South Padre Island is the name of both the southern part of the over 100-mile long island that runs along the South Texas coast and the small beach town located at the island's extreme southern tip. There is a long stretch of beach north of the town of South Padre Island—several miles past the end of any road—where nudity is more or less freely practiced and tolerated. You have to drive along the beach to get to the nude area. This is one of the few places where driving on the beach is permitted, and getting stuck in the sand is a real possibility. Four-wheel drive is ideal, but plenty of two-wheel drive vehicles make it here. Drive on the compacted sand close to the water's edge, not on the soft sand. This means you should avoid driving within several hours before or after high tide. The day you visit, check a tide chart in a local newspaper or online. You can get sand-maneuvering tips online here and here.

When it comes to pinpointing the precise location of the nude beach, well... forget it. For starters, the beach extends north farther than anyone could possibly care to go. It is determining the southern boundary—the start of the nude area—that matters, and everyone seems to have a different idea of how far north you need to drive before disrobing. Most visitors say somewhere between 5 to 10 miles north of Beach Access 6. This placemark is a compromise, pinpointed at 7.5 miles north of Beach Access 6. Regulars say that the nude beach is more a state of mind than a particular area, and you may encounter nudists spread out over several miles. Visitors often mark the area by spray painting "nude" on driftwood, although these landmarks often decay, are washed away or otherwise vanish. You could, of course, just drive until you see naked people.

Since the beach is so large and without distinct boundaries, there is no social atmosphere. People driving on the beach so far north of town most likely know to expect to encounter nudity, so you probably don't have to worry about being nude within view of passersby. Numerous reports indicate that authorities do not hassle nudists, although regulars suggest to cover up if an official-looking vehicle passes. Furthermore, if you go for an extended nude stroll, take a pair of shorts. It is best to suit up when passing groups of textiles if no other naked people are around. South Padre Island is an extremely popular spring break destination, so be prepared for crowds of college students in town if you visit in March.

VISUAL RESOURCES

GPS: 26.3131, -97.2002

city, county, state, country  South Padre Island, Cameron, Texas, U.S.A.

classification  2 (traditionally nude)

There are 3 placemarks related to this site.