A wild island inside a city's reach
North Padre Island is the stretch of barrier island across the Laguna Madre from Corpus Christi. Part of it lies inside the city, and below that the National Park Service protects 66 miles of wild coastline as Padre Island National Seashore, along with one of the last intact coastal prairies in the country.
People have worked this sand for a long time. The park service notes that Native Americans, Spanish explorers and cattle ranchers all walked these shores, and the old Novillo Line Camp still stands as a reminder of the ranching years. On the bay side, the hypersaline Laguna Madre spreads into tidal mud flats that teem with life.
Most visitors come for the beach. When conditions allow, cars and trucks can drive the sand past the end of the pavement. Little Shell Beach, Big Shell Beach, Yarborough Pass and Mansfield Channel can only be reached that way. The park recommends four wheel drive, warns that a high tide of 1.5 feet can cover the beach to the dunes, and does not tow private vehicles.
That is why a cook kit matters here. The park tells drivers to carry extra food, water and a full tank, and warns that finding cell service can mean climbing a dune. Whatever you catch, you clean and cook on the spot.
Bob Hall Pier is back
Hurricane Hanna wrecked Bob Hall Pier in 2020. Nueces County demolished what was left in 2022, began rebuilding in 2024, and cut the ribbon on a new 1,200 foot pier on February 24, 2026. KRIS 6 News reported a $28.5 million price tag and anglers catching fish within hours of the opening.
The county made the pier free for its first 90 days. Commissioner Brent Chesney told reporters a restaurant, concession stand, restrooms, a parking lot and a new road are still to come, so expect the area around the pier to keep changing for a while.
