About a month ago, Ryan and I decided that we needed to get out of town and get to the beach ASAP! We’ve been planning a wedding since last Memorial Day, and now we’ve hit the point where we get to hash out the nitty gritty details. As much fun as it is to plan a wedding, it’s a lot of work! We needed a break from the stress of it all, so we picked a random *cheap* beach destination, requested off of work, and booked a long weekend for just the two of us!
We’d never heard of South Padre Island, Texas before, but it got raving reviews and fit within our budget, so we were sold. It was such a fun and relaxing long weekend, so I wanted to recap our trip and share our experiences with y’all! PSA: Southwest Airlines has some awesome vacation packages, and you can even book your hotel though them! (Which is what we did!)
Day 1
Travel day! Arrive at Harlingen Airport and take a taxi to The Pearl on South Padre Island. Every Thursday night The Pearl provides happy hour, which includes cheese, crackers, fresh fruit, and mixed drinks. We arrived and were immediately provided free snacks and drinks… score!
Later, walk or take a free shuttle to the grocery store to stock up on snacks and sunscreen for the weekend.
Day 2
Beach day! If you’re a morning person, walk the beach and catch a beautiful sunrise over the ocean. Later, lay out a towel on the sand with your SO, your favorite book, and an ice cold drink.
See my post on my favorite swim cover-ups here.
Once you’re ready for a little break from sun, take a quick walk up the beach for lunch at Daddy’s Seafood & Cajun Kitchen. Their fish tacos are to die for, and a margarita hits the spot after soaking up some sunshine!
When the wind picks up in the afternoon, move your towels in to the gorgeous pool area where you can cool off at the swim up bar.
After you’ve had enough sunshine and you’re all showered, take the free shuttle to Blackbeards’ Restaurant, which is a local favorite. With generous portions, A+ margaritas, and friendly service, you’ll be in love! I have a *serious* thing for fish tacos, so I of courses ordered them here as well. As you can see, they’re fresh, and TBH the best that I’ve had on the island!
outfit details: shorts | sweater (less than $20 right now!!) | sandals | earrings
Finally, end the night with a night cap at the hotel bar, where you’re sure to meet some fun vacationers. When we went in early February, we met many “winter Texans” here – AKA retired couples from the midwest that make South Padre their home during the winter months. Spring break is probably a different atmosphere haha, but we got so much relationship advice at that bar! It was honestly so much fun to hear how more experienced couples make their marriages work!
Day 3
If your stomach’s feeling heavy from all the delicious seafood you’ve been enjoying, run two miles up the beach to the Cafe on the Beach, where you can enjoy brunch outside with a view of the ocean. The portions are generous, and its delicious standard brunch food that’ll hit the spot after your jog up the coast.
Next, rent bikes and ride as far up the island as you’d like! Every Sunday, the farmer’s market is open from 11AM – 1PM, and they have free samples!! You’ll find everything there from homemade granola to coffee to fresh tamales to grapefruit juice and fresh produce. You could basically eat lunch there haha.
outfit details: similar tank | shorts | sandals | earrings | similar bag | sunglasses
End the night with a short walk to dinner at Pier 19 and watch the sunset from the end of the pier. It’s the perfect ending to a beach getaway!
Side note… can we just take a minute to appreciate that SPI has fireflies?! In Tennessee, they’re everywhere during the summertime, but in Colorado, they’re nowhere to be found. BUT in South Padre they’re flying around in February!! Needless to say we freaked out a little when we saw fireflies lighting up at night haha.
Have you ever been to South Padre Island? What’s your favorite cheap beach getaway destination?! Let me know in the comments!
Liz, we have never been to South Padre Island before I have heard about it for their college spring breaks. I love all the fun activities you did during your getaway. I so would love to ride a bike to a farmers market.
Riding a bike on the beach is the best!!! Yes, I’ve heard it’s quite the spring break destination… I’m sure it would be a totally different place haha! I hope you get to SPI some day! 🙂