How does South Padre beach compare to Port A's (Austin: renting, movies)

[DashRiprock]

Ha - just realized we've bumped an 8 year old thread. I guess the question was re-asked so that's OK?

[DashRiprock]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

SPI has decent water quality, good surf, one of the best Italian restaurants in the STATE (and I am so super picky about Italian food)

Which one is that? I'd always heard that Venetian Hot Plate in Port Aransas was one of the best.

I personally don't eat enough Italian food to have much of an opinion but VHP was really good from what I remember.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by DashRiprock

Which one is that? I'd always heard that Venetian Hot Plate in Port Aransas was one of the best.

I personally don't eat enough Italian food to have much of an opinion but VHP was really good from what I remember.

Gabriella's SPI! I grew up in St Louis where pretty much all restaurant food is Italian and very few Italian restaurants in Texas make me happy -- I just gave up and eat Italian when I leave the state -- but Gabriella's blew me away! Only drawback is that there is always a long wait.



Gabriella's Italian Grill & Pizzeria - South Padre Island, Texas

[ScoPro]

SPI- 4th of July, 2016 - my family rented a 4 bedroom condo (half of a duplex) on the beach, Beats Port A hands down (and we used to stay at the Sandcastle every summer in Port A).
No cars parked on the beach - just the occasional beach patrol & utility vehicle driving by.

We like dining at the Sea Ranch restaurant by the marina across from Schlitterbahn. We'll have to try the Italian place next trip.

[janejanejanejanejane]

If I am going to drive 6+ hours for a beach that is "meh", I might as well drive 6 more hours for an amazing beach in Florida. I am a Texan at heart, but Texas beaches are not beautiful. Or appealing.

[DashRiprock]

I've only been to one Florida beach (near Tampa) and certainly would agree that it's better, but SPI isn't "meh". It's a pretty nice beach.

[m1a1mg]

Originally Posted by janejanejanejanejane

If I am going to drive 6+ hours for a beach that is "meh", I might as well drive 6 more hours for an amazing beach in Florida. I am a Texan at heart, but Texas beaches are not beautiful. Or appealing.

Agree completely. Once you visit the panhandle of Florida, SPI won't even warrant a "meh".

Originally Posted by DashRiprock

I've only been to one Florida beach (near Tampa) and certainly would agree that it's better, but SPI isn't "meh". It's a pretty nice beach.

First time I ever drove to SPI, I got out of the car, looked around, and drove back to Fort Hood. I'd heard all this talk for years about it, and it was a complete disappointment.

This is where I go.

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Gabriella's SPI! I grew up in St Louis where pretty much all restaurant food is Italian and very few Italian restaurants in Texas make me happy -- I just gave up and eat Italian when I leave the state -- but Gabriella's blew me away! Only drawback is that there is always a long wait.



Gabriella's Italian Grill & Pizzeria - South Padre Island, Texas

YES! We loved Gabriella's too! Really pleasantly surprised.

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by DashRiprock

but SPI isn't "meh". It's a pretty nice beach.

The people calling it "meh" are those that want white sands. But from cocoa brown to volcanic black, there's just too much of a palette of beach sand colors across the world to get preoccupied with this aspect.

SPI's only competition in the US is Hawaii and peninsular Florida. The Florida Panhandle has may have blinding white sands, but the winters there get too cold and there are more problems with nutrient discharge.

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by m1a1mg

This is where I go.

The water clarity in that photo is not even better than what is typically seen at SPI. What you are seeing is just hue off the whiter sands.