SOUTHPADREISLANDCONVENTIONANDVISITORSBUREAU7355PadreBlvd.,SouthPadreIsland,TX78597(956)761-3005*(956)761-3024fax

Contact:

NancyBotello,nancy@sopadre.com

NewLifeonSouthPadreIslandASeasonforGrowth

Similartoitsshoreline,SouthPadreIslandiseverchangingandalwaysevolving.Sothen,itshouldcomeasnosurprisethatwe’reexperiencingseveralmajorchangesandnewdevelopmentsthatwillinfusenewlifeintoouralreadyvibrantanddiversebeachtown.Ifyou’vepaidavisittoourIslandoverthelastfewmonths,youmayhavecaughtaglimpseofafew,excitingdevelopmentsalreadytakingshape.CommercialDevelopmentsLocatedatthefootoftheQueenIsabellaMemorialCausewayistheconstructionsiteforthenewSouthPadreIslandMultimodalFacility,whichwillserveasaone-stoptransportationhubfortheeasternCameronCounty,Texasregion.Duetoitsprimelocation,theprojectwillbeatruenaturalgatewaytoSouthPadreIsland.ThehubwillincludeatransferstationtobeusedbyIslandMetro,regionaltransitsystemMetroConnect,ruraltransitsystemValleyMetro,futureintercitybusproviders,charterbusesandtaxis.Othermodesoftransportationtobeaccommodatedbytheprojectincludepedestrian,carshareandbikeshare.Theterminalwillalsoconnecttotwointernationalairportsandtwointernationalbusterminalsthroughitscoordinationwithregionaltransitsystems.OtherupdatesincludedintheprojectinvolvetheSouthPadreIslandVisitorsCentre,passengeramenities,driveramenities,administrativeofficesandpark-&-ridesite. TheFiestaPlaza,locatedat410PadreBlvd.,andhometosuchIslandfavoritesasKohnami–Teppanyaki,SteakandSushiBar,andTuesdayMorning–RetailShop,hasnearlyreachedthecompletionofitsmajorbuildingrenovations.AfreshcoatofbrightwhitepaintandtheadditionofsomeaestheticallypleasingmetalentrywayshavebroughttheFiestaPlazabuildingbacktolife.Inadditiontothenewlookandfeelofthebuilding,visitorscanlookforwardtodiningatthePlaza’sbrandnewRusso’sNewYorkPizzeria,insideSuite101,andshoppingatournewestsurfshop,IslandStyle,insideSuite103.ContinueyourshoppingjourneydownPadreBoulevardandstopinforawalkaroundthebrandnewSistersInteriorsbuilding,locatedat2901PadreBlvd.,tostockuponyourfillofbeautifulhomedécoraccessoriesandfinegiftsincludingsilverjewelry,glasswares,aromatherapycandlesandmuchmoretopersonalizeyourhome.

RestaurantsandNightlifeDiningandnightlifeplayanimportantroletovisitorsandresidentsofSouthPadreIsland,andwe’reexcitedtowelcomeagrowingmenuofnew,hungerinducingrestaurants,andchillhangoutspots.Servingupfresh,homemadepasta,pizza,Panini,steaksandmore,TheMeatballCafeproudlymakestheirpastafromscratcheverymorning.ElCorazonDeMexicoTaqueria,locatedatthePalmettoPlaza,isservingupfresh,authenticMexicantaquitoswithallthefan-favoritefixings--grilledonions,jalapenos,andspicysalsa.Harry’sBarisoneofSouthPadreIsland’snewesthangouts;stopbyforcolddrinks,savorysnacksandofcourse–Harryhimself!Justafewblocksnorthyou’llfindMontana’sBar&Grill.AtMontana’syoucanenjoytwoseparateexperiencesunderoneroof:TheKraken(downstairs)isafamilyfriendlyrestaurant;and,ApartmentA(upstairs)islikeasportsbaronIslandtime,wheretheshadesarerolledupandthecoolbreezeisblowing.It’shardnottohaveagreattime.Parks&OutdoorAmenitiesIfyou’relookingformoreoutdoorfamilyfunactivitiesonSouthPadreIsland,you’rewaitisalmostover!JohnL.TompkinsParkisnearcompletionandwillfeaturealargenauticalthemedkidsplayground,multiplebasketballcourts,askatepark,cleanrestroomsandalargeparkingarea.SkipjackProperties,L.L.C.,ispleasedtoofferupevenmoreoutdoorfamilyfun,withJim’sPierandTheGrille.Jim’sPier,intheirnewlocationat211W.SwordfishSt.,isashipstorethatsellsgifts,bait,tackleandapparelandoffersoutdoorservicessuchasbayfishingboats,privatefishingguides,aboatramp,trailerparkingandboatslips.AfteralongdayoffishingyoucanstopatTheGrille,anopen-airrestaurantfeaturingislandfavorites,afullservicebar,andacookyourowncatchoption.TheGrilleisslatedtore-openinthenewlyrenovatedspaceat202W.WhitingSt.,adjacenttoJim’sPier.

Jim’sPier

Hotel&LodgingHotelandlodgingoptionsareplentifulonSouthPadreIslandbutgetready,becausetwomorespectacularhotelsareheadedyourway!ThenewlyconstructedLighthouseInn,locatedonthebaysideofPadreBoulevard,isexpectedtohaveagrandopeninglaterthissummer–justintimeforyourbeachvacation.VisitorstoSouthPadreIslandcanlookforwardtosteppingintotheCourtyardbyMarriotin2017.Thisfull-servicebeachfronthotelwillfeature216largeguestroomsand10,000squarefeetofmeetingspacealongwithabeachsiderestaurant,aworld-classbarandserviceouttoitsbeachsidepool.ConventionCentreTheSouthPadreIslandConventionCentre,alongwithitsfamousWylandWallandboardwalknaturetrails,havebeenaSouthPadreIslandstapleformorethantwodecades,andhaverecentlyundergoneanincrediblerenovationprocess.Themulti-milliondollarrenovationsincludeacompleterestructuringoftheConventionCentrefoundation,solarlightingacrosstheparkinglotandoutdoorlandscape,indoorandoutdoordigitalsignage,dynamicandvividpaintingupdatesofbothinteriorandexteriorwalls,theinstallationofnewcarpetingtocomplimentthenewinteriorcolorschemes,theinstallationofnewhigh-techairwallsinallmeetingrooms,naturallightenhancementsininteriorwalkways,akitchenremodel,modernbanquetanddecorativefurnitureadditions,andafiber-opticnetworktostrengthenWiFisignalandreliability.PadreBoulevardHowever,SouthPadreIsland’sfavoritespotscouldnotbereachedwithoutfortheisland’smainroadway,PadreBoulevard.SouthPadreIsland’smostfamousstripofroadwaywillsoonbeundergoingmajorimprovementsofitsowntobragabout.WithsidewalksandbikepathsbeingaddedallthewayuptotheConventionCentre,itwillbeeasierthanevertowalk,run,orbikeanywhereontheIsland.PadreBoulevardwillbeenhancedwiththeextensionofourmedianswithcolorful,lushplantlife,anddecorativepavingonalldriveways.

CourtyardbyMarriot

SupportfromMayorPatel“With15milesofnewbikelanesandsidewalks,anewcommunitypark,anewcommunitycenterandanewlyrenovatedconventioncenter,SouthPadreIslandisonthemovewithexcitingdevelopmentsforourvisitorsandourgrowingresidentialcommunity,”saidSouthPadreIslandMayor,BarryPatel.“BothoftheCameronCountyParksonSouthPadreIslandareundergoingamajorfaceliftandconstructionofnewpublicamenitiessuchasanamphitheaterwillfurtherenhancethe'TropicalPadreExperience',soplanatripdownsoonorbecomeapartofourgrowingcommunity.”Whetheryou’rejustcomingforadayvisit,oryou’llbespendingafewmonthslivingonislandtime,besuretotakeacloselookaroundandexperiencealloftheincrediblenewlifeflowingthroughSouthPadreIsland.

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