b'Coastal Bend Tour GuideMore beaches, greaterT heres no question thatApril can range from 75F on a cooler the Coastal Bends gulf beach access than anybeaches are the number oneday, to 85F under high pressure and southeasterly winds. So whether its attraction for visitors anycampfires and ponchos, or board shorts time of yearand who canand bikinis, our island beaches are where destination on theblame em? While spring weather in theto be this summer. The islands offer the Coastal Bend, and most of Texas for thatmost, and the most accessible, beaches matter, is anything but predictable, ourin the state of Texas for surfing, fishing, entire U.S. Gulf Coast islands tend to offer the most hospitablesandcastle building, or just chillin under climate for any kind of outdoor activity.the sun. Padre and Mustang Islands High daytime temperatures in mid- beckon your visit this season!Padre Island is the longest barrier island in the world, and the second largest island in the US, to Long Island, NY. Padre Isles is the largest waterfront development in the US outside the state of Florida, with some 4,000 single and multi-family homes located on the com-munitys extensive network of canals.Although the vast majority of homes in Padre Isles include boat docks and/or lifts, and many residents own ocean-worthy rec-reational vessels, until 2006 the closest pas-sage into the Gulf of Mexico was through the Port Aransas Ship Channel more than 20 miles, and over an hour north.COLLEGE/YOUNG ADULT ZONEThe official opening of Packery Channel in October 2006 was the culmination of decades of effort by hundreds of Texans at all levels of government. Not only FAMILY-FRIENDLY BEACH ZONEdoes the channel provide direct access to the gulf in less than five nautical miles of most homes, but contrary to envi-ronmentalists warnings about negative ecological consequences, water quality in Laguna Madre and in North Padres canal system was significantly improved, as was the fishing, with the opening of Packery Channel.92 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINEQ2.2020 TheCoastalBend.com'