October is one of the best months on the island: the water is still warm, the heat has eased, and two big community events land in the same week.
Sandcastle Days: October 2–4 at Clayton's
The 38th annual Sandcastle Days runs October 2–4 at Clayton's Beach Bar, 6900 Padre Blvd, and the Masters of Sand competition starts Thursday, October 1. It is free. By the organizers' schedule, amateur judging is Saturday, October 3, at 3 p.m., the Masters awards follow at 5 p.m., and People's Choice is Sunday, October 4, at 1 p.m. There are fireworks Friday night and a drone show Saturday. Sand Camp runs 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m., with no advance registration.
Sandcastle Days is a qualifier for the World Championship of Sand Sculpting, so the Masters pieces are worth seeing up close.
Queen Isabella Days: October 3–10 in Port Isabel
Across the causeway, the City of Port Isabel is bringing back Queen Isabella Days for eight days, October 3–10, for the first time in 41 years, according to KRGV. The schedule includes an Antique & Flea Market on October 4, exhibits at the Port Isabel Lighthouse and the Historical Museum, and a Pachanga on Maxan Street Friday and Saturday, October 9–10, from 6 p.m. to midnight, with fireworks Friday at 9:45 p.m.
While you are there, the Port Isabel Lighthouse is the only one of the 16 lighthouses built on the Texas coast that is open to the public, according to the Texas Historical Commission.
Getting around
Island Metro is free and runs daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., including a route across the causeway into Port Isabel. Every bus has a bike rack and a wheelchair lift. With Sandcastle Days drawing a crowd to Clayton's, the bus beats hunting for a parking spot.