We dry camped for our five night stay, which was fine for our needs on this visit. The staff is very helpful and friendly. Nice access to the beach and directly across the highway from the convention center. Do wish they would take the curves out of the entry and exit driveways, it's a curb scraper for long wheel base motor homes. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This a Cameron county park as well as Isla Blanca Park. Isla Blanca is on the south end of the island, and Andy Bowie is on the north end. This park was a parking lot for people to access the beach, and they turned one half of it into an RV park. It is just a Parking lot with hook-ups at the back of the site, but it is quite and really private. The beach was not very busy on this end of the island. The sites are just over the sand dunes to the beach (about 100 yards) There are 2 bath houses, one for the campers, and the other is for day use. My biggest complaint was the driveway getting into the park was very sharp and with a big rig your tires will rub the curb. This was obviously not designed for use by RV's when it was built. Once inside, we really enjoyed our stay. The park workers clean the beach daily of any sea weed that washes up. We really enjoyed our stay at this park. The water and sand were very beautiful. Lots of things to do around town, Brownsville, Mexico, Port Isabelle lighthouse, etc. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Brand new park. Basically a parking lot with hookups but just over the sand dunes from the Gulf of Mexico. Big shade pavillion with picnic tables between campsites & Gulf. Sewer hookups could have been engineered better. Very nice rangers. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Overall a great experience, except for being evacuated for Hurricane-Tropical Storm Alex!! It is what it is: a county park turned RV park. Has great access to the Island, beach, jetties, and activities. No shade, some sites are EXTREMELY narrow/odd-shaped. Office staff very helpful over the phone finding me a site, and in person giving me a refund for evacuation. I liked the fact that it was close to everything we did. Will definitely stay here again when we visit. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is a large park. We called and were quoted $202 plus a $15 electric deposit. As it turns out, this is the premium rate for "Gulf view" sites. We had a Gulf view through one window that wasn't obstructed by the RV next to or behind us. The site was as narrow as we have ever been in. We could not put our awning out because we were too close to the next unit; and we were as far to the other side of the pad as possible. The area is beautiful with many activities. It's just a short walk to the beach. The wind blew strong the week we visited; however, when it let up, the bugs were nasty. They do have many sites more spacious; however, we just didn't know to ask, and they were quite full, so maybe our site was the only one available? Nice experience, but will only return if we can get a better site. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The park location is convenient to SPI activities and the camping fees include access to a nice fishing jetty and beach. However the park is not being well maintained and is showing its age. Many utility posts have broken or damaged boxes that have not been replaced or repaired. Previous campers have left unwanted items like rugs and trash which have not been removed. Site size varies greatly. Some are very narrow. One camper near us had their slide several inches under their neighbors awning. Our pull through had two narrow strips of pavement for parking, unfortunately our duels were wider than the strips. No way to fit without part of a tire hanging off. Be aware that check-in is about a block or two before entrance to park. Watch signs carefully. The people at check-in were not rude but were also not helpful. They neglected to give us several very important pieces of info, like the gate code for re-entering the park after dark (!) and the fact that there was an alternative entrance if the 13-foot height clearance was too short for your RV! Height clearance was not posted, we had to ask the gate attendant. Camping locations on the island are very limited. If we returned to area we would look for something on the mainland and do day trips to SPI. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We like this park and return often. It is full for January & February but sometimes a cancellation comes in. Folks from all over the US and Canada mostly in the winter months. Sites have grass and a table. Not pristine but the rates reflect that. Easy walk to the beach and jetty. A one mile bike/hike paved path surrounds the gated grounds. RV repair and wash/wax available from vendors. Electric is charged for one week plus. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The beach is GREAT! The park is no frills. The grounds were okay, but it seams the "long term" campers plant what they want and customize the sites to their liking. Some sites had tiled patios and other just had minimal concrete to park your rig. Our biggest complaint was the burs in the grass. The kids and the dog were constantly stepping on them and getting them stuck in their feet. It makes you wear your saddles constantly. Make sure you look for the bigger sites when reserving, because some of the sites are very tight, but others are very well spaced. I would stay there again only because of the beach, but my wife is not so convinced because of the all the burs in the grass. The KOA next door looked very nice, but it is on the bay side. We may try it out next time, because you can always drive to the beach. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We really enjoyed staying at Isla Blanca Campground. Our site was next to the statue of Christ by the helipad. It is very, very windy staying right on the beach so beware of that. We never put out our awning but at the same time: it was not too hot because of the wind. We loved being so close to the beach, the restaurants and playing in the ocean. We recommend this park to anyone, no matter their length of stay. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Rate is based on the monthly rate. We missed the registration office, located right after the KOA park entrance. We were on Turner St., site #C-149, ample space with a concrete patio. This is a one-way street, head-in site, designed to be driven into from the opposite direction, which is closed off. So, getting into the site was awkward for a 40' motorhome. Landscaping needs improvement. The beach area was very crowded during Easter week. The beach and pavilions were cleaned daily. I would stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Perfect location. Overall just average campground. Sites are just OK. Park maintenance is done at minimum. New Internet service is mediocre, at best. Overloads at peak periods. All this being said, we have already reserved our site for next winter. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
We came in on a Sunday night after the office closed but the gate attendant gave us a map and our choice of 30 sites. None of the sites had an ocean view. There is an extensive cleanup operation going on at the beach but it will take a few more weeks for all the hurricane debris to be picked up. The campground mosquitoes were real bad but biking in town and on the beach was mosquito free. Our Verizon connection worked great and our site had cable. Only 20% of the sites were full but this will change as winter approaches. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We opted for a spot on the end of the road with only 30 amp electricity, but a much better view than the pull throughs in the middle with 50 amp service. After heading in, rather than backing in, we were able to maximize our view of the shipping channel. Lovely! We were snuggled in between 2 of the many 6 month residences, a pie shape site, with big back yard. Only 1 of those was being used and it was a family who lived a few miles away (weekend place). So it seems that if you get a site and like it, you can improve it. Some of these sites are very, very nice, and some are over grown with stickers and weeds. It did feel to us that the employees were "typical civil servants" i.e. they get paid if they do a good job or not and they can't be fired. This is a great place, like camping in a State or Federal Park.... without the Hosts. Isla Blanca Park could be a resort, with the right management. We were dismayed to find no recycle in the park. We were told there used to be, but "they" took them away. We inquired about a spot on the island we could go. Not here! One must take one's recycle over the bridge, and a few blocks more to behind the fire station. We did. So I have to give this lovely location a 7. Two points down for lack of maintenance, & one big point down for failing the recycle awareness responsibility test. Our Internet In Motion worked great! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Rate reflects monthly rate. Stayed for 3 months, Oct-Dec, will return next fall. Great location, we stayed in section "A" outside the gate next to Dirty Al's. Island has great beach and many fine places to eat. Surf and bay fishing was great. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We really loved this park. We went with the expectation that the sites would be close together and there would be little shade...but it's beach camping in a resort area. The park was very clean. The buildings are old, but the bathrooms were kept very clean and well stocked. I wish they had shower curtains for privacy. We camped with our daughter who is under 2 years old and could take her stroller all over the place. My one complaint was the park staff. We called ahead of time to confirm our reservation and were told to call back the next day. They closed earlier than they said....and no one was at the gate. Although it caused us some stress and some added expense on our cell phones....it did not delay us getting a site or getting into the park. I was very impressed with the fishing line recycling stations!!! It's beneficial to sea life, birds, and people. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
Huge place. Almost all seasonals. Most of those folks were hospitable to us transients, but it was clear we were being treated as outsiders! Or even "yankees". No shade at all. Some grass. Sites very level but VERY close together. Beautiful location at the tip of the island, otherwise. One negative encounter with one of the regulars who treated me very rudely one evening when I tried to use the internet connection when I was apparently not supposed to! Like she owned the place and made all the rules, etc. Easy for her to have handled the situation MUCH more politely but that wasn't her style, I guess, to treat a transient that way. She must have thought it was her private campground! Obviously left a bad taste in my mouth, since I still recall it! Otherwise, ok for the 10 days we were there. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was our first visit to South Padre Island and we'd heard good things about the county
park, Isla Blanca. We were not disappointed! It's a wonderful park and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. We were a stone's throw from the gulf and a wonderful walking beach. Propane trucks came by daily. Good security. Quiet and safe. Great Verizon cell phone reception so we were able to get on the internet using our cell easily.We opted to not sign up for phone service. Our satellite TV also worked great. We stayed for a month and had to pay our electric bill which turned out to be $20 extra. We were going to stay at Destinations RV Park which is right beside Isla Blanca but it was quite a bit more expensive. When we go back to South Padre, which is a wonderful place, we will definitely stay at Isla Blanca again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is a very nice park right on the water. No shady sites available, but we didn't mind. Bathrooms were clean and the staff was friendly. We are looking forward to our next visit. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This park was nice and clean and the staff was very friendly and helpful. But, the spaces were very close together and the roads were somewhat narrow and made it difficult to get our 5th wheel in the space. Also, the campground is on the Bay side of South Padre. There is a restaurant and bar in the back part of the property. The drive for that is shared with the campground. There is a very nice pier but you have to go through the restaurant to get to it. The rates are extremely high for what you get. We didn't notice the park being noisy at all. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This was our fourth time to stay at the KOA South Padre Island. We still like the KOA park, but I must agree with some of the other posts. The park is very crowded, noisy and the rates are sky high now. We stayed a month giving us a better rate, but the normal daily rates are way too high now. We checked some of the local hotels and you can now stay for almost the same price as KOA. If KOA keeps raising the prices we too will have to find another park. We also agree that some of the park staff are not very friendly or even rude. We know many of them and are friends, but it does seem that many don't really even like the guests. For instance, we were swimming one evening when a staff member came in to close the pool. He basically screamed at everyone including a couple of young kids (who almost cried). That's crazy... These people are on vacation and you are proving a service to them. If KOA reads these reviews I hope they take them to heart. If they don't change there ways soon they are going to start losing guests. I've seen campgrounds get a big head and then take a nose dive. Oh, we also had problems with the Wi-Fi. If KOA cannot fix the overall issues, then they must remove it as a feature of the park. We found problems almost every day. We reported them to the office, but were told "not our problem". I hope the General Managers read these reviews. You guys gotta review your operations or things are going to get worse. We've seen an ugly difference over the last couple of years. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Way over rated in the KOA Directory! The Wi-Fi did not work, they used every excuse they could find, the sites are VERY close together! We got a so called Super Site, I guess that is KOA's way of saying Gotch ya! Very noisy and what beach? What pier? I asked about the great wonderful drinks and everyone laughed? I had to use blocks to get level, the electric was OK but the TV system was very limited. The Manager was very rude but the work campers were great! They told me they get so many complaints regarding the same issues we experienced. I should have known KOA - KEEP ON ADDING! I will not return! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Let me begin by saying if I wanted kids running through my site and destroying my 150.00 sewer solution system I would have went to Disney world. This place allows children to run wild through out the park, and I mean run wild! Screaming until late in the evening (past 111:30 pm). We could not even enjoy the patio and view that we paid extra for. When I approached the so called manager he stated "There was nothing he could do"! So then I approached the parents of the unruly children and asked them to please control the kids, well it got very ugly from that point on. The site was level, the wireless did not work, when I asked the office staff about the wireless system they stated they do not have time or care to deal with it now. The view was very nice but the noise all night long was terrible. We were going to stay a week but because of the stated issues we left the next morning. The Manager refused to refund my money, over 455.00. I contacted KOA and they stated that it was the policy of KOA that once paid you forfeit the payment. I will never stay at a KOA again! If you are looking for a place where you can allow your children to run wild and disrupt everyone else the this is the place for you! We camped here in a Motorhome.
We found everything extremely clean and all park employees friendly and helpful anytime we needed anything. We used the showers, laundry, and pool a lot. The park is very child friendly as there were planned activities and the pool and playground were great for the kids to meet and play with others their age. We stayed in a 'premiere' site which was paved and though traffic passed daily, we really never heard much noise. Schlitterbaun water park is just down the street and was an awesome day for the whole family. Pier 19 was within walking distance and we found the food good, margaritas strong, and service very friendly. The view of the bay was great and sunsets every night from pier. We highly recommend this as a travel destination and will return as soon as we can. Advice: bring long sewage hose, plenty of sunscreen, and a social attitude as you are close to others. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is a nice park, clean, very friendly staff, but the premium beach sites are a joke. There is no beach here. The wi-fi did not work most nights after 5pm. The staff blamed Comcast and said it was this way on the whole island. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice campground. Very good staff. Sites are close together but manageable. Great views. Close to town and local amenities. Good local restaurants and beaches. We will stay there again and soon. Thanks We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stayed here for 6 months-from Nov 09-May 2010. It was a great experience. We paid $1,000/mo in Jan/Feb and $810/mo Mar-May. (The Bay side sites are more expensive). Not a lot of room between sites, but they do have beautiful shrubs and palms as buffers. The hot tub is great - 102 degrees. The pool at 80 degrees felt chilly, but was good once the air temp got into the 80s. The park, pool area, bathrooms and community/workout room are kept very clean. They have lots of fun activities for the Winter Texans - happy hours, Saturday breakfasts (cheap - $2/3!!) The employees are all very nice and friendly. They have added poured patios to most of the sites now. The white rock is actually great because it keeps the bugs/mosquitoes to a minimum. We have friends in the County Park next door and they complain about bugs, mosquitoes and burrs. It gets busy with kids during Texas week and Semana Santa, and the music from Schlitterbahn next door is really loud. Overall, it's a great place, but is quite expensive, however, you get what you pay for. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This is a great KOA park. They had a pull through long enough for our 40' RV and 24' trailer to stay connected, except the sewer connection was too far away and uphill to use. Electric and water were good. Cable TV was spotty and not much selection, but no trees to block satellite either. Spotless clean showers and pool area, laundry, office, work out room, all built inside two very large steel storage tanks. Very pet friendly park with a small but nice leash free area. The roads are paved and wide, easy to navigate the whole park. The sites are white gravel rock, with sharp edges. Hurts your feet to walk on, but keeps the sand and water from being a problem too. The wash and wax service was excellent, our bus looked brand-new. See the office for their card. We stayed a week. Checked out the other 2 parks on the island, and would probably choose the KOA if we stay here again. We suggest Black Beard's Restaurant to eat, it's the best on SPI. Also go to beach access #5, for a small fee you can drive right along the beach for several miles. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Typical KOA with crowded sites. We were in a premium site but could not see the view because the only place to park the truck was in front and across the site. Could not put the awning out because it would have hit the neighbors RV. The premium sites are designed primarily for Motorhomes where you can enjoy the view out the front window. The road in front of the premium sites goes to a restaurant and is a parade of traffic all day long. Delivery truck at 6:30 am. The dog walking area is very nice. Staff was helpful. We used it, as a base for doing the tourist things, it would never be a destination for us. We would probably not stay here again because we got very little for the price. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Since we were only able to stay 3 nights, we opted for the 'Regal Row' for Motorhomes ONLY which are pull-in sites with a bay view. We had site #112 which is the first site in the row closest to the office. Our front door opened to a private site with 5 lovely palm trees. The children playground was directly in front of us, but since we were there in Feb. it was used very little and not a problem at all. This is a top notch campground. Super friendly atmosphere, helpful courteous staff, and very very very pet friendly. The K9 Playground was wonderful for our two big labs. They enjoyed their stay as much as we did. We had a hot water heater problem and there was an Island RV Repair lady who came right to our site and fixed us up in no time. There are also vendors who come thru daily offering a full wash and wax of your coach. Due to the hot water problem we had, we used the showers and they were spotless and secure. The pool/spa is surrounded by a tall fence with palm trees inside so you have great atmosphere without the South Padre wind. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This was a KOA rate for a Premium pull-thru site with a bay view for a week. We felt the turns were tight for a 38 foot MH and that was after unhooking the toad. DH objected to a large open storage area behind us that had tables and what looked like building supplies. There was a road directly in front of us with continual traffic, day and night, going to Pier 19 restaurant. The laundry room was small with only 4 washers and 4 dryers and no sink. There was another laundry which I was told was even smaller. This looks like the only campground in the area so that probably explains why the rate was higher than we felt the park warranted. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This was a great park. The staff was happy, friendly, and eager to help with our needs. We would stay here again if we were back in the area. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Great park: clean and well cared for. The staff was friendly. The pool, hot tub and sunset deck are nice. Sites have white rock which although hard on bare feet, keep sand, etc. down. Pet friendly. Showers and laundry facilities were super. Although more costly than the county park, this park is great for a week or so stay. Not sure what the monthly rate is. About a half mile (easy) walk to beach and longer walk to county park and the break water. Would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We were here in snowbird season and the campground appeared to cater to longer term folks, mostly in motor homes and huge 5th wheels. I would not characterize this as a friendly place--people appeared very involved in their own circles, even at social events scheduled by the campground. We were first assigned a site that had problems with length and soft turf making it hard to unhook. The neighbor said this site was chronically a problem. We were re-assigned but the TV hookup was corroded and managers weren't in a hurry to look into it. On the plus side it was convenient to places on the island and much much nicer than the crowded public park. We would stay here again, but would expect more courtesy for the price. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Note - their nightly rate ranges from $42-64 and we are paying by the month, so not sure how much it is per night right now. Anyways, we have been here for almost one month and are enjoying every minute! It is a very well-kept, safe, family oriented campground. The sites are roomy enough and are covered with white rock which gives a very clean look. It is walking/biking distance to the beach and county park and convenient to lots of restaurants and shopping. The employees are all very friendly. The sunset deck is perfect for dolphin watching and taking in gorgeous sunsets over Laguna Madre. The pool is kept @ 80 degrees and the hot tub nice and hot (@ 102 degrees). Included in the rate is floor and pool aerobics, (3 days a week), and a Tone and stretch class one day a week. They have monthly social gatherings too. We will definitely be back in the future. We camped here in a Motorhome.
A very clean and nicely landscaped park. Not enough pull thrus. The back-in are more spacious and nicer. Easy to find and enter. Desk personal were friendly enough, however, their man to guide you to your site has a really bad attitude. First he literally yelled at me for not downloading my toad before entering the park, then got even angrier when he tried to make turn 270 degrees with a tow dolly toad into our site and I wouldn't. It wasn't just me either, I watched him scold out another guest when guiding him to their site. Not sure we'll ever go there again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This park is located on the bay side of the Island, which was not a problem. We got into the truck and drove to the public beach accesses. During one of the frequent rain showers the electric was off to the campground for 1 hour plus. When I went to the office to inquire about this: one of the desk help was not very cordial; the rest of the staff was very nice and helpful at all times. The park is easy to find and get to, and since we camped off season, not very busy. No complaints: we stayed four nights. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is a great park with a wonderful location. We absolutely love the area and this KOA has a great location with an excellent fish grill behind them. The park staff are great. We stayed here for almost the entire summer with our son and we loved the place. It can get a little noisy on the weekends and sites are fairly close together, but that's what you get at the coast. They have excellent facilities with great Wi-Fi and cable TV. The only complaint I have is the price. Monthly wasn't bad, but they just raised the prices for 2010 and now spots are in the $50+ range!! Not cheap, but a nice park. Remember, you get to fish for free across the bridge in Port Isabel. My son and I did almost every night and it was fantastic! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Nice Staff, great view of the Gulf but the sites are so close we were touching the other rig if we put out our awning, poorly laid out. The Wi-Fi was down due to a storm (we understand problems do happen). We lost electricity for an hour but other than that it was OK. I would not return. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
We were left a clear map to our clean, white-rocked Regal (premium) front-in site on the bay for our after-hours arrival. The white rocks really helped keep the MH clean and cut down on the heat. We used a couple blocks in front to be level. Super friendly and helpful front desk staff even tracked us down to return a camera we had left behind at the nearby pier restaurant (my thanks to Phil). Well-kept grounds and no problems with security. We enjoyed our site’s palm tree, flowering bushes, ocean breeze. Easy to drive to nearby county beach ($4/day permit) for sand and waves (bay side here pretty but not for swimming). Useful store. Good workout facility with treadmills, bikes, free weights, some Nautilus-type equipment. Nice pool. Free Wi-Fi but did not enjoy the Tengo problems. Good water and electric, although watched slightly dipping (never problematic) voltage a couple really hot days. Wished one neighbor would have secured his sewer hookup a little better - loose tippy fitting let some smell out. Free cable TV. Good dog walking areas with poop bags supplied, also a cute exercise area with a couple pieces of dog agility equipment. Trash pickup at site. Super clean restrooms/shower/laundry (4 washers & driers), although on-demand hot water did die one day. We would love to come back. Rate is based on 7 day stay and KOA discount. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Well kept and nice view. There is a trolley that picks up from the park. There are many beach areas to choose from. Pool is beautiful and the activities are great. We would stay here again! We camped here in a Motorhome.
A typical KOA, over Priced and short changed! I can not believe how they pack the RV's in. We were going to stay two weeks and stayed three days. We would have stayed longer but we were waiting for our mail from escapees. Then we find out we could not receive mail there. We had to drive down to a bar to pick it up. Never again will we stay at a KOA. I would rather stay at Wal-mart on the generator than to be treated like this. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Positives: Good location, friendly staff, Wi-Fi. Negatives: Sites are ridiculously close together, no room for tow vehicles. People parked anywhere and everywhere possible. Slide-out butted right up against a palm tree. My neighbor's table was about 18 inches from my sewer connection (which required 36 feet of sewer hose to reach). Large rock pads (not crushed gravel, but egg-sized rocks). Looks like someone decided to convert what should be pull through sites to back-in so more campers could be crammed together. Parts of this park badly need to be re-engineered. If you stay here during peak season, request a premium site. Otherwise, don't expect a view of anything but your neighbor's rig on all four sides. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This campground is not inviting to families. There is no grass. It is all large stone and hurts the feet even with shoes on. You are constantly twisting your ankles. Also, you sit on top of your neighbors campsite. The pool and hot tub are both in need of repair. We mentioned it to the management and were told they were working on it, but it has been this way for some time. It is extremely pricey for what you receive. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is a beautiful park! We were waterfront and that was nice to wake up to in the morning! Great restaurant with fishing trips that leave from their dock. No swimming or beach as this park is on the bay. Isla Blanca is right next door and has good beaches. There is a trolley that picks up from the park and takes you all the way up the island. There are many beach areas to choose from. The restrooms, office, and TV/game room are inside an old water tower. Restrooms were super clean! Pool is beautiful! Rate reflects our entire family with pets. We would stay here again! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was a very nice park in a great location! We enjoyed all the amenities, like the pool, spa, and fitness center. The people were great and the location could not have been better! We were parked on a coarse rock pad, which I thought I would not like, but we got used to it and it really helped to keep the coach clean as we did not track in grass, dirt or sand. The only negative is that this park is on a public road, and there is no restriction on access by the public. Our BBQ grill was stolen. After that, we kept everything locked up! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Sites were OK. Sites were large rocks which were tough on my feet. Had 50 amp service with a chipped plug on the pedestal. Seemed to be OK, tho. Staff friendly and helpful. Person will park you. Windy when we were here, but fairly warm. Higher end rvers but nice to each other. Still damage on the island from the last hurricane. Cheaper places to stay (County park next door) with the same hookups. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Stayed in the 'pull in' premium sites with bay view out the windshield. This campground seems to have improved over last year, and everything was perfect. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because the RV pads are rock instead of concrete and getting down to get in my RV compartments killed my knees plus walking outside barefooted took a little getting used to until the outdoor carpet was in place. Other than the rocked RV pads this is a fantastic campground We camped here in a Motorhome.
I almost agree 100% with the prior post. We stayed in the expensive premium spots too, right by the dog poop area. Good but not great. The rocked pads and walk ways kill this place. Nice pool and nice commons area. Great restaurant and bar at the fishing pier, but the rocks have to go. If you don't live in the valley, it's a long way to drive to walk around on a lot of rocks. I might try the park at the end of the island next time (closer to the beach), i think it is a municipal park. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very friendly and accommodating staff. Sites are a bit tight but not uncomfortable. Very clean park facilities. We would stay here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
We loved this place and it was accessible to everything. The staff was friendly and helpful with everything and you could never ask for a better campground. This was an exceptional KOA and we will certainly stay again. It is a little costly for a campground, but expected to be near the ocean. This is an A++ for a campground. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Park is clean, staff is great, facilities are terrific. I have nothing but very good things to say about this campground. We stayed here five nights and enjoyed it the entire time. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
We stayed here for 6 nights during Spring Break. We took advantage of the premium spaces facing the bay. What a view! Site was gravel, but level. Facilities were excellent. Kids stayed busy all the time we were here. We took advantage of the fishing charters at the pier on the property, and other water sports available at the marina next door. Some bad weather made us appreciate the fact that the office & common areas were converted from old liquid storage tanks that would withstand almost anything. Only bad experience was dinner at the pier restaurant. It was a great place for lunch or snack or cocktails, just not prepared for a large dinner rush. Overall it was a great visit. We will return in the future. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The earlier reviews are accurate. We stayed on a pull-thru site. They are very narrow and water, sewer and electric for the adjoining site are very close outside your door. I would recommend the back-in sites if you want some elbow room. Excellent views. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stayed in a pull-thru "Regal Row" site at this RV park. The view of the Laguna Madre Bay was beautiful from the front window of our RV. The sites were all rock and grass is limited throughout the park though we did have a small grassy area in front of our RV. The staff was extremely helpful in every way! The park is dog-friendly and has a sandy dog walk area along the bay. There is a restaurant on site. The food was as good as that served at most of the island's other restaurants. The bathrooms, showers and pool were clean. There is a playground for children and a lovely deck for viewing the sunset. The on-site gym workout room and lounge area were attractive. Our visit was during the off-season so we had lots of room around our site; however, the sites would probably have felt close together if we had had other campers on both sides of our RV. I would recommend this RV Park to anyone visiting South Padre Island. There are activities for both adults and children. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The location is good, the swimming pool is nice, restrooms/shower areas are clean, and the staff is friendly; on the downside, quiet time or "picking up after your pet" rules were not enforced. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is a well kept and attractive, sun drenched RV park on the southern tip of South Padre Island.There are few trees anywhere on the island except palms so make sure your A/C and awning are working and ready to go. South Padre is HOT in the summer! The location is great, right on the bay with a view of the causeway with a fishing pier, which guests can use for free. The kids and I had a great time catching many small fish off this pier at night. The cafe on the pier was quite good as well. It was great to be able to stroll over to the cafe from your campsite in the evening. Weekend days got somewhat crowded as the spots are rather tightly spaced. All the spots are paved or gravelled with large (ping pong ball size) white rocks. This tended to amplify the heat and made walking without shoes unpleasant. Bring your awning mat! Bathrooms were outstanding and clean. The staff was attentive and obviously took good care of the park. The converted water tank buildings were very cool! We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
We would stay here again, but it is over priced. Cramped sites typical of a KOA. Friendly, quick check-in. WIFI and cable tv. Pool was very crowded and the second day, they couldn't open the pool until 3:00 due to chemical problems. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This is a very nice park with clean facilities. Staff was helpful. This park is right on the water, so there is a gorgeous view. This was our 2nd time to stay in the park, and I give it high ratings. No issues to speak of other than the lack of shade, but that is to expected since they are right on the beach. We loved it! We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This is now a KOA. They are trying to update many of the facilities. The grounds are being cleaned. We were told they could accommodate a 45' rig without difficulty. The site was great with clear view of the bay. However it could not fit our rig and toad. Since they were not full no problem. If full we would have had to park our toad far away from site. Site also sloped significantly in the front. Could get satellite reception. The wind was high so chose not to use Datastorm. If necessary then would worry about general windy conditions being almost constant here on the island. Overall would definitely return. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Sites are close together here and the park has an air of the "old style". Roads are paved but all else is 1 1/2" rock that you get to camp on. Location is OK but this park is not our cup of tea. If it were full, it would be a mess! Office staff were very friendly. Hot tub/spa is above ground portable type. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
We have stayed here for 2 - 3 months for the last 7 years. It is now a KOA and as Winter Texans it is quite clear we are not wanted. WiFi is poor and the Hot Tub is smaller than most home units. Most of the work campers are very friendly, however this is not the case for all. We are made to feel we are a nuisance rather than a guest. I was told by an Activity Director that I was stupid and too old in my ways to accept change. The Park is nice, very clean, but it is KOA owned and customers are not given the friendly welcome that most privately owned KOA's are known for. If looking for a short stay, this would be fine but expensive. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Expensive but really nice. Staff was super friendly, sites are gravel but very well kept. Picked up our trash at our door each morning. Great location. We drove around the corner to state park and parked almost right on the beach. A lot of winter Texans here. We are younger and only stayed 3 nights but they made us feel right at home. We camped here in a Motorhome.
On 12/22/06 this lovely park turned into a KOA. Immediately there was a significant downturn in services to KOA level. This has been a very nice, spotless, friendly park. This area is very, very windy - usually at least 10-15mph, if not more commonly 20-30mph+. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Varied rates (seasonal, standard site, premier, etc) @ $35 - 45 nightly. Free Wi-Fi was slow while we were there (< 20 Mbps) also intermittent (restarting the computer often helped increase connectivity). Nice views at this park - especially on the northwest side facing the laguna and looking toward the causeway bridge and the south side facing Dolphin Cove. We were in site #2 which was fairly nice with one exception - the site is a pull-through but not for a 5th wheel, pulling through with 5th wheel virtually eliminates the view (hook-ups are on the wrong side. Motorhomes are fine, the view is out the front windshield. We fixed the problem by backing into the site and running the utilities under the trailer and out the other side. They don’t normally allow it, but we’ll "let it go this time". Site #1A and #1 are peculiarly shaped. With all three sites occupied( #1A, 1 & 2) - things are entirely too close for comfort (thank God for good neighbors). Nice park, paved roads, easy to maneuver - fairly level gravel sites. Picnic table at each site but no concrete slab. Easy access from Hwy 100. Nice landscaping, but no shade trees. Telephone available in the rec room (the Commons) - can also be used as modem. Propane available from roving truck. Nice choice of free cable channels, reception/picture is often fuzzy. No highway traffic noise, however - there is quite a bit of diesel boat noise from surrounding boat traffic and the on-property deep-sea fishing business. Their first excursion leaves promptly at 7:30 a.m. and depending on the cloud-cover and humidity - the loud, grating rumble can be very tiring to listen to day after day, several times a day. No on-site store or provisions, but lots of nearby shopping (Walmart and H.E.B.) Brownsville (20 miles away) has just about everything - Home Depot, Target, Walmart, drugstores, nice shopping malls and lots more. The park has many planned activities - crafts, music, dancing and of course, eating. This is definitely a destination resort with lots to see & do. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Although the weather was stormy when we were here, it is a wonderful campground. We had a waterfront site. The employees were super helpful and the restrooms and laundry were clean. The laundry even had a television and a soap dispenser, which was very handy. There is a great commons room with sofas and a television and a weight room as well as a huge swimming pool. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is the best place to stay on the island. The park is excellent and the staff is wonderful. Most campers are here with their kids, so the bike and scooter traffic is heavy. The green belt along the main driveway is a great fireworks viewing spot. Purchase the season pass to Isla Blanca park because it is the best place to enjoy the surf. My husband fished the bay right out side of our RV and the reds are plentiful. Reserve your spot for your next visit before you leave because getting in this place can be difficult. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We have camped all over this country for many years and this is the smallest asssigned spot we have ever camped in and the most expensive. There isn't room for our 26' travel trailer and our truck which has to park in the road. Also they LOCK the bathrooms between 10:45 pm and 7 am and do not provide any other facilitites for the campers in spite of having coded locks on the door during the daytime which could provide security during the night yet they chose to put a padlock on the door during the night. What do they expect folks to do during the night hours? We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 10 / 10 ]
January 2006
$39
First time to south padre island REALLY enjoyed it park is beautiful although a little tight but we were on the beach most of the time so it didn't matter. the staff is very very help full and friendly. the "heated" pool could have been a little warmer!! the office and commons in the water tanks is a cool touch. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 8 / 10 ]
June 2005
$45
We stayed here for the better part of a week just prior to the 4th of July weekend. This is a big, somewhat congested park, although we were on the south side of the park in a site that directly overlooked the water, and it was very nice. The only real downside to this park was the general lack of vegetation. The whole park is covered with white rock, and there's only grass in places like the dog walk. Not only does the gravel hurt to walk on, but it also reflects a lot of heat. Other parts of this park were great. The staff was not the best we've ever seen, but they were fine. The pool was wonderful, very clean and very well maintained, and the hot tub was in place and clean. The restaurant is convenient, but not nearly as good as many others on S Padre. All in all, while expensive and far from ideal, this is probably the best bet in S. Padre. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Excellent upscale RV Resort in beautiful location. Great restraunt on site. Close to everything. Will return there in future. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The park had nice views, good restaurant and an excellent fishing business. South Padre Island was a great place to visit. The weather was warm and the breeze was there nearly every day. We enjoyed our time there although we thought that the management of the park needed to be changed. Things that they advertised, for instance, the hot tub was not even in when we got there. They were not maintaining the pool well. There were often times when the pool was closed and either it was cold or looked full of algae. If you had complaints, the management did nothing about it. It went in one ear and out the other. We felt that the managers did not care about their customers, and we have been going there often. We heard the office manager say, you can leave if you do not like it here. However, their policy was that there were no refunds what so ever. They charge too much for what they have to offer where they park the RV's. You park on stones that are hard to walk on. Their wireless Internet did not work well at times. They only have a few parking sites with water views and we believe they charge more for those sites. We will go back to South Padre Island, but as far as giving this park another chance we will have to wait and see. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 4 / 10 ]
August 2004
$40
I stayed here over Memorial Day weedend. I paid for three days in advance. A medical problem came up with one of my children, I called Destinations to cancel. The person I talked to told me that they would not refund any of my money, because it was a holiday week end. I called a week in advance to let them know I was not going to make it. They told me that the manager would call me back, but the manager never did. I was able to make it after all. When I arrived they said I didn't have a reservation, because I had canceled. I told them that the manager never called, so I made up my mind to show up anyway. My reserved site was given to someone else and I was given a smaller site for the same price. They didn't even say they were sorry or anything. The sites are very close together and their is no room for your car. You have to park it on the street. There is no grass anywhere near the sites, they also lock up all the amenities afer dark. So if you need to go to the bathroom or shower, you'll need to go else where. I think it is over priced for such small sites. I will never go back. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
This was our 2nd visit to the park over spring break. It’s close to the beach and to some great bay or deep sea fishing. The pool is also heated which is nice for those days it just a little to cool to head to the beach. There is a nice rec room also for those days when it’s rainy. It’s a little hectic over spring break but still a great place to stay on the island. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
My wife and I had gone to Destination South Padre in 2002 and found that many things they tout on their website to be outright fantasy. The fireworks they talk about belong to a bar halfway down the island and happen only on Friday. Their website makes it appear that the fireworks are theirs and that they happen every night. The pool and hot tub open late and close early. At opening, they spend an hour cleaning at which time you can't go in and at around 21:30 they start trying to run everyone out of the pool area even though closing time isn't until 23:00. The activities spoken of on their website have never been witnessed by me and I have doubt they even take place. This year, 2004, we thought we'd give them another try so we made our reservations. They charged my Master Charge $50.00 to reserve the spot. Last Monday, two weeks before we were to arrive, my daughter broke her leg at a softball game so I contacted Destination South Padre to get my $50.00 back. I spoke to Jolly, who informed me she was just a part time employee and couldn't help me. I asked to speak with the manager and she told me the manager wasn't in and that she would have the manager return my call. I have never been contacted by the manager. I again called, this time I spoke with Mary, the Asst. Manager. She informed me that I had six months to use my time but that it was their policy not to refund the $50.00 no matter what. After going back and forth with Mary, she hung up on me. I asked four different times to speak to the manager and was refused all four times. She further stated that the manager wouldn't return my call or address my complaint. My advise, if you want to go to South Padre, stay at the Isla Blanca Park. They don't charge $50.00 to make a reservation and you can still see the fireworks. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
2003
$45
Very nice campground, we will return! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
2003
$40
Very nice park. We stayed for about a week and had a good experience with the employees and the general atmosphere in the park. The sites are not exactly waterfront but more water view. The park is on gravel with no concrete pads.
Each has a picnic table. The only negative I can say is the price seemed a little high as compared to other sites in the area. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 10 / 10 ]
2002
$32
Campground is surrounded on 3 sides by baywater. Beautiful views and sunsets. Very tropical and well-kept grounds. Staff and managment very helpful and friendly. Bathrooms and showers were spotless. Lots of flowers and palm trees. Fishing was great. Playground for children. Pet friendly. Nice big pull-thru sites along with many spacious back-in sites. This park knows how to treat their guests. They make them feel very special. I highly recommend this park. We camped here in a camper.