HQ2016 - Activities & Weather

An excursion is offered Thursday afternoon. Be ready to board a bus in front of the conference hotel by 1pm. We recommend casual dress and swim gear. Don't forget to apply sunscreen and a hat or a cap to protect from the sun.

We will first enjoy a 2-hour boat ride that should allow us to watch dolphins (sightings are frequent but never guaranteed!), and to learn about marine life in the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico. We will then visit the Island Adventure Park where you have 2 hours to explore the park amenities (zip lining, horseback riding). Details can be found on the Island Adventure Park website. Prizes will be discounted for our group. If the Park offers are not to your liking, the beach is never far. From 6-8 pm the Park will host a bonfire and shrimp boil dinner on the beach for us.

Things To Do On South Padre Island

The South Padre Nature and Birding Center is just opposite the hotel on the bay side of the island. A small museum and elevated walkways through the marsh and swamps on the bay side put the indigenous flora and fauna on display. Expect to see fish, birds, insects, turtles and the occasional alligator.

Schlitterbahn is a water park on the island that features several slides, rides and other fun stuff.

We will visit Island Adventure Park as part of our excursion but if you like what they offer you can check them out on other days too. The main attractions are horse-riding and zip-lining.

Water sports and how to get around the island: Wheels on Padre offers scooters, bikes, golf carts and the cool looking scoot coupe. Other companies with similar equipment to rent are SPI activities (also water sports equipment!) and Beach Bikes On Padre, etc. You will find even more companies that offer equipment for water sports like kayaking, surfing, kiteboarding, flyboarding, etc.