Padre Island National Seashore was established by an act of Congress in 1962 in order to save and preserve, for purposes of public recreation, benefit , and inspiration, a portion of the diminishing seashore of the United States that remains undeveloped.

With 70 miles of protected coastline, including a coastal prairie, a dynamic dune system, wind tidal flats teeming with life. A sanctuary and nesting grounds for the endangered  Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. A haven for 380 species of birds, a rich cultural history including the 1554 Spanish shipwrecks; and the Laguna Madre, one of the few hypersaline lagoon environments left in the world.