I am planning a vacation to South Padre Island some time in April. I'd prefer to go the first week, but I know Spring break gets out of control there. Will the island still be overrun April 1-6? Thanks everyone for your responses.

Yes, it probably will still be overrun by spring breakers.

The last time I went there, in late July of 2002, the beach was the fullest I've ever seen. No more quiet days with empty beaches, as there were 20+ years ago.

Now, in addition to students, there are loads of rich Mexican tourists that come up to SPI; my mother tells me that they come to the US because it is safer and they can let their kids run around freely without so much worry. That makes for chaos on the beach.

I have a nice condo reserved in SPI starting the day after Easter 4/21. The company I reserved through considers that to be the OFF season so the rate goes down by half from 4/20 to 4/21. Also they have rent 4 days and get the 1 day free or rent 5 days and get 2 days free so that makes it even cheaper! I have also been told when I posted a similar question a couple of month ago that it will be busy as many Mexican families and Mexican-Americans reunion there that time of year. However, as far as spring breakers, I am guessing that it will be more families/younger children than college students in April. I think most college students (but I'm sure not all) have spring break in March. If interested check out www.aace-rent.com for condos.

I agree with SaraLou that mid to late April is safe in terms of freedom from college spring breakers, and even early April may not have a lot of college students. Early April is likely to have a lot of US and Mexican families. If I had a choice, I wouldn't go till after Easter, just in case.

The only week in April I would shy away from SPI is "EasterWeek",beginning the Monday after EasterSunday.It is a huge vacation week in LatinAmerican countries.SpringBreakers will be gone in April.

I know this is after the fact but TRIP REPORT: Well, Easter Week or Holy Week as we, Christians call it was the week BEFORE Easter. I was told it was really crowded Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday. We got there the day after Easter and it was actually pretty quiet. Things revved up a bit the following weekend but overall the Spring Break/Easter season was definitely over right after Easter. The beach was pretty trashed-up though!