SOUTH PADRE
Destination Info Center
* Trip Inclusions
*Why Travel Here?
*Map
*Destination Advice & Info
*Why Choose Spring Break Information Tours?
*Meal & Diner Program
*Top 10 Things to do
*Forums & Message Board
*Condo Photos & Virtual Tours
*Restaurants & Clubs
*Optional Side Trips
*Red Carpet VIP Package
DESTINATION ADVICE
The number #1 Spring Break Destination in the south!
South Padre Island, Texas is where tens of thousands of spring break students party. Only 30 miles from Mexico so you can party in 2 nations at the southernmost US Spring Break Destination – South Padre Island. With accommodations in South Padre Island ranging from low-cost party hotels to 10-person luxury condos on the beach, this is why Padre rules US spring break destinations.
South Padre Island Spring Break is the most famous “drive down / road trip” destination in the US, with wide sandy beaches and a warm Gulf climate that´s often in the 80´s during spring break & very predictable – plus, it´s either a drive away, or a very reasonable flight from anywhere in the US.
Past acts for Spring Break South Padre have included Akon, Hinder, Ludacris, Fat Joe, & more. Spring Break Information Tours provides celebrity guest appearances by MTV´s The Real World, Road Rules, and Inferno cast every week of spring break, as well as “DJ Spider” as featured on Myspace for our Main Event parties.
During the day, enjoy the famous Full Throttle Beach Stage Area in front of the Saida Towers with over 10,000 students getting down. South Padre also offers wicked side trips such as the Party Yacht Cruise, the Sea Rocket, surfing lessons, and the Pub Crawl Padre.
JUMP TO A SECTION
Why Choose South Padre for Spring Break?
When Selecting a Tour Company
A couple more things
South Padre Pros & Cons
Is your trip the best I can find?
Selecting a hotel or condo in South Padre
Party Packages
When you arrive in South Padre Island
Check-in policies
If you have a condo – good things to know
The Beach
Common Sense
The Wave Bus
Cabs/Taxis
Restaurants
Clubs
Side Trips
Air Travel
Why Choose South Padre for Spring Break?
*Huge condos sleep up to 10 each – bring everyone this year to South Padre Island for your Spring Break, you can all stay together for once.
*South Padre Spring Break road Trips are easy to afford, generally priced between $200 – $450 per person.
*#1 Spring Break destination in the US
*50,000 spring break students per year in March
*Fly, drive, or take our luxury motorcoaches – something for every taste & budget
*Your cell phone & health insurance will work -it´s the United States which makes it an easier sell to Mom & Dad
*All flights are on Continental, American, or Southwest – scheduled air only
*18 to party, 21 to drink in South Padre Island.
*Mexico is just 35 minutes away
*Kegs & alcohol are legal on the beach in South Padre Island saving you money from buying expensive hotel drinks
*You can drive there, which keeps it inexpensive
*Incredible beaches — ranked the 7th best beach in the US by the Travel Channel
*South Padre is further south than Miami, meaning excellent, tropical weather that´s not cold like much of Florida is on spring break
*Trips are Incredibly Inclusive, with 14 restaurant meals, free party beverages, & more for about the same price as a plain hotel room
*Onsite American Staff 24/7 available, as well as a retail office in Sunchase Mall
*Optional Red Carpet VIP Party Package includes all cover charges, celebrity entertainment & DJ´s, and two optional side trips – all under $120 bucks
*Spring Break Information has no age restrictions on condo rentals – you don´t have to be 18 even 21 like some resorts require as Spring Break Information contracts directly with unit Owners
South Padre Island is the perfect spring break choice for large groups, those on a limited travel budget, or for those groups that prefer to keep it in the United States.
When Selecting a Tour Company
Figure out if that Destination is their Specialty, or if they are a “jack of all trades” travel operation selling every destination possible.
We bring this up because Spring Break Information Tours specializes in Student Spring Break trips to South Padre Island – in fact, we are even located here in the State of Texas in Austin. Consider this point – it makes sense to go to the Cadillac dealer to buy a Cadillac, just like it makes sense to come to “the Padre store” (Spring Break Information) to buy a Padre trip. Why would you go to a generic travel site to buy a very specialized party trip to South Padre? You shouldn´t.
It´s hard to be good at everything, and here at Spring Break Information, we focus on specific destinations that we know and are familiar with. This translates into the best possible trip for you as our client.
Inquire whether they are members of the Better Business Bureau.
1.You can check them out by going to their website, figuring out what state they are incorporated in (their mailing address) and then going to the Better Business Bureau´s website and doing a search on them. You’re looking for a clean or satisfactory report. By the way: it doesn’t mean all that much… but it’s far better than traveling with a tour company or travel agent that has an unsatisfactory report, right?
2.Avoid or beware of any claims of “Zero Complaints” with the BBB. The BBB doesn´t rate companies as having “Zero Complaints”. Businesses get either a satisfactory or unsatisfactory rating.
3.Another key accreditation (there are about 20 you can look at) is the ASTA, or American Society of Travel Agents. They have a code of ethics that their members must follow.
4.Watch the accreditations. There are about 20 that a company can obtain. Really, you just pay a fee, and you’re in. That’s not really the best way to determine if they are good or not.
5.If you are booking with a travel agent, check ASTA, but also: ask them whom they are using for their tour company. Check BOTH out.
South Padre Pros & Cons
Pros:
The price to get there, genius. It´s $200-$500 to drive down. You can also fly there or take a motor coach. Where else can you go that kind of scratch?
Condos with kitchens & living rooms give you plenty of room to hook up and to party, folks. Hotel rooms suck compared to a 3-bedroom condo…plus you have a full sized refrigerator for your party beverages
Money. We´re not talking about the cost of the trip package here, but rather how South Padre Island is hands-down the cheapest place to go as far as required spending money once you get there. You can cook in your kitchen, you can bring your own beer in, etc. Kegs are also legal on the beach.
Minors can get into the clubs. It´s 21 to drink but 18 to party.
Safety. It´s in the US. Your cell phone & health insurance work. Some parents are cool with spring break, but against leaving the country, and we get that.
The weather. It´s further south than Miami, Florida. The weather in Panama City or Daytona typically sucks in March. Those destinations are also thugged out. Padre isn´t.
Spring Break Information can easily provide references from literally hundreds of past clients that will tell you that regardless of the low cost – they had the very best time of their lives on our trip to South Padre
Lastly… over 50,000 students go there every Spring Break – HUGE.
Cons:
It´s not 18 to drink like Mexico
It lacks tons of great clubs & bars. There´s a few though that are solid.
The weather is not as hot as Mexico. The water is not quite as clear.
Minors can get into the clubs. It´s 21 to drink but 18 to party.
The traffic can really suck.
The TABC. These are the Texas booze police. They dish out tickets like candy. If you´re in your condo, you are 99.9999% safe.. it´s the .000000001% to at least consider – Police harassment of “rich” college students is problematic.
Is your trip the best one I can find?
Come on. You´re on our website. But objectively speaking, if you even look at someone else´s trip to South Padre, why?
Did you know that 7 other student travel Companies sell the Spring Break Information Package to South Padre for Spring Break? Well, they do. We´re not naming names, but why in the hell would they pick us? Because we are Padre – we´re all about it.
If you book with someone else, we´ll see you at our Party. You´re Welcome at our events, but don´t think for one second that someone else has a “party” schedule that you´ll attend –Spring Break Information events are the biggest, wildest, and provide the best entertainment the entire month of March, hands down. Call area businesses in South Padre related to spring break & ask about Spring Break Information Tours — you´ll quickly find that we really are the party scene.
You will notice that our travelers will cut our 2000+ people event lines, so expect a 30-45 minute wait to get in, and you´ll have to pay upwards of a $20 cover charge to get into our parties if you have not traveled with Spring Break Information Tours. That savings quickly adds up.
Is someone fool giving you fast food meals free? Gross. Are they selling you a hotel 3 miles from the Entertainment District? Jeez, are you sure you want that? Make sure that you´ve investigated the condo types. We know of one place selling 1 bedroom condos as 2 bedrooms because there is this pull across curtain that you can divide the room with. That´s retarded, and it´s no 2 bedroom condo.
Selecting a hotel or condo in South Padre
Ladies & Gentleman, location matters if you have flown into South Padre Island…but if you have drove down, it´s less important. If you can afford it, book Saida Towers. Also.. another reason to book with Spring Break Information Tours – we have an exclusive deal with Island Cabs for all of our students with our wristband on – it´s just $2/person to go anywhere, which makes that marquee location slightly less important.
With this in mind, consider the location vs. price factor. A South Beach location is overall the best possible choice – but you´ll also pay for this (Saida Towers, Suntide III) If you are driving, we really think you need to at least consider Mid Beach (International) or North Beach (Inverness Beach) condos…at $2/person to go anywhere, if you are saving $100/person by staying under 2 miles to the North…that´s a lot of cab rides.
Sure, most of the good condos cost more, but if you can walk everywhere, think of the time & aggravation that will save you. People forget how much they´ve paid once they get there, so try to talk your group into spending more than they really wanted. You´ll be glad you talked them into it. Having a off – the – hook party property will make you look like a rockstar to your friends. Everyone wants to meet people.
Plus, some of the North beach places like Inverness & Galleon Bay let you bring guys/girls (your pickups) back for the night. Some of the “places to stay” do not allow it. Be advised getting cock-blocked at the door when you´ve paid good money to come on spring break is unacceptable. Call us, and we will be more than happy to custom fit a condo for you & your group based on your tastes. Sometimes, your group might want to have your own party, not be all worried about the “hook up factor,” as well. We can assist with any type of group situation.
Really quick, we´ll recommend a few great condos. This list is NOT exhaustive but based on location, and being on spring or grad break, these are where to stay: (if you´re not a spring breaker, avoid these)
The Ultimate Experience
Saida Towers
Hands down, the best place to stay. Next to the Full Throttle Beach Stage Area on the ocean. Security can be dinks about hooking up if you´re not nice to them at the start of the week, bro-down for success. This property is a party, the condos are nice, and it has an onsite bar/restaurant.
Give me Luxury
Suntide III
Suntide III is the most luxurious condo plex we offer. It features a superb day/night location, an indoor/outdoor pool area, and oversized luxury condos. Hot Tub units available. This is not the best party complex, security is a bit too tight.
I want a party and I want a big condo
Inverness Beach Resort
Incredible condos for the money – right on the beach, a real party. Plus, security lets you hook up & bring back a date or two. The condos themselves are superb inside.
Put me on the beach at a low price
La International
1 bedroom condos beachfront. Location is mid-beach, not perfect, but fun next door bar called Wanna Wanna, decent pool & great value
Make ´er cheap
Galleon Bay
$200-$350 per person …bayside, but huge 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condos. Hook up friendly, not too far from clubs. Sweet value.
Gulfview I/II
For small groups. Nice one bedroom condos inside, south beach location.
Party Packages
Buy one. Buy the best one offered. While laying out $100+ right away sucks, these packages are time-tested, and offer a good value. We don´t care if you´re traveling with us or not, you should buy one no matter what. A cover charge in South Padre will run you upwards of $20 per night, depending on if you´re 21 or not. It´s always $5 cheaper if you´re 21, but you´ll never pay less than $10.00 this year, so be prepared. With a party package, your cover is obviously free.
The locals in Padre also don´t know where you should go. They´ll just send you to Louies because they have never even been to an Spring Break Information party during spring break. We use Louies – it´s a wonderful establishment run by true professionals – but we think you need to see all the best clubs, not just one. The locals are fine people to ask where to get a sandwich, not where to see hot people on spring break – that´s our forte.
Also, once you do buy a party package, don´t think that you´re done spending money because this is spring break, and drinks in Padre can run you $16.00 each (now, they´re 32 oz. and have 6 or 7 shots in them!) so plan accordingly. Pre-party in your condo to save some cash is key, and Spring Break Information events ALWAYS have a drink special until 11 p.m…most times $2 twenty-four ounce drafts or $2 margaritas
Not only that, a Party Package gives you a choice of a few fun side trips & things to do. Yes, we know you´ll party on the beach during the day, clubs at night. But why not go on a party cruise, do a surfing lesson, go shopping in Mexico, or take a Sea Rocket jet boat ride? All of these things create memories that will last a lifetime. For about $100 bucks, you´ll get all the parties, and a couple fun side trips. That´s a sweet deal.
Remember, it´s the group mentality. Having so many people on our party schedule guarantees our large events that will make you & your friends happy. The small disadvantage to having a pre-set schedule is overcome by the fact it ends arguments within your group about “where to go” or “what will be fun” – it´s a dialed in thing, as Spring Break Information is definitely a party-planning expert on the Island.
Before you leave for your trip
There are a few smart things to plan before you actually get ready to leave on your trip. For starters, our blog on our website has interesting mumblings about South Padre & spring break in general almost daily from our Company President. Check it out by clicking on the HOME icon on the upper left hand side of our homepage, then clicking on on the Blog drop down.
Considerations:
Go shopping for new clothes.
Yes, most people will buy some new clothes to sport on spring break. Get your ass to the mall, and bring a member of the opposite sex that is a hottie to pick out your clothes, because you have no style. No, you really don´t. A new bikini, new boardshorts, and clothes for the club, the bar, warm weather, & cool weather all recommended.
Start working out at least 6 weeks prior to the trip
By working out, we mean just do SOMETHING….anything……but get off your tushie & even walk for 30 minutes a day while watching TV everyday…it´s better than nothing at all. If you want to step up your game, visit www.bodyforlife.com, sponsored by EAS & Bill Phillips. It is absolutely the best fitness & regime available today.
Go tanning (i.e…fake n´ bake)
Listen, we know that a.) it can give you skin cancer, b.) it can be expensive and c.) it´s kinda Gay for guys to go indoor tanning….but who cares? This is spring break, and you´re only young once. You need to look the best you possibly can, and a golden tan is key. Plus, you won´t burn so easily on spring break under the hot southern sun.
Buy new, cool sunglasses
You´ll be wearing/needing sunglasses all day poolside & at the beach. You´ll look like a tool with a pair of fake Oakleys. Once again, have the opposite sex pick out what looks good on you….just because Paris Hilton wears 19″ Chanel´s doesn´t mean they´ll look good on your moon face. Have your friends help out.
Make copies of your drivers licenses, all credit cards you are bringing, and your passport
This takes just minutes to do, and if you happen to lose them, you´ll still be able to partake in South Padre during your trip. Replacing them is then a breeze. If you don´t have this stuff, how will you get into the bars? You won´t.
The Road Trip Down
Most of you will be driving to South Padre Island for your college spring break trip, and we want to offer a few pointers about the road trip down.
The Vehicle Choice
Of course you´ll be considering a large sport utility or truck to pack everyone in, but it is important to try to grab the newest possible vehicle for reliability / warranty coverages. Nothing is more frustrating than a breakdown, so consider reliability.
Also, fuel economy. If someone has a diesel, take it. It´ll double your gas mileage. Spring Break Information also offers our exclusive GREEN BREAK DISCOUNT — if you drive a Hybrid or Frybrid vehicle to South Padre with any condo package purchase, you & your group will receive at no charge a $50 gift certificate to the Blue Marlin IGA supermarket. Just show up, and show us your car that you drove down.
Make sure air pressure is at Max allowed per the tires for gas mileage. Have a fresh oil change done RIGHT before the trip & all fluids checked. Is your insurance current? Is everyone driving insured themselves? Make sure.
The Money / Gas Money Split
In order to avoid a.) the fighting about money in the car or b.) the cheap bastard that always gets away with spending less — if you are the vehicle owner, you need to precollect at the time you load your rig up (before you leave). Accept NO excuses. Go to www.mapquest.com, and figure out the mileage roundtrip to/from South Padre Island (zip code is 78597, just put in 1001 Padre Blvd).
Take the amount of miles one way, times it by two, and you´ll have your total miles. Now, divide that number by the miles per gallon your vehicle gets. For example, if Padre is 2000 miles round trip, and your SUV gets 10 miles per galloon, it will take you 200 gallons to go round trip. At $3 per gallon, that´s $600 for gas. If there are 6 of you in that vehicle, pre-collect $100 per person.
What happens if you don´t? People blow all their money onsite, with the promise of “getting you back later.” Well, that never happens, and it is not your responsibility to pay for someone else´s gas. Pre-collect $5 each for “incidentals” on the vehicle, including windshield wash fluid, and for three car washes (one when you arrive, one when you leave, one for when you get home). Why should it be your responsibility to clean the rig when you were nice enough to provide the wheels in the first place? This is stuff is fair to ask – and believe us, if you don´t ask in advance – you won´t receive.
The Ride Down
Mentally prepare yourself for the journey – if Mapquest says 18 hours down, you can probably do it in 16-17 hours…but no less. Don´t bother speeding – it´s not safe, and it´s not worth the ticket to get there 8 minutes faster. (studies prove that speeding actually doesn´t get you places that much faster) If you hit inclement weather, slow the hell down. Ditching it & getting a tow will take 2-3 hours….it´s way faster to keep it on the road by slowing down.
Dress comfortably, bring contact solution & water with you inside the vehicle. Loading up the IPOD, having car charges for your cell phone & laptop all will help the time fly by. Make sure you buy a cigarette/power splitter or two so you can all share power on the trip.
Don´t plan on “drinking´ on the way down…it´s just too far down, and the ticket is just too expensive. Also, there is a Wal Mart down / adjacent to the Island, don´t bring booze, it´s unnecessary.
Set some ground rules. No smoking or toking in the ride, if you fart, roll the windows down, no eating fast food in the truck, etc. This will all make the ride more enjoyable for all. Packing some snacks will save you time, money, and they are generally more healthy anyway.
When you are arriving in South Padre Island
Hey, most of you will just drive down. Watch your speed south of Harligen and east of Brownsville. The 5-0 are waiting for you, and we mean it. If you´re going even 1 mph over the speed limit, you´re getting an unpleasant welcome surprise, called an expensive-ass ticket.
If you fly in, all of the valley regional airports (McAllen, Harlingen, and Brownsville) are small, nice and quite new. We offer transfers as an option to all of our trips for just $50 per person extra – which is about half-off retail or a cab. If you´re going down on your own, you can arrange for transfers for about $80-$100 each from Go with Jo! Travel (800.999.1446). Jo is the cheapest way to go.
Forget about taking a cab Diddy, because it´s about $80 each way per person.
If you come down with Spring Break Information Tours, just look for the Go with Jo! Rep, and they´ll direct you to the shuttle. Listen to when they say that they are going to pick you up at the end of your trip, or you´ll be screwed. You must show them your transfer voucher. Some other idiots offer “free transfers” – just make sure you consider the overall cost of the package – anything “free” usually “sucks.”
Being prepared to be patient will make you and your group have a much better start to their vacation.
Spending Money
Guys: Bring a minimum of $250 USD or don´t go.
Girls: Bring a minimum of $250 USD or don´t go.
One of the keys to saving money in South Padre is pre-gaming, and utilizing your huge ass condo with its full size kitchen. Go to the Blue Marlin IGA Supermarket, or Super Wal-Mart. Load up on munchies, Natty Light, and a beer bong or two. Don´t forget mixers!
Drinking a bit before the bar will help you save money. Plus, in South Padre, open containers are legal on the beach (not on the street though, be aware).
Kegs are also ok on the beach, go to Ben´s Liquor Warehouse, buy a key, and bring it via public access beach points down to the beach. Remember, you can´t bring kegs onto, nor across, condo grounds…you must use public access points. Don´t bring any glass bottles of booze or beer with you..it´s a $500 ticket in South Padre if you have glass on the beach.
Check-in Policies
We require two open credit card vouchers per room for excessive damages. Also, we take photocopies of the IDs & credit cards of each person staying in the room.
You´ll need to NOT Animal-House the condos. But don´t worry. We know you´ll be having a cocktail or two with your friends in the rooms – we´re not that stale!
If you´ve booked your own vacation without Spring Break Information Tours… be ready for some unpleasant and unexpected or hidden “fees”. These typically are as follows:
Cleaning Fee: $70
Booking Fee: $50
Linen Fee: $25
Tax: 13.5% per room
Security Wristband Fee: $25 per person or more
Processing fee: $15
Booking fee: $50
Refundable Cash Damage Deposit: $50 per person or $100 per person for Mexican nationals, or if you´re under 21.
We don´t charge any hidden fees. It´s all here for you to see. So-called “rental agencies” will book you a condo directly and cleverly “forget” to include some or all of these fees when you initially book.
Plus: you get no advice, no inclusions, no onsite staff, & no party packages. You´ll wander around a night or two & end up at our parties anyway, so in the end… any money you´ve saved is squandered, figuring it out for yourself. Not only this, your group of friends will get frustrated, & then the bitching begins. Your vacation is only a week long. Why take a chance?
We offer biggest student travel Company party in South Padre on ANY NIGHT, or we offer a refund. That´s a good deal with think.
We´re always amused when people call us at Spring Break Information Tours for a package price, and then tell us that “they´ve gotten a better rate elsewhere.” Really? Well, after you add all those junk fees in, and figure out how much time, money, & aggravation our inclusive package will save you, Spring Break Information Tours complete turn-key package is the way to roll. Plus, look at all the free advice we are giving you here – we know what the hell we´re talking about.
If you have a condo — good things to know
Be aware of the fact that condos do not have daily maid service, so Nazi-guard your towel for the week. You can of course exchange towels & linens during the week with our servicing agency.
You´ll also need to plan on leaving the place clean, because you´ll get charged for “excessive cleaning and the towels. Yeah, they charge about $20 each, so don´t use them on your shoes.
We provide a unit condition report at the time of check in, which we encourage you to take the time to note any damages, missing/broken items or other issues with your unit. We do this so you won´t be unfairly charged for causing them.
Remember to consider condo sizing, & to have realistic bedding expectations. If you are putting 10 people in a three bedroom condo, typically there is a king bed in the master, a queen in the 2nd bedroom, and two singles in the 3rd bedroom. The couch in the living room will also pull out. You may check out of our office at no charge an inflatable air bed. The point being – make sure you´ve worked out who gets to sleep where to avoid arguments onsite.
If you have fussy people, book no more than 6 in a three bedroom, 4 in a two bedroom, and so on. That way, EVERYONE has their own bed. A quick reminder as well…all condos Spring Break Information offers have a full size kitchen – not some broke “kitchenette,” either…full size fridge, stove, all utensils…go shopping for some goods to save money for the week.
The Beach
We understand your need for a “romantic” spring break walk at night, and South Padre is truly the ONLY destination that really is safe at night to be on the beach. (Not in the water dumbass. The beach.)
So get your groove on. Remember, what could be finer than being tanked on cheap liquor and going for a moonlight stroll with your one night stand?
Throw your protection away when you´re done!!! That´s gross. And the barefoot walk through that is of questionable taste for your fellow spring break travelers.
South Padre Island also boasts the best surfing conditions at the Jetties & the Port Mansfield cut of the entire Gulf Coast. We recommend learning to surf here.
Nighttime
At night, stay in groups.
Be realistic… People hook up on spring break. It happens. (Wow, are you surprised?!) Just make sure one person you are with knows where you are going. We know people lie because they don´t want others to know that they are hooking up, but seriously…. Just have one person that you trust to tell.
If you ARE the buddy, don´t make moral judgments that might cause your hooking-up friend to lie to you. However, if your friend is so intoxicated that they don´t know what´s up, help them please.
Thank God, in South Padre Island, your cell phones will work. Use them. Charge them at night when you hit the hay, and you´ll be set for that nights´ main event party.
The Wave Bus – uhh catch the “wave”
The Wave comes about every 45 minutes along Padre Blvd. You can pick it up at The Sunchase Mall, the Bahia Mar, or The Blue Marlin Grocery Store.
It´s free… but it only runs during the day, and it is slow as hell. Forget about those advertised “Must Bus” — they don´t exist. Spring Break Information does have an exclusive agreement with Island cabs. See below.
Cabs/Taxis
They´re dirt cheap in South Padre. Plan on spending about $2-$3 each to go one way, anywhere.
But during the middle two weeks in Padre, they won´t take you to the South end of the island by the Saida or Sheraton because traffic is so jacked up, you can´t move.
If you are an Spring Break Information Tours traveler, you´ll receive a discount with our preferred cab company, Island Cabs. With your Spring Break Information Tours wristband, it´s $2/person to go anywhere instead of the usual $3.
Question & Answers on our South Padre Island Trips
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, I notice that you don´t offer standard hotel rooms in Padre, why?
A: Are you kidding? Our condos are not only the same price or lower than plain-jane hotel room, all of our spring break friendly complexes allow you to bring in your own liquor, and are set up for spring break – not business travelers, not families, and certainly not bitchy old people complaining you´re having a few beers or cocktails in your room.
Spring Break Information also places its party staff at all of our condo complexes to assure you not only great customer service, but also to keep the party going 24/7. We hire people specifically for this purpose — so get your drinking hat on & dancin´ shoes pulled out – you´re gonna need em.´
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, I see that many of your units cheaper units are mid-beach to North Beach versus the more sought after south-beach location, any reason for that?
A: Sure! Mid-Beach & North Beach units offer you more bang for you buck – IF, and we stress IF you are driving down. While they are not in as great of a location as beach south or mid-beach/south, you´ll have your car in Padre, that´s why our drive down units are slightly further away. If you are flying down, we do, however recommend only Mid-Beach or Beach South locations, as you won´t have a car & need to walk sometimes.
Don´t worry, none of our units are as far north as say, the Bahia Mar or La Quinta, which really ARE too far North Beach in our opinion. Mid & North Beach you´ll also get bigger units for less money than some condos Beach South. Also, NO OLD FOLKS or FAMILIES! Spring Break Information units are in great condition, and provided you´ve traveled with Spring Break Information Tours, are hook up friendly (yes you can bring your spring break hot date back)
Also, these Mid & North beach you should do some simple calculations on.. we have a deal with Island Cabs that for Spring Break Information students, you pay just $2 per person, to ANYWHERE in South Padre. With the money you save, you can budget for a cab, and STILL have money saved over booking a south beach unit.
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, why would I go to Padre at all & get a condo with you all?
A: Price, college boys & girls, price! For $250 on up per person total trip price with meals & the condo, you just CANNOT get a cheaper spring break trip! Plus, we´re Texans. If you looking to book a vacation to a destination (South Padre, which is in Texas) we feel it is more than worth a look at our company, which is incorporated in the State of Texas. We also are members of the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce, & can provide impeccable references from most of the island´s most prominent business people. That´s a recommendation you can´t beat.
We shake our heads at people booking trips to South Padre without considering if they´re booking with Texans – of course we have better condos, parties, & inclusions…we know everyone in South Padre! If you need a recommendation of Spring Break Information Tours from a local in South Padre Island, from a City Alderman, to the Mayor, give us a call, and we´ll put you in personal touch with them. We´ve conducted ethical, honest business in South Padre for years.
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, I know all of your Padre trips include restaurant meals, some party beverages, etc. but I´ve seen some other travel websites with more meals, or hundreds of dollars in “Free Stuff” advertised – why don´t you give away $400-$600 in free stuff with your trips???
A: Hell, we thought you were in College! Any reasonable person knows that you can´t pay $300 for a trip, and get $200-$300 back in free stuff – duh, that means you´d lose money on the trip. We´re not the church, we need to make some profit, too. Our answer is, read the fine print OR even better, try to get it all in writing prior to booking your trip. What they are giving away has zippo value, as in nada, or NONE at all! If everything is free or discounted – well, you know the deal.
We pride ourselves on having the BEST trips to South Padre, not cheap, not full of free junk, and we don´t play lip service to a bunch of so-called free inclusions that are sub-par in quality.
For example, we´ve seen websites with “Free Express Entry for 14 hours” being worth $40. To us, not only does this look like you´ll get into the club for free (which is a free cover charge to an empty club or free cover before 9 p.m. – who cares? ) We´ve even seen it say that being in business for 10 years is worth some sort of dollar figure value wise to their clients…don´t get fooled by all the bologna…if it sounds too good to be true, it is!
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, what/where are your free restaurant meals?
A: Easy, go to our South Padre landing page, and click on our Free ta´ Eat Diner Meal Plans here.
Not only does it list all of the restaurants & actual menu items, we feel we´ve done an excellent job of providing a reasonable selection of low-calorie, low-carb, or low-fat menu choices. Eating fast food is not for us, nor is eating hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza in some buffet line a credible meal…that´s just plain sick & gross! Fast food is NOT included on any Spring Break Information Free Ta´ Eat Diner Meal Program. A $2 Mcdonalds breakfast or a sick meal at a nightclub isn´t a Diner Program, it´s a rip off.
Also…Spring Break Information Tours has exclusive, long term contracts with its restaurants. If you see our meals or restaurants elsewhere, that website is just reselling the Spring Break Information package or falsely advertising its package inclusions. Book it direct with Spring Break Information, and save yourself the trouble. It is important to understand that our meals are not enormous, thanksgiving feasts, but are adequate, tasty meals considering how warm the weather is.
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, why does Spring Break Information charge for its Red Carpet VIP Party Packages for Padre?
A: Well, you get what you pay for darlin´! We could give away so-called “VIP Parties” at no charge as well, if we were sending you to a bar or club with no students there partying, OR with no cover charge. The BEST clubs in Padre ALWAYS have a cover during spring break. By the way, we can also 100% guarantee you this much…Spring Break Information parties & events have the most expensive cover charges any night in South Padre during spring break – our parties are so packed, we have to charge a cover charge to some how control the crowds. Plus, we don´t want even one student to come to South Padre and go how without experiencing what a true spring break tour operator party & experience is like – particularly with Spring Break Information.
Our #1 spring break party program there is the reason why, you´ll party with MTV celebrities, walk a real red carpet, and have a true VIP line with no wait & cover due at the door. We only use biggest, newest, & best clubs in South Padre for spring break. Plus, with Spring Break Information Tours, you´ll get to choose two of four killer events. We don´t hide our party schedule, or have a “to be determined” or “coming soon” schedule of events – because we are very proud of what we offer! You can read more about this by clicking here:
You can read more about this by clicking here: Party Packages
Finally, you can always be that guy or girl that thinks they can do better off on their own – well, you sure can…you can wait in our party lines like every other chump, or be glad you found our party package offerings to have it all put together before you ever get there. Also, having a party packages cuts off at the bend the chance for an argument to erupt within your group about “where are we going out tonight,” as it will be all set up for you, hassle free – you know it will be good at an Spring Break Information party. Since Spring Break Information brings the most college students to South Padre for spring break, and since we specialize in it, it´s super easy for us to demonstrate that our parties are hands-down the biggest on the island. Still not convinced? Click here.
To view the videos of our parties, or to view our photo album from last year!
Q: Spring Break Information Dude, I see all these “low price” guarantees, what gives?
A: Easy, it´s a scam. They offer you a low price, then do one of two things, a.) they tack on a bunch of hidden fees due upon your arrival to South Padre that they don´t tell you about when you book , or b.) they charge you a “security & fuel surcharge” of as much as $60 on flight / airfare inclusive vacations two weeks before your trip that they don´t bring up when you book the trip. We say this: if you´re considering such scammers, just try to get them to put into writing a 100% money back guarantee, that if they charge you & your group a fuel surcharge before you travel, you get a 100% refund of ALL OF your trip monies – which of course they will not. Fuel surcharges on a scheduled air flight to any valley regional airport (South Padre Island ) is not only a scam, it´s illegal unless the airline charged that tour operator the fuel surcharge (which NO SCHEDULED AIRLINE has ever done to South Padre). We 100% guarantee that if you book a trip to South Padre with Spring Break Information Tours, you will NOT have a fuel surcharge!
Some of the hidden fees that come up to you & your groups surprise when you get to Padre are the:
Hotel & Security Wristband fee ($25)
Refundable Damage Deposit ($50)
TOTAL: $75 when you arrive, when you´ve only spent maybe $300 is a big deal if it´s sort of tucked away in the fine print. At Spring Break Information, we pre-collect all of these fees/trip monies.
Last but not least, we don´t want to be a “discounter” or “wholesale” or “the cheapest possible” – we like quality. We wear nice clothes, eat good food, and take nice vacations. We want our travelers to have the same quality experience – we owe it to you, and you owe it to you & your group to provide quality. Hot people buy nice things. Which party do you want to go to?
Don´t take Spring Break Information´s word for it. Visit our Forums & Message Boards – post/start a topic, ask for advice, & more at no charge – CLICK HERE to visit
Restaurants
See our South Padre Island Spring Break Restaurants & Clubs page for more details.
Nice, can be expensive
De Luna
De Luna $15-$20 per person for the Island´s best food.
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Pirate´s Landing & Sea Ranch
Pirate´s Landing & Sea Ranch Excellet seafood on the water.
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Middle of the road price but good
Kohnami Sushi
Kohnami Sushi Sushi. Get the Treasure Boat with a Sake Bomb.
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Amberjack´s
Amberjack´s Good / decent seafood. Get the Mahi Mahi or Red Snapper.
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Schlitterbahn´s Shrimp Haus
Schlitterbahn´s Shrimp Haus Fried shrimp is the best on the island, easily.
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Louie´s Backyard
Louie´s Backyard Great fajitas on special.
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Sea Ranch
Sea Ranch Awesome fresh fish on the marina, romatic baby!
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Cheap
Rovan´s Bakery
Rovan´s Bakery Surprisingly good for breakfast, and the fried fish is very decent.
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Psychadeli
Psychadeli Delicious homemade sandwiches.
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Fish Bones
Fish Bones Built on a pier over the water at Destination RV park. Best view in Padre.
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Ted´s – for breakfast
Ted´s – for breakfast Amazing everything up by Bahia Mar.
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With Spring Break Information Tours, we also provide for our travelers something we call the Top Shelf Dinner recommendation for every night of your spring break vacation. Our travelers get a minimum of 15% off the listed menu prices. You’ll enjoy the very best of what South Padre Island has to offer for dinner.
Spring Break Information Tours represents the finest restaurant venues on South Padre, just as our trip is the finest trip there for spring break.
Clubs
See our South Padre Island Spring Break Restaurants & Clubs page for more details.
Nightclubs
Chaos
Chaos Newest club in South Padre. 3 floors, 8 bars, largest nightclub in the state of Texas. Big lines on Spring Break Information nights Wednesday for Don Vito´s appearance
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Tequila Frog´s
Tequila Frog´s On the lagoon. Famous for Wet-T Shirts. Sunday is their biggest night, but all weekend, plus Tuesday & Thursday nights are huge.
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Louie´s
Louie´s Louies Backyard is an island Icon. Three levels, on the water, serving as the hub & center of the entertainment district. They offer two specialty drinks, the Charlies Cherry & the Whammy. whoa! Texas−sized. Also, try their happy hour fajitas, some of the best steak we have ever had.
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Club Pelican West
Club Pelican West Home to Spring Break Information’s Mardi Gras Event – only upscale nightclub in South Padre
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Pre-party Bars
Quarterdeck at the Radisson
Quarterdeck at the Radisson Busy year-round. If you´re 30+, it´s a good scene. Lots of dancing and they generally have live music.
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Dorado´s
Dorado´s Killer / cool surf bar, Stella Atrois on tap, too, great appetizers. HIGHLY recommended!
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Palm St. Pier
Palm St. Pier next door to Tequila Frogs, $2 margaritas, right on the water.
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Side Trips
Do at least one of these.
We know you’re going to get bombed every day &mdahs; but seriously, we are talking about some of the best beaches and clearest water in the ENTIRE world… so take advantage!
Visit our South Padre Island Spring Break Optional Side Trips page for more information.
Learn to surf!
Includes a long board, wet suit, and lesson with Resident Spring Break Information Pro Surfer Gene Gore (takes the ladies out), and his paddle board champ wife Rachel (takes the boys out, she´s not hard on the eyes fellas!) $40.00 for a half hour lesson. They run www.spadre.com as well. South Padre Surf Company.
Dolphin Watch Tour
Aboard the glass bottom 60 foot Getaway. 2 levels, narrated tour. One of the wonders of nature, SPI has the most dolphins in the wild in North America. You are 100% guaranteed to see them! Bring your camera. They have a sweet souvenir picture in front of the yacht when you´re done for $5, and it´s actually worth it. Provided by breakawaycruises.com. Year round. $20.00
Party Yacht Cruise
Includes cover charge after to Tequila Frogs, and Spring Break Information Tours exclusive event, since we´re the only Company big enough to pull it off right. 2 hours with beer, contests, music, and more. $30.00
Fishing
Is expensive, but INCREDIBLE. If you have a large group, it can be less money to do it. Expect to pay $60-$200 per person to go for the boat, equipment, and some beer. Offered as a discount for coming down with Spring Break Information by Chris Brandriff with Chops Fishing Service.
Day Shopping Trip to Mexico
Provided by our affiliate Original Tours and close Spring Break Information friend, Chris Brandriff. Chris is an island native, and can tell you anything about Mexico & South Padre. Includes a guided tour, round trip motorcoach, and you can buy a meal at Garcias at your own cost. $30.00 any day, Spring Break Information´s office can set it up cheaper if you stop into Sunchase Mall at our office.
Jet Skiing
You can rent equipment at Palm Street Pier by Tequila Frogs. $35-$50 for a Half hour. Check the equipment over though, or you could get charged if something was broken when you bring it back.
Parasailing
NOTICE: Only do this with breakawaycruises.com. They are super safe, coast guard approved Captains, and it´s the ONLY Company our owner will allow students to consider for safety reasons. Offered year round for $70 for a tandem (that´s right, you can go up with a friend!) off the back of a boat, you don´t get wet, and no dangerous beach landings. You´ll need a non-windy day, or they will not take you up. Take $20 off the retail price if you stop by our office at Sunchase mall.
Air Travel
Finally, a note about air travel to South Padre Island, for year-round guests not taking or considering an Spring Break Information Tours trip:
If you have a Southwest Airlines gate at your nearest airport, consider booking your flight with them into Harlingen, Texas – they are dirt-cheap if you buy your ticket early enough. The other airports in the valley are McAllen/Mission and Brownsville. Continental, American and Sun Country Airlines all offer scheduled service as well. Expect to pay $350-$550 per person for a round-trip tick.
Bus Travel
Truly don’t have a ride to Padre, and the airfare is just too much money? Consider “Going Greyhound.” While the ride down is long, the price is unbeatable at less than /person round trip.
From places like Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and (anywhere) in Texas, the ride is very bearable…usually only about 20% longer than if you drove it yourself.
Think of this as not only an environmentally friendly way to spring break, it is also a great low-cash travel option. Plus, you don’t have to worry about driving, the vehicle, gas, or an expensive plane ticket.
Traveling to South Padre Island for a non-spring break trip?
Please call us toll free 800.821.2176 or email us tripinfo@Spring Break Informationtours.com for complete assistance in booking this type of vacation, or even for some just plain ol´ good Texan advice. We’re here to help year round as ambassadors to South Padre Island. All of our great condos are also available at discounted rates for year round travel.
Contact the President of our Company
Contact the President of Our Company directly if you have any questions, need some friendly advice, or have a different perspective. It is free of charge without obligation, and he answers all emails personally on a weekly basis:
chad@Spring Break Informationtours.com
Chad Hart, President, Spring Break Information Tours Inc.