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The resort town of South Padre Island, located on the southern tip of Texas is known for its beautiful, wide beaches, and nice weather. This is why it is a favorite spring break destination for college students from near and far. However, one thing I didn’t imagine South Padre Island would offer was zip lining! I always thought zip lining was something you do where there are mountains or at least a few hills. Imagine my surprise when one day, while casually browsing the web, I stumbled upon a place that offers a zip lining experience! The place was South Padre Island Adventure Park, and it looked like something fun to do on our upcoming family vacation to the island.
After browsing some more, I learned that zip lining wasn’t the only attraction there. At South Padre Island Adventure Park, they also had a petting barn and offered horseback rides on the beach. I shared this exciting information with our daughters, Angie and Dani, and they shouted in unison, “I wanna gooo!” So, now that the kids knew all about it, we definitely had to plan to go there, no ifs, ands, or buts!
An Afternoon at South Padre Island Adventure Park
On the day of our visit, we arrived at South Padre Island Adventure Park about an hour before our scheduled horseback ride. If this were a work meeting, I would be rushing in a few minutes late, but not here. We were in perfect control of our time and order of business.
Here is the front office at South Padre Island Adventure Park, and Dani holding a bag of food for the animals
Petting Barn
We got our tickets at the front office, along with a bag of food for the animals, then headed towards the petting barn. It made the most sense to start there, and save the adrenaline rush for later.
On the way to the petting barn in South Padre Island Adventure Park
As soon as the animals at the petting barn spotted us, there was a mad rush. Before we knew it, we were surrounded mostly by goats, and a couple of geese. The pigs, on the other hand, didn’t bother to move too far. They took a few slow steps, saw the crowd, then decided that lying around in the sun was a better idea.
Here is one of the pigs slowly walking around…doesn’t seem like it needs a snack
Well, snoozing in the sun definitely beats the hassle of trying to push goats out of the way for a few morsels of food!
The goats, though, were really eager to get to the food. There were especially three or four of those guys that pushed everyone else out of the way, and nearly snatched the bags with the food from our hands! We did, however, hold onto it tightly, and made sure that even the less self-assured goats and geese got something to eat. One thing is for sure, we had a lot of fun looking at all these faces; some of them were quite hilarious!
Funny goose also running to get some food
A pair of hungry and impatient goats
OK…well, this photo speaks for itself. Feel free to caption it 🙂
Zip Lining
After feeding as many of the animals in the barn as we could, we were ready to do some zip lining. We headed up towards the starting platform, which was on top of a large wooden structure. As the staff started putting on our gear, Dani, our younger daughter, suddenly realized that it looked more scary than she had imagined. The truth is, the only “zip lining” our kids had done before was on a ride in Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Colorado. There was a short ride that resembled a zip line, but you didn’t need any harnesses because it featured comfortable seats. Apparently, Dani expected to see that, instead of all the ropes and gear they were attaching to her. So, yeah! She was a bit freaked out, but she never even considered bailing out. Scared or not, she was coming for the ride!
Short but Sweet
When we were all ready to go, our older daughter, Angie, and I lined up on the two adjacent lines and waved back at Dani and hubby. I figured if we went first, Dani would see it was all fine, and would relax a bit. We jumped off and zipped right over the petting barn, then arrived at the platform on the opposite side. After the staff unhooked us from the line, we turned around and watched Dani and hubby zip over the barn. Just as expected, Dani arrived at our end with a big smile on her face…ready to do it again and again! All of us climbed a flight of stairs and took the second zip line, which took us back across to where we had started. We zipped back and forth for about half an hour, until it was time for our horseback ride.
Dani no longer scared, but rather excited to do a lot more zip lining
The kids are getting ready to zip across again
Here they are…flying off the platform
They are definitely having a good time
Coming back across from the opposite platform
Good Times
While this was definitely not a long, scenic, zip lining adventure, it was fun, and really good for first timers. I also have to mention that seeing the ocean from up there was pretty neat. Our kids had a ton of fun, and haven’t stopped bugging us to take them zip lining again…soon.
Riding Horses on the Beach
After we finished the final lap between the two platforms, we took off our gear, and walked over to the horse stables. There were already a bunch of people waiting for the horse ride, and a couple of guys from the staff were getting the horses ready for all of us.
Hubby and the kids posing near the stables at South Padre Island Adventure Park
My Horseback Riding History
This was only my second time ever to get on a horse, and I admit, I was a bit uneasy. My worries had nothing to do with my or the kids’ safety…well, maybe a little. I was actually concerned for the horses, as silly as that may sound. Would I be too heavy for my horse? Do horses like carrying people around on their backs? These were some of the burning questions going through my mind. After all, I am the same gal than once tried a horseback ride in Colorado, but ended up walking her horse most of the way because of a guilty conscience! Meanwhile, the cowboys leading our group had a good laugh. Oh, yes! This is how my first horseback riding experience went, and here I was, about to try it again!
Consumed with these thoughts, I turned around and spotted a couple of adorable Texas longhorns. Then I saw how excited our kids were, and made a decision to stop fretting and just go have fun.
One Texas longhorn giving a kiss to another Texas longhorn
Meeting our Horses
Once the horses were ready, the staff helped us climb up, and gave us a few simple instructions: To turn left, pull the leash on the left side. To turn right, pull the leash on the right side. To stop, hold the leash on both sides, and pull back. And to go faster, kick the horse with your heels. “This is all fine and dandy,” I thought, “but I am not kicking my horse, even if it means we don’t move an inch!”
Dani comfortably settled on her horse’s back
…And here is Angie with her horse
Off to a Relaxing Start
When everyone was set, the group leader whistled, and our horses slowly began to walk towards him. Another staff member followed behind the group to make sure everything was going smoothly. I didn’t get too far before my horse decided to stop and graze on some tall grass. “OK, I can wait”, I thought. “Take your time!”
Waiting for my horse to finish grazing while the others are already far ahead
Just as I was sitting there, not following any of the instructions I had been given, the staff guy in the back whistled loudly, and my horse started moving again. I figured, if this worked so well, I will just let him whistle whenever he wants my horse to move!
We are catching up with the group
Crossing the road near South Padre Island Adventure Park
Riding on the Beach
Before long, we crossed the nearby road, and continued our horseback ride on the beach near the South Padre Island Sand Dunes. I admit, it felt absolutely wonderful! We had a gorgeous, sunny, cool day, and the ocean looked so blue…such a fantastic experience!
Riding on the beach on a beautiful day in South Padre Island
Hubby and the kids just ahead of me
Here are hubby and the kids again responding to my yelling, “Look this way!”
Oh, well…Here is one more photo right near the water
My horse kept up pretty well, although we were mostly last. Once in a while, she would start trotting to catch up, and surprise me just as I was trying to take a photo, but it was all good. I am happy to report that I never dropped my phone or my camera, although it wasn’t easy trying to balance all that and hold on to the leash at the same time.
Here I am…dead last 🙂
Dani and I…Naturally, I am taking a photo
Dani on her horse
…And here is Angie
The kids on their horses near the end of the horseback ride
Back to the stables at the end of our horseback ride
Oh, and one more thing I need to mention, your tush may get a little beat up after all this trotting, but trust me, it is all worth it. All of us loved our ride, the horses, and the beach!
Definitely Check Out South Padre Island Adventure Park
When it was all over, we left thoroughly satisfied with the whole experience. No one was hurt or injured, and the kids really enjoyed all the activities. If you are planning a trip to South Padre Island, definitely check this place out. Just as a heads-up, if you are going there with kids, be prepared to deal with some complaining and displeasure when the fun is all over, and you are ready to go home. If you’ve got all that under control, y’all are sure to have a mighty good time, as genuine Texans would say!
Special Thanks
We would like to thank South Padre Island Adventure Park for having us over for a visit. We had an absolutely amazing time, and want to be sure to mention that while our sandcastle lesson was a sponsored activity, all opinions expressed in this article are our own. Please, refer to our Disclosure Policy for more information.
Resources to Help Plan Your Trip to South Padre Island, Texas
- South Padre Island Official Website – Find information on hotels, attractions, restaurants, beaches and much more
- Beach Park at Isla Blanca – Check out all the fun water rides that this waterpark offers, and get your tickets
- Isla Blanca Park – Plan a visit to this beachfront park in South Padre Island, and take a walk on the jetties
- Osprey Cruises – Check out some fun South Padre Island boat rides you can take, including the Sea Life Safari Eco Tour and the Black Dragon Cruise, and book your adventure
- Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site – Learn about the history of this beautiful lighthouse, and plan your visit
- Sandy Feet Sandcastle Services – Book a sandcastle building lesson, and learn some fun, new skills
- Sea Turtle Inc. – Learn about the fascinating sea turtles and the amazing mission of this rescue center
- South Padre Island Adventure Park – Book a horseback ride on the beach, zip line, and feed some hungry goats
- South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center – Discover the large variety of birds that live near Laguna Madre
Note: 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 activity took place on January 4, 2019.
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