News Release

Park Entrance Fees Apply to Special Events

Date: June 28, 2021
Contact: Kelly Taylor, Public Information Officer, 361-949-8173 ext. 427 (office), 361-446-9074 (cell)

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — When special events such as sea turtle hatchling releases resume, event participants will be expected to pay the national seashore entrance fee. Special events will resume when, based on guidance from the Department of Interior, the National Park Service (NPS) and the NPS Office of Public Health, the three counties that surround the national seashore have low to moderate community transmission rates of COVID as defined by the Center for Disease Control. For current COVID community transmission rates the counties (Nueces, Kenedy and Kleberg), please visit the CDC COVID Data Tracker. 

When planning to attend a special event, the national seashore strongly encourages visitors to plan their visit with the expectation of having to momentarily wait in line at the entrance station. The expedite movement through this area, park entrance passes may be purchased in advance at www.recreation.gov. (Only single day and seven-day passes may be purchased at this site.) For those who prefer not to purchase an entrance pass in advance, single day, seven-day, annual and lifetime passes may be purchased in person at the entrance station upon arrival. Pass prices range from $5 for a single day pass for pedestrians and cyclists to $80 for a lifetime pass for US citizens 62 and older. Additional information about the national seashore’s fee schedule may be found at Fees & Passes – Padre Island National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

For updates about park programming, please visit the national seashore’s webpage (nps.gov/pais) and Facebook page (@PadreIslandNPS).