Isla Blanca Park Is the Busy South End of South Padre Island

Isla Blanca Park sits at the very south end of South Padre Island, where the island runs out at the Brownsville Ship Channel. It's the county's flagship beach park, and it pulls off a rare trick: the open Gulf on one side and the calmer bay on the other, all on the same piece of ground.

Inside one park you get Gulf beach access, bay access, a boat ramp, a fishing jetty, RV camping, shelters, restrooms, trails, and seasonal beach patrol. That mix is what makes it an easy home base for a beach day, a fishing trip, or an afternoon spent watching shrimp boats and freighters slide past the jetties.

The jetty is the spot most regulars head for. It puts you out over deeper water without a boat, and the channel traffic gives you something to watch between bites. In peak season the park office and camping fill up fast, so the early arrivals get the good sites.