South Padre Island was granted to Nicolás Ballí by King Carlos III of Spain in 1759 and later passed to Ballí’s grandson, Padre José Nicolás Ballí. Padre José brought the first permanent settlers, establishing a church and teaching Christianity to the Karankawa Indians who used to be the Island’s only inhabitants, along with the sea turtles and migratory birds. Nowadays, 50 years after its inception, The City of South Padre Island is home to 2,035 permanent residents with four million annual visitors. (Courtesy photo by Michael Sularz)
LAURIE COKER
By LAURIE COKER
Special to the PRESS
A mass exodus happens after Labor Day from area beaches. School is back in session, jobs need attention and the holiday season looms. When people think about traveling in the fall, more often than not, travelers look to temperate climes or stay close to home. October signifies the beginning of Autumn – football, cooler weather, and time for less hectic vacations. Recently, The Discover Blog offered a list of the 12 beach destinations they deem better in the fall, and this lovely little barrier island, South Padre Island, made the list alongside places like Portugal, Greece, California and Costa Rica.
Admittedly, a sense of pride comes with a mention like this – SPI is akin and compared to what many consider more exotic places. Playa Grande, Costa Rica, and its sea turtles; Elafonisi Beach, Greece, and its “shimmering turquoise waters” and perfect temperatures; and even Jumeirah Public Beach, Dubai, UAE, with its impressive beaches and SCUBA diving, are linked to South Padre Island and its beautiful and “warm, swimmable waters.” Other places on the “even better in the fall” list of beaches include Praia do Norte, Portugal; La Jolla Shores, California; Huntington Beach, South Carolina; Eagle Beach, Aruba; Plage d’Étretat, France; Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Playa Jardín, Tenerife, Canary Islands; and Sveti Stefan Beach, Montenegro. Each destination described offers excellent diversions for would-be visitors, and it can feel amazingly flattering to be included on such an international and impressive list.
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