Padre Island → Bayfront
One of the country's largest relay marathons — teams run from the seashore across the city to the bay.
Bayfest / Harbor Lights
Fall & December · Bayfront & Marina
Waterfront festivals and a lighted boat parade close out the year with food, music, and fireworks.
Sea turtle hatchling releases
Summer mornings · Malaquite Beach
Watch Kemp's ridley hatchlings scramble to the surf at the National Seashore — a free, magical sunrise event.
Guides for the curious
Longer reads to help you plan, fish, eat, and settle in like you've been here for years.
The Best Beaches Around Padre Island, Ranked by Vibe
From drive-on family sand to 60 miles of roadless wilderness, here's how to pick the right stretch of Gulf for your day.
Read guideMoving to Corpus Christi: The Complete Checklist
A practical, step-by-step playbook for relocating to the Coastal Bend — without nasty surprises around insurance, schools, or storm season.
Read guideA First-Timer's Perfect Weekend on North Padre
Two days, zero wasted time. The exact itinerary we'd hand a friend visiting the Coastal Bend for the first time.
Read guideCome for the sunset. Stay for the life.
Whether you're booking a long weekend or buying a house with a boat dock out back, the island is ready when you are.