School has started and you’re probably already counting down the days until next summer. Summer. Three full months of escaping the day-to-day, getting to go on family vacations, and high-tailing it to somewhere tropical. The warm air, the soft sand, and the crystal blue waters of the beach are what I miss most about summer.  If only there was a magical place in Texas such as this that had everything you’d want, and was close enough for a quick vacation.

Luckily, that place exists, and it’s called South Padre Island.

South Padre Island is a place with a tropical climate all year. Believe it or not, even in the winter it’s warm enough that you don’t need a jacket. The Island has a 34 mile long barrier reef surrounding it and is located at the very bottom of Texas, just above the border of Mexico. From Round Rock, it would take about six hours to get there. Since it is an actual island, the only way to get there without leaving your car, is the two and a half mile long Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge.

This past summer was the first time I got to visit South Padre Island. It was the first summer I got to experience that beet red sunset. Similar to Corpus Christi, South Padre Island has piers you can access, to walk out to the water or fish all day. Something that makes South Padre Island different from Corpus Christi is that there is more of a variety of activities you can do there with your family and friends.

When you first drive onto the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge, you’ll see a dock called Port Isabel, that hosts dolphin boat rides and a massive pirate ship. Even more activities await at the actual island. From parasailing to horseback riding on the beach, you will never run out of things to do.

My family would spend every day at the beach and the fishing pier, and every day was a new memory. As you look out to the sea, you will see the the whole shore crowded with tourists, seeking the shade with tents and umbrellas. Yet there will always be a spot here or there for you to use. And don’t worry, all your hard feelings end once you enter the cool ocean water.

So what’s another thing that makes South Padre Island so special? The sunsets. Just as the sun starts to set, it will slowly start to turn orange, then pink, then finally the brightest red you will ever see. It’s as if you’re staring at a postcard.  You will get that feeling when everything goes away, and there is nothing but you and the sunset.

Even though next summer is 167 days away, South Padre Island won’t go anywhere; it’ll be waiting for your arrival.