Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach.

National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore

visit on nps.gov

Info

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.

Park Photos

Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach.
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Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach.

Credit: NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach.
Small shell fragments in the sand long the beach.
Two deer feed on grass. Their antlers have velvet on them.
Several sea turtle hatchlings crawl on the sand towards the Gulf of Mexico.
A hawk like bird with an orange beak stands on a fence post.
Small wooden structures are seen looking through a wood fence.
Several brown pelicans stand on the sand next to the edge of the sea.

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Auto and ATV
  • Auto Off-Roading
  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Biking
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Car or Front Country Camping
  • RV 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

Fees

Passes

Operating Hours

The park is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. However, park facilities are not open 24 hours per day. Hours for the entrance station, where the required entrance pass is sold, vary from day to day. If the entrance station is not open when you arrive, you can proceed into the park. If you are camping, go back to the entrance station the next morning and obtain an entrance pass. If not camping, pay the entrance fee as you leave if the entrance station is open.

DayHours
Wednesday
All Day
Monday
All Day
Thursday
All Day
Sunday
All Day
Tuesday
All Day
Friday
All Day
Saturday
All Day

Weather info

Padre Island has long, hot summers and short, mild winters. Summers are very humid. Winter can bring strong cold fronts and gale force winds. Most rain falls near the beginning and end of hurricane season (Jun 1 - Nov 30). Average seasonal temperatures (Fahrenheit): Spring - high 70s-80s, low 50s-60s; Summer - high mid-90s, low 70s; Fall - high 70s-80s, low 50s-60s; Winter - high 50s-70s, low 30s-40s. Year-round, average wind speed ranges from 5-25 miles per hour. Relative humidity seldom drops below 70%.

Events