South Padre Island Texas Map

About South Padre Island, Texas

South Padre Island is a locality in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It has a population of approximately 2,891. The population density is 409.5 people per km². South Padre Island is located at 26.1037°N, 97.1647°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 78597.

South Padre Island stretches as a slender, sun-bleached ribbon of sand between the relentless heave of the tide and the quiet, saline reaches of the bay. It lies 24.9 miles northeast of Brownsville, TX (from Brownsville, TX: bearing 56°T), and is situated 3.4 miles northeast of Port Isabel. The landscape is defined by the shifting geometry of dunes and the salt-crusted air that blurs the horizon, where the distant silhouettes of Los Montes appear as faint, jagged ink-strokes against the pale sky. Only three miles away, the currents churn through Brazos Santiago Pass, a vital artery of water that dictates the rhythm of the tides, while the calm, shallow basin of Vadia Ancha sits five miles inland like a mirror held to the clouds. A mile from the center of the bustle, the quiet grounds of Water Tower Park offer a respite where the wind whistles through the grasses, a stark contrast to the vast, open expanse of the beach that defines the physical soul of South Padre Island. Trade and migration have long shaped the character of this narrow reach, drawing sustenance from the proximity of the Rio Grande, which carries the silt and history of the interior toward the coast ten miles away. Historically, the economy has pivoted on the movement of people and the bounty of the water, evolving from maritime passage to a vibrant, seasonal commerce that swells with the arrival of travelers seeking the warmth of the southern sun. Four miles to the north, the solitary profile of Clark Island remains a silent witness to the changing tides and the slow, steady erosion of the coastline. Life here moves with the sun, from the early morning light that turns the sand to crushed quartz to the deep, indigo dusk when the salt spray settles, leaving the air heavy with the scent of brine and the unhurried persistence of a place shaped entirely by the sea.

About This South Padre Island Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of South Padre Island, Texas — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 26.103689, -97.164694. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on South Padre Island and Cameron County.

Detailed location data for South Padre Island includes the ZIP code (78597), telephone area code (830), county seat of Cameron County (Brownsville), and school district assignment (Point Isabel Independent School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct South Padre Island is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.