Padre Island National Seashore is a National Seashore in Texas. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Padre Island the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 247° | 10h 37m |
| February | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 256° | 11h 15m |
| March | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:39 PM | 268° | 11h 59m |
| April | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:54 PM | 282° | 12h 48m |
| May | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 292° | 13h 29m |
| June | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:26 PM | 297° | 13h 50m |
| July | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 295° | 13h 41m |
| August | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 286° | 13h 06m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:35 PM | 274° | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:30 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 261° | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 250° | 10h 49m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 244° | 10h 27m |
Computed for the park's reference point (27.0538, -97.3590); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Padre Island, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:40 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.0 | 21° |
| March | 3:45 AM – 6:15 AM | 2.5 | 31° |
| April | 1:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 3.8 | 34° |
| May | 11:47 PM – 5:07 AM | 5.3 | 34° |
| June | 9:57 PM – 4:57 AM | 7.0 | 34° |
| July | 9:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.7 | 34° |
| August | 9:30 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.0 | 34° |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:33 PM | 2.7 | 31° |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.2 | 22° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Padre Island has long, hot summers and short, mild winters. Summers are very humid. Winter can bring strong cold fronts and gale force winds. Most rain falls near the beginning and end of hurricane season (Jun 1 - Nov 30). Average seasonal temperatures (Fahrenheit): Spring - high 70s-80s, low 50s-60s; Summer - high mid-90s, low 70s; Fall - high 70s-80s, low 50s-60s; Winter - high 50s-70s, low 30s-40s. Year-round, average wind speed ranges from 5-25 miles per hour. Relative humidity seldom drops below 70%.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (64%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $40.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $40.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $100.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
The National Seashore is located on North Padre Island, southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. Visitors to the area should head east through Corpus Christi on Highway 358. After crossing the JFK Causeway onto Padre Island, Highway 358 changes to Park Road 22. Continue about 10 miles south on Park Road 22 to reach the park entrance.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Auto and ATV
- Auto Off-Roading
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Saltwater Fishing
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Swimming
- Saltwater Swimming
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
