Stay and Play at Schlitterbahn South Padre Island: 4 Smart Trip Tips

South Texas heat indices can be a real killer, which makes frequent trips to South Padre Island totally justifiable.

Stay and Play at Schlitterbahn South Padre Island

Celebrating 40 years this year, Schlitterbahn has helped families make precious memories irrespective of which Schlitterbahn they visit.

Schlitterbahn South Padre is no exception.

My family and I were invited to Stay and Play Schlitterbahn South Padre Island as part of a partnership with Schlitterbahn and Texas Travel Talk. The partnership included lodging, food & beverage, and compensation for the trip. The opinions reflected are honest and based upon my own experience.  

1. Stay at the resort and request a beachfront suite. Nothing beats the view!

The king suites come equipped with two mini refrigerators, two televisions, a king size bed and one pull out sofa bed in the bedroom and another pull out sofa bed in the living area, allowing for a family of 6 to sleep comfortably through the night.

A big perk? Resort guests enjoy the benefit of water park access on the day of check-in and the day of check out.

Though check-in is later in the day, you can go in when the park opens, and request water park entrance with proof of your resort booking, and the next day after checkout, stay and play till the lifeguards start closing up.

Best way to get bang for your buck!

2. Plan a Beach-Waterpark-Beach day!

• If you have early risers, go down to the beach as the sun rises, and enjoy the experience of having most of the beach to yourself. Most people prefer to sleep in, and hit the beach in the evening. Do not be those people. Capitalize on your “private” beach time! Schlitterbahn Resort residents can use the private beach access that allows them to walk to the beach, and be let back into the resort with their activated resort wristbands.

Oh, and don’t worry about dragging all that sand back to your room, shower up right before you head back up to the room.

• Hit the Water Park when it just opens and head straight to the Boogie Bahn. The Boogie Bahn is incredibly popular so to beat the crowds; the earlier you get to the Bahn the better. Lighter crowds mean shorter lines and the perks of getting a few unrushed surfing tips from the lifeguards on duty there. You do not have to be a pro surfer. Novices can pick up quite a bit in just an hour, and enjoy belly surfing just as much. (I’m proof!)

• Sure the park closes at 7 pm, but that doesn’t mean the fun stops. Go back out to the beach, and play, play, play till your family is ready to call it a day!

3. Beat the heat!

• If you have younger children, make the most of coming back to the room and getting them to take a nap during the hottest part of the day, while allowing older kids to enjoy the park with the rest of the family. (Don’t forget to read these 5 tips if your travel group includes little ones.)

• Wear water shoes to protect your feet from the sun-kissed, hot floors. These are a must, especially when moving from one attraction to the other, or even from the indoor water park to the outdoor park.

• Enjoy the outdoor waterpark first and then head to the indoor waterpark when it starts getting hotter mid-morning.

4. Plan smart when it comes to meals and snacks.

• Don’t skip breakfast. Schlitterbahn South Padre’s Loblolly Grill sells large, filling, breakfast tacos for under $4 a piece, and these would help kickstart the long day out.
• Do bring a cooler, (Schlitterbahn approved!) and pack it with cold sandwiches, fruit, nuts, water, and other energy-boosting snacks to tide the family through till dinner.
• Do take a break from the beach to enjoy a yummy meal at the SeaSide Grill, and then head back to the beach to close out the day. (Psst! Try the Chicken Nachos, Shrimp and Fajitas. So good!)

All set to make the most of your Schlitterbahn South Padre experience?