south beach inn, grocery, isla blanca park, etc

Thinking about staying at the south beach inn this summer, because we%26#39;re pretty budget conscious.

Just wondering, anyone else stayed there and your experiences? How close to the beach is it exactly? Also, closer to the western side or the eastern side beaches?

Any good grocery-type stores around (or on the island period) to buy food to cook?

The Isla Blanca park - says it%26#39;s 4/car to go in, but what if you walk in there? How much it costs then?

What else is there to do in the SPI/Port Isabel area besides the beach, sea turtle place, and the waterpark.

south beach inn, grocery, isla blanca park, etc

South Beach Inn is across Gulf Blvd. from the beach. The east side of SPI is the Gulf of Mexico. The west side is the bay (no beach). There is the Blue Marlin grocery store on the island, but in Port Isabel there is a Super Wal Mart and an HEB (my first choice for groceries). You can walk into the park via the beach for no charge, and I don%26#39;t know if you can walk in through the gates where the cars go through. There is not a lot to look at in there anyway...some big pavillions where you can picnic, and the Dolphin Cove oyster bar. I like the jetties which you can also get to by walking down the beach without having to go into the park. People fish off the jetties plus you can watch the boats and the dolphins in the channel.

Activities: Dolphin watch cruises, fishing (there are a lot of guides), shelling, Port Isabel Light House, bird watching, building sand castles (people give lessons on it), fireworks over the bay on weekends, and my personal favorite...napping.