Michael J. Ellis Beach & Seawall

Michael J. Ellis Beach is a well-maintained spacious public beach with amenities located around the middle point of the one-mile Padre Island Seawall. Here, you can drive directly on the hard-packed sand and have a relaxing day-off with umbrellas and sun chairs on the pristine seashore.

With this fine white sand and miraculously blue and clear water, the views are beautiful and soothing – a great place for a quick holiday in the close vicinity of rentals, restaurants, and all kinds of city stores.

Access and Parking

Michael J. Ellis Beach is situated on Windward Drive within the site of the Holiday Inn Express, featuring easy access and lots of free parking. You can either park your vehicle in the parking lot near the beach or drive directly on the hard-packed sand. This opportunity is considered by many visitors as a big plus.

At the same time, the vehicle traffic on the beach is rather low and is not going to hinder such recreational beach activities as strolling, flying kites, building sand castles, sunbathing, or picnicking. There aren’t too many people or vehicles on this beach even on holidays and weekends.

Eateries and Amenities

You’ll be able to use clean public restrooms, changing rooms, and rinse showers on site. There are canopy and beach chair rentals. If you get really hungry, it’s better to find a restaurant or café in the city since there are no full-fledged food facilities at the beach itself. Nevertheless, there is a little shack with smoothies and some light snacks as well as mobile food and ice-cream vendors periodically visiting the beach.

Sunbathing and Swimming

The sand is soft, hard-packed, and free of rocks – comfortable for strolling and fit for building castles. Very clean. The water is clear and beautiful. Swimming is enjoyable; nevertheless, be watchful because sometimes you can see jellyfish and man-o’-wars in these waters.

Winds are quite common and there are good waves most of the time, which are going to bring in more fun in your swimming sessions. The place is popular with kite surfers and beginner surfers, there is even a vendor offering surfing lessons. Maybe give it a try?

Walking, Shelling, and Watching Wildlife

The beach is long and spacious. Stepping on the hard-packed sand, it’s quite comfortable to stroll for miles along the seashore. Shelling is an option, you can find some beautiful colored seashells as well as good-sized sand dollars.

If you prefer to stay away from the sand and keep your footwear clean, you’ve got a wonderful option to walk along the walkway and still enjoy the feeling of being at the beach. The local wildlife is unexpectedly diverse, and, in addition to typical seagulls and some small seabirds, you’re likely to encounter pelicans, turtles, schools of fish and dolphins.

Driving Time

• 25 minutes from Corpus Christi, TX
• 1 hour 50 minutes from Victoria, TX
• 2 hours 20 minutes from San Antonio, TX

Hotels and rentals

If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:

• Nearby rentals from VRBO.
• Nearby rooms and properties from Booking.com.

Beaches nearby

Additionally, there's a number of beaches near Michael J. Ellis Beach & Seawall which you can visit:

• North Padre Island Beach (Seawall Beach) (0 miles)
• South Packery Channel Beach (Jetty Beach) (0 miles)
• Whitecap Beach (0 miles)
• North Packery Beach (J.P. Luby Surf Park) (1 mile)
• Padre Balli Park Beach (2 miles)