Top Ten Active Spring Vacations

Birds of the Galapagos Photo Gallery

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Situated so far south it's nearly on a latitudinal par with Miami, South Padre combines Texas-size partying with 34 miles of tropical beaches. Looking for a two-nation spring vacation? Mexico is a mere 25 miles away. So if you feel ready to Padre, here are a few of the more outdoorsy activities to liven up your experience.

Swimming, hiking, off-road driving, bird watching, fishing, or just beach-combing—do it all on Padre Island National Seashore's 70 miles of white-sand and shell beaches. Just across the water from South Padre, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge offers an April explosion of wildflowers and intermittent "migratory fallout" —where birds heading back north are stopped in their tracks by a cold front. While you're there, explore the uninhabited (and nearly inaccessible) tidal marshes of the Arroyo Colorado River by kayak, and keep an eye out for the endangered ocelot. South Padre is also a key stop along the 500-mile Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, which marks key spots for birders to observe some of the Lone Star State's 613 documented species.