Eye Spy S.P.I.

[Rocket1964]

These photos are from a family vacation in Feb. 2007. We drove from Thunder Bay On. to South Padre Island and it took us 32 hours. Well worth the drive though. See for yourself.

My first look at the island and the Queen Isabella Causeway.

The welcome sign.

More causeway.

The pool at our hotel ( Sheraton) which, of course was under renovations.

Not only was the hotel under reno but the Sapphire Tower (now complete 31 stories) was being constructed right next door. Many early morning risings with the noise. We moved to another hotel after 5 days.

I love palm trees. Being from Northern Canada we don't see too many.

Jaws Ahhhhhhhhhhh, one of many local gift shops on the island.

The SPI water tower with Wataburger on the right. Good burgers, good price LOL.

I liked the name.

Some beautiful condos on the Laguna Madre side of the island.

Louis's Back Yard infamous restaurant on the island.

Another souvenir store.

Inside the store.

Looking North along the beach.

Our Hotel under construction.

Swim at your own risk ! ! ! !

I really liked the looks of this building.

Sunchase Resort.

Heron in the Conservation area near the Convention Center on the North part of the island.

Sunset over the Laguna Madre at the conservation area.

A sportfishers paradise.

This is a home actually on the Port Isabel side of the causeway but I love it so I added it to the SPI thread.

Long view of the causeway.

Another heron enjoying someone's pool

Pan from atop the Port Isabel lighthouse.

And another.

The highway north of the populated area of the island where the sand blows onto the roadway.

Oil! Oil! Oil!

Extra cool Mexican Ice Cream truck cruising the beach and playing spanish toooons.

Inside CloudNine store. You can figure out why they call it CloudNine.

The Fisherman's memorial dedicated to fishermen that have lost their lives at sea.


This concludes my tour of SPI. I had a great time there and I hope you can see it in my photos.

[jodelli]

Nice. Reminds me a bit of Longboat Key.

[Boris]

Great tour. This is the first thread I've seen about SPI here. Thanks for that.

[KevinFromTexas]

Sweet. I can never get enough of that place. Anywhere along the coast. I'd live along the coast if it weren't for the threat of storms.

[Rocket1964]

Thanks guys, I've got lots of Corpus and Port Isabel too.

[Boris]

I've got lots of Corpus and Port Isabel too

Hope you'll post them here.

[Top Of The Park]

I like the looks of this place

[KevinFromTexas]

Yes, please do post the ones of Corpus. I missed out on a trip there this year.

[Rocket1964]

^I will try and get that done tonight. They are mostly marina area pics since that is where we stayed on the way thru to SPI.

[oldmanshirt]

Very cool, I can't wait to see your Corpus Pics. I sure do miss living within a couple hours of the beach.

And Whataburger (often mispronounced "Water-burger") is definitely in my top 3 burger places of all-time

[10101000]

Very nice

[OfCourse]

Ha. Wow. I've never seen an SPI thread on here!

[Rocket1964]

Originally Posted by OfCourse

Ha. Wow. I've never seen an SPI thread on here!

You live very close you should run over and get some shots of those new towers for us. I would really like to see them.

[Texas Tuff]

Great pics! I love SPI, my favorite vacation of all time was a week I spent on the island some years ago.

[smokey2]

By far one of the best beaches in Texas

[LSyd]

i wanna go now. looks nice, i like the Sunchase Resort, ziggurat buildings are cool.

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[Metro Matt]

Nice little SPI thread & pics you got here. I would have thought the water would have been a lot more clear though being that far south...

[Rocket1964]

Thanks everyone for the comments and glad I could post something a little different than usual for you guys/girls.
This is the probable reason for the brown water in the are I took that pic in question. In the name of Texas Tourism I post this new one showing the fresh sand that is probably being washed into the water creating the brown color.