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

“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!

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 “dog-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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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! 😉

Special Thanks

We would like to thank South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau 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.

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

---

PIN THIS POST!