Why You Should Take Your Dog to South Padre Island, Texas

by Vessy
Running at South Padre Sand Dunes

“CAUTION! I’m a slobbered on, fur covered, treat giving, dog walking, bed sharing, crazy golden retriever lady!” This is the inscription on a coffee mug my husband gave me for Christmas. Weeeell…I do have some slobber here and there, and dog hair everywhere…I give treats, dog walk, share my bed…Alright! I guess, I fit the description and proudly accept the title. I am crazy about animals and especially our golden retriever pup, Sammy. Since he is a very important member of the family, it was only natural to want to include him in our family’s travel plans. So, I went to work and started planning our first family dog vacation.

Planning a Dog Vacation to South Padre Island, Texas

After brainstorming various destinations, I decided to look into South Padre Island, Texas, which is about a 5-hour drive from our home on the outskirts of Houston. So I did some research, and got a feeling that South Padre would be a great dog-friendly destination, and as an extra bonus, it was sunny and warm!

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Excited, I told Sammy that we would take him on a fun New Year getaway, and he would get to run and play on the beach. He tilted his head slightly, then joyfully jumped on me, and nearly ripped my sweater. I suppose it’s possible he thought my squeaky cheerful tone of voice meant he was about to get a treat, but more likely, he knew exactly what I was talking about!


Note: I started planning our South Padre Island vacation by requesting a couple of helpful brochures from the Visitors Center. Click HERE to find the South Padre Island dog friendly hotels; click HERE to get information about dog friendly restaurants and activities in the area.


Finding the Perfect Dog-Friendly Place to Stay

Now that I had the location for our trip picked out, the first order of business was to find where to stay. I looked through a bunch of places including hotels, motels, condos, and apartments. The trick was to find one that not only allowed dogs, but also didn’t have a problem with large dogs. You may not know this, but a lot of β€œdog-friendly” places out there have weight restrictions of 20 or 30 pounds. Well, this is no help to us since our pup is close to 80 pounds of furry fluffiness and cuteness!

After searching for a while, I found a place that looked really promising, and as an extra bonus, was located right on the beach. I called them to inquire about bringing a large dog, and lo and behold, they were perfectly OK with it! So this is how I ended up choosing La Copa Inn in South Padre Island for our first family dog vacation.

La Copa Inn in South Padre Island

La Copa Inn in South Padre Island, Texas

La Copa Inn

When we arrived at the hotel, we checked in without any issues. The people at the reception desk gave us a piece of paper with their dog policies to read and sign. It was all sensible stuff that one would expect, stuff like: You are responsible for any damages to the room caused by your dog; If your dog is not in a crate when left alone, the staff reserves the right to not service your room…Fair enough!

Front lobby in La Copa Inn, South Padre Island

The front lobby in La Copa Inn, South Padre Island

The Room in La Copa Inn

We got our luggage and went up to our room on the third floor. It looked pleasant and clean – not a luxury suite, but great for us and our dog. So, this is where we spent the next 5 nights, and this ended up being one of the funnest and messiest vacations ever! Just think of putting together a dog, a whole bunch of sand, and water, and you will get a clear idea of what this vacation was like!

Room in La Copa Inn, South Padre Island

Our room in La Copa Inn

Dog in La Copa Inn, South Padre Island

Our dog, Sammy, relaxing in the room after the long drive from Houston

The Beach at La Copa Inn

We introduced Sammy to the beach on the following morning. He couldn’t contain his excitement, and kept alternating between running around and digging a hole. At one point, the ocean got his attention, so he sprinted to see it closer, but quickly stepped back when the water came too close. It took him a couple of days to get totally confident before he actually went in for a swim.

Golden Retriever on the beach in South Padre Island

Sammy running away from the waves on the beach at La Copa Inn

Kids and dog on the boardwalk at La Copa

Angie, Dani, and Sammy on the boardwalk at La Copa Inn

Kids and dog splashing in the water in South Padre Island

Sammy is no longer scared to go in the water; The real mess begins!

Wet golden retriever

Here is one really wet golden retriever having fun

The beach at La Copa Inn was undoubtedly one of our favorite places to spend time. It was very spacious and clean, and we could keep Sammy on a loose leash, which gave him more freedom to run and play.


TIP: There are plenty of beaches and parks in South Padre Island that allow dogs, but in most places, they have to be on a leash.


La Copa Inn’s Other Amenities

Even though we didn’t really take advantage of many of La Copa Inn’s other amenities, I want to briefly mention them. They have a Starbucks counter with a bar and pool table in the main lobby, a gym room, and an outdoor swimming pool with a hot jacuzzi tub. Next to the swimming pool, you will find La Copa Cabana Bar and Grill, a small casual restaurant that serves lunch and dinner.

Swimming pool at La Copa Inn South Padre Island

The swimming pool at La Copa Inn

View from the swimming pool at La Copa Inn South Padre Island

Early morning view from the swimming pool at La Copa Inn South Padre Island

Speaking of food, I have to say that we did enjoy the included continental breakfast at the hotel. It offered a variety of choices, including made-to-order omelets and breakfast tacos, our favorite.

Breakfast dining area in La Copa Inn, South Padre Island

The breakfast dining area in La Copa Inn, located on the 4th floor

Dog-Friendly Activities around South Padre Island

After getting to know La Copa Inn, we looked forward to discovering some of the other dog friendly places around South Padre Island. Our pup was certainly ready to go out on the town!

Parks and Beaches

During the next several days we took Sammy to Laguna Madre Nature Trail, South Padre Island Sand Dunes, and the beach at Isla Blanca Park. These were all great places to visit and enjoy with your dog. You will notice that except for Laguna Madre Nature Trail, just about every other picture of our pup is somewhere on a beach. Since the beaches are the main attraction in South Padre Island, and all of us loved hanging out at the beach, we were perfectly happy to stick with that.

Hubby, Sammy, and the kids at Laguna Madre Nature Trail

Hubby, Sammy, and the kids at Laguna Madre Nature Trail – a short and easy boardwalk with nice views

Sammy at South Padre Island sand dunes

Sammy exploring South Padre Island sand dunes

Angie, Dani, and Sammy climbing a sand dune in South Padre Island

Angie, Dani, and Sammy climbing one of the taller sand dunes

At Isla Blanca Park South Padre Island

Angie and Sammy at Isla Blanca Park in South Padre Island

Restaurants

I was surprised to find out that there were quite a few dog-friendly restaurants in South Padre Island as well. We tried one of them, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, for lunch, and enjoyed it so much that we kept going back. The food there was fresh and delicious, the atmosphere-bright and casual, and dogs were more than welcome. Sammy not only enjoyed being with us at lunch, but also loved all the attention he got from other customers. He wanted to jump on everyone who even looked at him, and give them a slobbery kiss!

Dani, Sammy, and Angie in Tropical Smoothie Cafe, South Padre Island

Dani, Sammy, and Angie sitting politely in Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Our dog in Tropical Smoothie Cafe, South Padre Island

Here is my sandwich, and Sammy being a good dog in Tropical Smoothie Cafe, South Padre Island

Tropical Smoothie Cafe in South Padre Island

About to order a smoothie for the road at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, South Padre Island

Boat Rides

Something we didn’t do with our pup, Sammy, was take a boat ride. Yup, there are actually a couple of businesses in the area that offer dolphin watching tours and they do allow owners to bring their dogs on board. If you want to do something like this, definitely check out Fins to Feathers – Dolphin and Birding Tours, and SPI Dolphin Research & Sea Life Nature Center. I can only imagine how fun this would have been, with our Sammy watching the dolphins with a big, goofy, golden retriever smile.

READ ALSO
South Padre Island Boat Rides for the Whole Family

Take Your Dog to South Padre Island

South Padre Island is definitely a great place to take a vacation with your dog. You can stroll on the beach, grab a bite to eat, and explore some of the local parks and trails…all while in the company of your furry best friend. If you are still not convinced, just check out this sunrise, and imagine the refreshing morning breeze stroking your face…Then picture your dog happily sniffing the air of the new day, and prancing on the beach, then…Well, just be sure to bring a plastic bag! πŸ˜‰

South Padre Island beach at sunrise

The beach at La Copa Inn at sunrise

Sunrise at the beach near La Copa Inn South Padre

Another sunrise view from the beach at La Copa Inn

Special Thanks

We would like to thank South Padre Island Convention and Visitors BureauΒ for making this unforgettable trip a reality. We had an absolutely amazing time, and want to be sure to mention that while our visit to South Padre Island was a sponsored trip, all opinions expressed in this article are our own. Please, refer to our Disclosure Policy for more information.

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Learn How to Build a Sandcastle in South Padre Island, Texas

Resources to Help Plan Your Trip to South Padre Island, Texas


Note:Β Unless otherwise indicated, the photos in this post were taken by Vessy with a Nikon D5600 camera. Please send us an e-mail (vessy@feelgoodandtravel.com) if you would like to use any of them. All images are subject to copyright laws.

This trip took place from January 2 to January 7, 2019.


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25 comments

Julie 02/27/2019 -

Thanks, Vessy, this is great information!
We don’t usually travel with our dogs, and this destination may be too far for us (unless we suddenly turn into full-time RVers!) but it’s good to know there are dog-friendly places there just in case!

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Vessy 02/27/2019 -

Thanks for checking it out, Julie! We also usually don’t travel with our dog, and actually, this was our first dog vacation. I have to say, we had so much fun being with our pup that we will definitely do this again. Of course, he is such a good dog that we could easily leave him at the hotel, and he would just wait for us there, without causing any trouble. So, we really didn’t have to bring him everywhere, but we tried to take him with us as many places as possible. It was a lot of fun, and he didn’t slow us down in any way. πŸ™‚

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Tammie 02/28/2019 -

Sammy looks so happy to be included in your family vacation. I also have an energetic golden retriever pup, Delta, Unfortunately, there’s not very many big dog friendly areas near me to take him!

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

Awww, Tammie! I would LOVE to see Delta! Love those golden retriever pups! πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

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Jennifer | Me and My Traveling Hat 02/28/2019 -

You are the second person to write about this place, looks fantastic, have to add to our places to visit.

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Pam 02/28/2019 -

What great info – we have a dog and the hardest part of travel is finding someone to watch him while we are gone! Thank goodness for the Grandparents …

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Shirley 02/28/2019 -

My dogs would LOVE South Padre Island!!! Thanks for sharing this…now I know where to go when I plan a Texas visit.

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Divya Saggar 03/01/2019 -

Thanks for sharing! This looks like an interesting place πŸ™‚

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

It is a lot of fun! πŸ™‚

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Brandi Eley 03/01/2019 -

Great article! It is definitely on my list of places to go! And thank you for the resources at the end too!

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

Thanks so much, Brandi! I am so happy to hear you found it useful! πŸ™‚

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Julie Gazdecki 03/01/2019 -

We love taking our Chloe whenever we can. Thanks for sharing all fun dogs can have!!

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jen 03/01/2019 -

a picture is worth a thousand words… and your photos told a great story! I love this about places to go with dogs…you could do a whole blog on that alone! I would subscribe!

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Michele 03/01/2019 -

We have never been to South Padre Island but it looks like so much fun! Hoping to visit Texas in the next year or two so I have saved this! Thanks for sharing!

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Tricia Snow 03/01/2019 -

I love it! Your pooch is so cute and you really did a great job photographing him and the kids!

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Hera 03/01/2019 -

It’s hard to find pet friendly accommodations when traveling. I love Golden Retrievers! Sammy reminds me of when I used to have one. He looked like he had a blast!

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

Yesss! He seemed to put on his golden retriever smile the entire time! πŸ™‚

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Lara 03/01/2019 -

Vessy, I’m a native Texan and I just love this story. I’m a big fan of your writing too. Love this!

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

Awww, Lara! Thank you SO MUCH! I really appreciate your sweet message! πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

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Missy 03/03/2019 -

That is a great place to take your dog!

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

It really was a lot of fun! πŸ™‚

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Amanda 03/09/2019 -

Oh my gosh! Your dog is so cute! I can see why you’re obsessed :). I haven’t ever traveled with a pet but I can see how it would add an extra layer of stress. Glad you found so many dog friendly places!

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Vessy 03/26/2019 -

It was great to have him with us actually! πŸ™‚ I always worry when I leave him at the local kennel.

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Kurt 10/02/2019 -

Hi Vessy, we are thinking of taking our yellow lab, Tucker, to S. Padre next year. I was wondering what you guys did to clean all of the sand and saltwater residue off of Sammy after a trip to the beach. Was there a place to hose him off or did you clean him up in the room somehow? Tucker has never been to the ocean and we know he would love it!

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Vessy 10/02/2019 -

Hi Kurt, and thank you so much for stopping by! πŸ™‚ How wonderful that you are planning to take Tucker along! I am sure he will LOVE it! πŸ™‚ To be honest with you, we didn’t really wash Sammy properly until we got home, so he did get a little stinky by the end of our vacation. We did, however, bring several really absorbent dog towels that we bought from PetsMart. Every time Sammy was done playing at the beach, we would wipe him down really well before taking him back to the hotel. Our room did get a bit sandy here and there, but the staff at La Copa Inn cleaned it very nicely every day. So, yeah! It was a bit of a messy vacation, but not too bad…And all of us, including Sammy, had so much fun! πŸ™‚ I forgot to mention that I also had his doggy cologne and brush, and I sprayed and brushed him several times! πŸ™‚

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