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Conference moira::naturism

Title:Naturism
Notice:Site report index is in topic 7
Moderator:GENRAL::KILGORE
Created:Tue Jan 26 1988
Last Modified:Thu May 08 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:457
Total number of notes:3687

46.0. "South Padre Island, TX" by TOMCAT::WASSERMAN (Deb Wasserman DTN 272-7424) Fri Apr 22 1988 20:47

The moderator asked me to post this note as a way of stimulating interest
in this notes conference.

I recently spent 4 days in South Padre Island, Texas.  South Padre
Island is in extreme southern Texas, on the Gulf Coast, about 20
miles north of Brownsville.  It's *not* connected to North Padre
Island.  We flew to Corpus Christi and drove the 150 miles south,
but one can also fly to Brownsville, I suppose.

S.P.I is connected to the mainland at Port Isabel via a causeway.  The
island is basically a 30 mile long, 1/2 mile wide sandbar, with a small
tourist-type town at the southern tip (lots of T-shirt shops and ice cream
shops) and 25 miles of white sand and open beach the rest of the way up
the island.  At the end of March, the air temperature was in the 80's
and the water felt about 60 or so (kind of like New England in August!) -
perfectly swimmable from my point of view.

You just drive north past the edge of town until the road ends.  Then
you can drive on the sand as far up as you want (of course, car rental
agencies make you promise not to do this).  Voila - your own private
beach, except for maybe some people fishing here and there.  Of course,
there are no services, facilities, etc, but that's fine with me!

I don't know if S.P.I is an "official" nude beach, but people seem to
be pretty casual about it down there.  (Toplessness is actually *legal*
in the state of Texas.  I've read that Austin has a nude condo complex).
As long as you're not in the town, noone seems to care what you do.  We
spent the whole 4 days sunbathing, swimming and taking long walks on the
beach with no suits, and no hassles whatsoever.

If anyone wants any more info on places to stay, etc, let me know.  BTW -
S.P.I is *big* with "spring break kids", so March may not be the best
time to go.
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46.1LOVE SOUTH PADRE ISLAND AND TEXASMEDUSA::BOURGEOISMon Oct 03 1988 18:3618
    I am new to this notes file and am just reading through all the
    notes but I had to reply this note. I love South Padre Island and
    am looking forward to the day I can go back. I am not a full fledge
    naturism person but I have relatives that are. There are many naturism
    people in Texas it seems and there is this camp that people come
    to stay at during the winter from all over the country, it is right
    outside of Austin. I have been there and I have met the nicest people
    there. The 1ts time I went there I was so inhibeted but after getting
    to know the people and seeing how warm and friendly they were you
    could do nothing but feel comfortable there whether you went nude
    or not. The 2nd time I went there I ended playing volley ball topless
    and thought nothing of it.  I am still somewhat inhibted but the
    older I get the more I realize it is more important to do what makes
    you feel good. besides if my mother at 85 could change her ways
    so can I.
    
    Jan
    
46.2Distance from Austin AIAG::GANAPATHITue Dec 06 1988 14:5317
Hi,

I'm not a naturist, but have been an interested casual reader of this conference
for quite sometime now. I'll be in Austin on a business trip from tomorrow 
through the weekend. 

I'll probably have a day and  half to spare, before I catch a plane back home
from Austin. I want to know how much of a drive it is to South Padre Island from
Austin.

I'll appreciate any addl. info about SPI as well...


Thanks for any information,

jay
46.3A long way from AustinNOVA::WASSERMANDeb Wasserman, DTN 264-1863Tue Dec 06 1988 16:534
   I'm not real familiar with Texas geography, but my feeling is it's
    a _long_ way.  (Isn't Austin inland?)  SPI is at the very bottom
    tip of Texas on the Gulf coast, about 150 miles SOUTH of Corpus
    Christi.  (Anyone have an atlas?)
46.4Travel plans... big fun in TejasHSSWS1::GREGMalice AforethoughtTue Dec 06 1988 19:4020
    re: .2 & .3
    
    	   Yes, SPI is a very long way from Austin... on the order
    	of about 400 miles.  I live in Houston and travel to SPI
    	fairly frequently.
    
    	   One interesting aside of a non-naturists bent... Last week
    	the Marissa II began sailing out of Port Isabela on a regular
    	basis.  The Marissa is the first casino ship to doc in Texas
    	since gambling was outlawed.  The cruiss costs between $40 and
    	$50 per person, and lasts six hours, four hours of which can
    	be used for gaming.  Since it's too cool to be skipping about
    	on the beach naked, perhaps this could provide you with another
    	means of entertaining yourself... but since it is no less than
    	400 miles from Austin, it's still going to be tough to get there.
    	If you want to give it a try, Southwest Airlines flies into
    	Harlingen airpiort (30 minutes drive from SPI) on a regular
    	basis.
    
    	- Greg
46.5More on SPIBANZAI::WASSERMANDeb Wasserman, DTN 264-1863Wed Jan 25 1989 15:307
    The latest issue of CWS (maybe the moderator will post it?) has
    a small article about SPI written by Lici Carr, of Fred and Lici
    Carr-fame.  They're the people we rented a room from (in their house)
    last year when we were down there.  They also have a jacuzzi in
    their back yard that they share with guests.  They're very nice
    people, so if you're planning a trip to SPI, you should definitely
    try and stay with them.
46.7This place gets better every year.THEBAY::VANDERHORNGAWed Dec 12 1990 19:5738
    I'm not a naturist but I can tell you South Padre Island is a great place
    to go fishing.  Second week of May, every year for the last 5, I've gone 
    down there with a group of 7-10 business associates to fish and have fun.

    We stay at the Yacht Club Hotel in Port Isabell on the inland side of
    the bay, where a suite runs $45.00 a night during that time of year.  
    Its not the Sheraton but its clean and roomy.

    The Yacht Club Restaurant located in the Hotel is the best place down 
    there to go out for dinner.  Ask for Snapper Throats as an appetizer you 
    won't be disappointed. This place could compete with any of the best 
    seafood restaurants in major cities around the country.

    Last year after dinner we went out to the pool behind the restaurant with 
    our after dinner drinks, well the restaurant closed at 10pm  and at 11pm 
    my group and I were in the pool cloths on and all with the waiters and 
    waitresses from the restaurant while the Manager brought us out rounds 
    of cocktails from the bar. This place was a blast.
    
    On S.P.I. going north on the bayside there is a four wheel ATV rental 
    place, and let me tell you these things are a blast on the sand dunes.
    
    The north point of S.P.I. is desolate and I'm sure one could go nude 
    without any interruption at all.
    
    Its also close to Medamoras, Mexico where its fun to shop.  We went to a
    restaurant in Medamoras called the Drive where they have an excellent 
    Chatue Briand for two.
    
    All in all this is a fun place to go and have fun without paying thru the 
    nose in the process.
    
    American  and Southwest have flights into Harlengen.  I suggest American 
    though, because Southwest is like a Greyhound Bus  they stop in every 
    city along the way.


    
46.8Hippy Hollow (Lake Travis), Austin, texas => topic 311MOIRA::FAIMANlight upon the figured leafThu May 30 1991 11:502
I've moved a series of replies about Hippy Hollow (Lake Travis) in Austin,
Texas to topic 311.