Please give advice on where to stay on the coast, Galveston,Corpus Christi or South Padre Island. We are looking to stay for 5 days after a week of ranching in Bandera.

Corpus Christi gets my vote, simply because itis the closest to Bandera. South Padre is nice, but it is a little further away.

Corpus Christi gets my vote, simply because it is the closest to Bandera. South Padre is nice, but it is a little further away.

My husband & I vacationed in Corpus Christi about 2 years ago & loved the area. Tons of restaurants,great weather & location. The bay is beautiful & lots of fun to walk around. We rented a car & went to South Padre Island & Kings Ranch for the day-very easy to get around by car. E-mail me if have any questions. Vicki

My wife and I just returned from a week at SPI. Weather was excellent. Dozens fo great pubs and restaurants. Not crowded (off season), reasonable prices, horseback riding on the beach,and a short ride into Mexico (recommend Progresso over matamorass). Lots of other great stuff. Check them out on the web at: spionline.com. Have fun !!!

Galveston is a great place to go, especially if the weather is not perfect. There's lots to do on and off the beach. Great Shopping, bikes to rent, historic areas to explore, a human maze (actually more frustrating than fun), great restaurants. When we go, we like to rent a house right on the beach. There are tons of them for rent and it sure beats a hotel. Have fun, where ever you go!

to the top, banish trash

I would strongly recommend Port Royale on Mustang Island just outside of Corpus. All rooms face the beach and they have 3 pools - down the road from Aransas Pass, seafood restaurants, fishing etc. but not in the city...

Hi, I'm from England and I have lived in Houston, Tx for 2 years. I dislike the states but if I had to choose one of the three I would choose South Padre. Trut me you wont like Gal. there are way to many weirdos there. Please E-mail me and I would love to talk to you about going there.

Corpus is much better than Galveston, and South Padre is better than Corpus...the further down the coast you go , the better the water quality. Galveston is flat and brown! Yuck! You can't see your feet in 1 ft of water!
Corpus is a little better and South Padre is better still. As far as things to do,places to eat, rentals, etc., all are good.

Bob,

If distance from Bandera is not a factor, definitely go to South Padre Island. I have lived several places in Texas and visited all three. By far, South Padre had the best beaches. If you want to stay closer to Bandera, go to Corpus. The beaches aren't that bad and we had a enjoyable time at the dog races. This can be quite entertaining. I have been to Galveston many times for the day. We enjoy fishing there, but for beaches it is not the place to go.

Agree with the notion that South Padre has the best beaches, but Corpus is nice. Just know that it is a LONG trip to S. Padre. From Bandera you are at least 3 hours from Corpus and S. Padre is several hours further. Galveston is about 4 hours from Austin so add the travel time from Bandera. The beaches are ok, but the fun of Galveston is stopping at NASA on the way from Houston, the Strand on the Island, the ferry ride, etc. If you only want to relax & don't mind the drive, then S. Padre. Corpus is the middle between good beaches & lots to do. Galveston has more to do but not as good beaches.