Our Relaxing Resort-like Beach Vacation on a Budget

One of our favorite vacation spots when my kids were little was South Padre Island. I had always heard so much about the excellent beaches.

Trusting that reputation, I made reservations at a Holiday Inn on the beach, with a beach view, at the beginning of September.

EXPENSIVE RESORT VIBES

As we drove onto the causeway from Port Isabel to the island I felt like we were entering an expensive resort area. The water was in various shades of magenta and aqua, sparkling underneath the sun.

After we arrived in our room the curtains were opened and there was the ocean! What a view!

We immediately changed to go down to the beach and walk along the tide.

For the next couple of days we followed a schedule that worked well for us.

BEACH TIME

After breakfast (that I had packed in the igloo) we played on the beach until lunch time. We started with a walk along the tide to see if anything interesting washed onto shore. Then we built sand castles and such.

Then we returned to the hotel room for lunch (which I had also packed in the igloo). After the kids settled down for a nap, I rested on the bed to read a book with the curtains open to enjoy the view.

After nap time we changed for an afternoon on the beach.

DINNERS WITH A VIEW

At dinner time we cleaned up and went to a nice restaurant with a view of the beach for dinner.

Since school had started there were few people on the beach. And it still felt like summer. The weather was gorgeous every day. And the big bonus is that the rates are cheaper in September than in the summer.

And it was amazing how well the kids quickly went down for naps and bedtime, sleeping well.

We had a blast!