South Padre Island, Texas
 

Are there any upscale hotel/resorts here?<BR>I know that this is a big Spring Break spot but we are looking to travel way after.<BR>I believe there are no Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton in the area but that is the type of hotel/resort we are looking for.<BR>Any suggesstions/comments-positive or negative are welcome.<BR>

THERE IS THE RADISSON RESORT SOUTH PADRE RESORT. IT IS A BEACHFRONT RESORT ON THE GULF OF MEXICO. IT IS VERY POPULAR. THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. THEY ARE A FULL SERVICE PROPERTY

Thanks I'll take a look!!

I agree that the Radisson Resort is the nicest hotel on SPI. But please know that it is nowhere near the quality of a Four Seasons. It is, however, a great place to spend some time at the beach. Make sure you get one of the high rise condo units. Most are 2 bedroom and very nice. Another idea is to contact the nicest condo on the island - the Bridgepoint - to see if they have some condos available in the rental pool. The rooms there are beautiful and are more in the luxury apartment category.

We stayed at Suntide III, suntideiii.com, it was very nice.

ttt--------where do you fly into for South Padre, would this be a good destination for a family over Thanksgiving?? I know it's rep for Spring Breakers, but in the fall would it be ok?

Most people fly into Harlingen ("Rio Grande Valley" on Southwest) and either book a shuttle bus or rent a car. Brownsville is also a possible airport.<BR><BR>November weather can be unpredictable, anywhere from the 40s to the 80s. I'd be fine with going there over Thanksgiving (and having a big plate of shrimp instead of turkey), but you may have a hard time getting a flight.

You fly into Harlingen, TX airport and rent a car from there. Thanksgiving can be kind of chilly, although warmer than most parts of the country. Probably too cold for any water sports at that time, so depending on your family's activities it is probably not the best Thanksgiving destination.

We are two month winter texans and stay at Sunchase Beachfront. Our guests prefer to fly into Brownsville as it's about 20 mintues closer. Continental flys there. American and Continental fly into Harlingen. McAllen is a 1 1/2hr. drive, but sometimes cheaper flights. Thanksgiving should be fine, heated pools are great and SPI has a nice long beach to walk.

Avoid Matamaros--very unsafe despite stories you may hear otherwise. Kidnappings, car theft and assaults are daily happenings there. Hola.

Matamoros is a typical border town, not the "real" Mexico, but fine to visit if you want. I go to Matamoros for a few of hours each time I visit my parents in Brownsville. We walk across (as opposed to driving, which IS dangerous and takes forever) and stay on the main drag. I always stop at Garcia's (a no-bargaining place just across the border), buy a few gifts, have a drink, and some good, cheap guacamole. I've never had any trouble over there, and neither have my parents. (They have lived in Brownsville since 1973.)

The one time I went to Matamoros, our car was stolen from the U.S. side of the border, and a college student was hacked to bits the same night we were there. I'll eat my guacamole in Brownsville, thank you.

Lorraine, Sneal has made a good point about the high rate of car theft in Brownsville. My parents have always used antitheft devices. Even old cars are stolen and taken across the border. In Brownsville, if people notice their car missing, they call customs at the border before they call police, insurance, etc.<BR><BR>Sneal, are you referring to the college kid who was abducted by those Santeria cult people 10 years or so ago?

I agree with Sneal. Was there a few years ago and took the bus from the border to downtown. Returning from the border, my wife and I got on the wrong bus (and Yes, I do speak Spanish) and ended up at the bus driver's hovel in the barrio, complete with a pig in the front mud puddle. Bus driver was no help and we would not get off the bus. Foutunately, a bus going the other way through the barrio came along and we hopped on it and it took us back to the border. NEVER AGAIN will I return to Matamoros nor will any of my pesos be spent there. I would recommend considering Reynosa, where you may walk across to the downtown, more scenic and we thought the shopping and restaurants were much better.