Top South Padre Island Outdoor Activities

A parasailing trip over South Padre Island is a popular choice for adventurous travelers. Once in the air, take in sweeping views of the island and surrounding natural landscape rarely seen by visitors or locals alike. Your guide ensures a smooth takeoff and landing, as well as tips on what wildlife you may be able to spot, from bottlenose dolphins to osprey hawks.

Watch for the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins that thrive along the coast of South Padre Island on a 1.5-hour wildlife boat tour from Sea Ranch Marina. Cruise past the U.S. Coast Guard Station and Boca Chica Beach, with a comfortable seat on a wildlife-watching boat that’s equipped with a wildlife-safe viewing net so you can see South Padre sea life up close.

Benefit from personalized attention on this private fishing charter on the Laguna Madre from South Padre Island. With your private group of up to six passengers, you'll head out aboard a catamaran to the best secret fishing spots to catch local fish such as sheepshead, drum, whiting, and sand trout. Depending on your level of experience, you'll get instruction from the captain or be left to your own devices.

45 min on fun in the sun on your jet ski. Speed across the waters of the Laguna Madre in South Padre Island Texas. Jet Ski departures start at 8:00 am until 6:00 pm. This last departure is subject to change due to sunset time change. Ride along passengers can only be booked directly after making your Jet Ski reservation. A Jet Ski can hold up to 2 ride along passengers as long as the total weight does not exceed 400 lbs.

Enjoy a one and a half hour South Padre Island Dolphin Watch aboard the newly renovated Murphy's Law and see Atlantic Bottle-nose Dolphins in their natural habitat. During the Eco Tour/Dolphin Watch, you will also have the opportunity to see local and migratory birds and various sea life. The guided tour will also include the southernmost U.S. Coast Guard Station, Boca Chica Beach, the current location of Space X, and the South Padre Island Jetties...entryway to the Brownsville Ship Channel where one of the largest Shrimp Fleet calls home.

Sand sculpting on South Padre Island is an art form. Learn tips and tricks for building sandcastles like a pro during a hands-on sandcastle lesson—a great choice for families with kids. This activity takes place on the beach most convenient to your location. Plus, choose from a 1- or 2-hour lesson and multiple times to best suit your schedule. Sand sculpting tools are provided and can be used throughout your stay.

San Padre Island’s small size allows golf carts to drive on the streets. Avoid the hassle of flagging down taxis with this 8-hour golf cart rental that fits up to four passengers. Ride comfortably and even get to play your own music over the Bluetooth that connects right to your iPhone or iPad. Plus, you can choose from multiple pickup times for added convenience.

We are a top rated activity for South Padre Island. Our dolphin watch and eco tour is available year-round and is great for all ages.

Banana Boat Fun for everyone! Safe and easy to ride on a beautiful sunny day in South Padre Island.

Set sail at one of the best times of day—sunset—on a South Padre Island cruise aboard a comfortable 26-foot (8-meter) leisure catamaran. Enjoy beautiful views of the skyline as you make your way along the Texas Gulf Coast, and keep an eye out for bottle nose dolphins, seabirds, and other wildlife. With space for up to six passengers, this private yacht charter is ideal for couples or those celebrating a special occasion.

Share the Gulf of Mexico waters with bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, and more on a private 90-minute boat tour from South Padre Island. The 26-foot catamaran has space for up to six passengers, which makes it an ideal experience for families or friend groups. Between wildlife encounters, learn the storied past of the area. Discover the history of the native Karankawa tribe, local shipwrecks, and more.

SPI Activities golf cart rentals are the best way to soak up some sun and cruise South Padre Island like a local. You can take a ride though Isla Blanca Park, catch a stunning sunset on the bay, or even stop in and visit our world famous sea turtles. From beach to bay the possibilities are endless when you ride with us. 

Benefit from the knowledge of a local skipper to find the best wild dolphin-watching spots off South Padre Island on this cruise. Savor the salt air as you visit sites favored by pods of dolphins; and watch for bottlenose and spinner varieties, turtles, and seabirds in their natural habitat. Learn about the wildlife from the crew and get up-close to marine life gathered from and quickly returned to the sea.

Get around South Padre Island like a local: on a golf cart. This 8-hour rental comes with your choice of 4-seater or 6-seater vehicle to suit your group. Cruise the streets of South Padre by gas-powered golf cart, with LED lights and a bluetooth-connected sound system. From beach to bay, the possibilities are endless.

SPI Activities Golf Cart and Bicycle rentals are the best way to soak up some sun and cruise South Padre Island like a local. You can take a ride though Isla Blanca Park, catch a stunning sunset on the bay, or even stop in and visit our world famous sea turtles. From beach to bay the possibilities are endless when you ride with us. 

San Padre Island’s small size makes getting around on a bike one the best ways to explore. This 24-hour bicycle rental is an affordable way to travel from place to place without tiring out your walking legs. Plus, since the rental company has more than 15 bikes, it can accommodate bigger groups, too, and you can choose from multiple pickup times for added convenience.

Alley Kat Adventures is an Austin, TX-based event design company offering city scavenger hunts in 30 cities in the US and Mexico as well as custom events worldwide. Our specially hand-crafted, interactive quests are equal parts tour, cultural experience, creative challenge, detective hunt, & social experiment! Guests get to discover hidden gems off the beaten trail while completing fun missions!

Using an app on your smartphone, you'll be given nearly 120 objects to find during your scavenger hunt. You'll then wander throughout the downtown area searching for the items. Once you've found the object, you'll send a photo in to score points. Along the way, you will perform challenges for even more points. You'll have 13 categories of objects you can find in this city walk, with each object varying in points depending on the difficulty. Don't worry, you won't be alone. You'll have a remote guide that will be texting you during your game if you need help or have a question. They will also encourage you and give you hints along the way! The objective of the game is to have fun, rank #1 on the leaderboard, and try to get as many points as possible by finding all of the objects!

PRIVATE FISHING 1-4 PASSENGERS South Padre Island Bay Fishing! Join us on the beautiful Laguna Madre for a private fishing charter for 1 to 4 passengers aboard a 20 ft Shallow Sport Boat, equipped with fish cooler,bottled water and dry storage for personal Items. Specializing in catching Redfish, Speckled Trout, Black Drum and Flounder