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 unfurls like a pale ribbon of sand against the vast, restless canvas of the Gulf of Mexico. It lies 24.9 miles north-east of Brownsville, TX (from Brownsville, TX: bearing 56°T), and is situated 3.4 miles north-east of Port Isabel. Here, the sun, a relentless sovereign, bleaches the dunes to a spectral white, and the wind, an unseen sculptor, carves ephemeral peaks and valleys from the fine, powdery earth. The air itself carries a perpetual whisper of salt and brine, a constant reminder of the ocean's immensity. Across the narrow channel, the mainland of Cameron County rises, a distant, hazy silhouette of palm fronds and low-slung buildings, a world apart from the island's wild, untamed beauty. At dusk, the sky ignites in a symphony of coral and amethyst, mirroring the shimmering, almost liquid quality of the shallow bay waters that lap at the island's western edge. For generations, this barrier island has been a place of passage and refuge, its history intertwined with the ebb and flow of tides and human endeavor. Once a haven for fishermen and a quiet expanse of natural beauty, South Padre Island has blossomed into a vibrant hub for tourism, its economy now anchored by the steady stream of visitors drawn to its sun-drenched shores and abundant marine life. The island's distinctive character is shaped by this duality: the enduring wildness of its natural landscapes, from the protected nesting grounds of sea turtles to the teeming bird sanctuaries, coexists with the lively energy of its beachfront resorts and bustling nightlife. This constant interplay between the raw power of nature and the human desire for recreation and relaxation defines the very soul of South Padre Island.

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.