Great American Beach Adventure

You can thank the cattlemen for the largely unblemished character of Texas' southernmost coast. Their huge ranch holdings kept development at bay until the federal government came in to acquire large chunks of the Gulf shorelines. Padre Island National Seashore and its two sister national wildlife refuges across the lagoon—Aransas and the Laguna Atascosa—shelter a dizzying array of wildlife. A number of other wildlife refuges lie within a day's drive of Padre Island.

While winter is the best time to see critters such as whooping cranes and songbirds, summer holds many surprises. Habitat ranges from the sand dunes high on the island to live oak groves, tidal flats, and grasslands along the lagoon. The Laguna Madre, the inner-coastal waterway, is still largely unpolluted by development and undiluted by freshwater streams. It remains almost as clear as the Caribbean, and visitors can frequently see fish and other underwater life.

Expect to see many shorebirds, wading birds, frogs, white-tailed deer, interesting reptiles, and butterflies. This is the northernmost range of several resident bird species normally seen in Mexico, such as the green jay and the great kiskadee. If you're lucky you might catch sight of an alligator, bobcat, javelina, or ocelot.

There are a full range of transportation options at Padre Island—four-wheel drives, hiking, and biking—but perhaps the best way to experience the Laguna Madre is in a sea kayak, especially to explore the tidal coves and inlets that are inaccessible by foot. One local outfitter even offers fly-fishing trips using kayaks.

This is the place to go if you like it hot and humid. While the breezes are fairly constant along the gulf, summertime temperatures hover in the 90s during the day, dipping to the high 70s at night. Break out your wide brim hat and bring plenty of sunblock.

Check out more info on Padre Island National Shore.