Beaches: South Padre Island boasts beautiful sandy beaches that are ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing. Regarding Isla Blanca Park in SPI, USA Today ranks Isla Blanca Park in South Padre Island as the #1 beach destination in Texas. The island is home to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, where visitors can observe a wide array of bird species in their natural habitat. The continental shelf drops steeply offshore of South Padre Island, creating the kind of waves not typically seen in the shallow Gulf.