Locals golf and boat in Laguna Vista
Laguna Vista is a peaceful town on Laguna Madre Bay, about 10 miles west of the lively South Padre Island. Locals spend their days boating to the tourist beach and teeing off at the waterfront South Padre Island Golf Club, part of a subdivision on the community’s northern end. This coastal location draws retirees, families and a small population of winter Texans to town. “People who live in Laguna Vista are usually very outdoorsy and active,” says Johnny Martinez, a Realtor with Spi Realty who lives on South Padre. With less than 4,000 residents and a couple of locally owned restaurants, the town is also popular for its suburban character. “South Padre is a party town, and Laguna Vista is its much calmer neighbor,” Martinez says. “Houses can cost less, people raise kids here and tourists only visit to golf.”
Houses can sit on the bay or the golf course here
Housing includes New Traditionals and ranch styles, often featuring Mediterranean influences, like stucco exteriors and terracotta-tiled roofs. The median lot size is a quarter-acre, with palm trees typically towering over grassy lawns. Some homes back up to the bay with docks and boat slips, while houses in the gated South Padre Island Golf Club subdivision typically sit on the course. Golf club membership fees are separate from the subdivision’s HOA dues, which maintain resident-only swimming pools and sports facilities. Laguna Vista’s median single-family home price is around $410,000, which is significantly lower than South Padre’s $1.2 million. Inland homes can cost anywhere from $100,000 to $420,000, while those on the golf course typically sell for between $450,000 and $700,000. Houses closer to the bay usually range from $950,000 to $2.5 million. The area also has a few townhouses, with two bedrooms starting at around $200,000 and three bedrooms reaching $505,000.
Many residents join the South Padre Island Golf Club
South Padre Island Golf Club's 18-hole course overlooks the bay and South Padre’s high-rise condo complexes. Homeowners in Laguna Vista and the course’s subdivision aren’t required to join the club, though many do. “People move to town with the golf course in mind, so it's uncommon not to become a member,” Martinez says. Public tee times are also available, and the clubhouse has a restaurant and pro shop. Several other recreation spaces are in town, including the half-mile-long Laguna Vista Nature Trail, stretching through shrubland and past birdwatching observation blinds. Laguna Vista Public Library regularly hosts movie nights and story times. There’s a picnic pavilion and playground at Roloff Park, which holds community events like the Fourth of July celebration. The event starts with a golf cart parade through town and ends at the green space, with a watermelon eating contest, potato sack races and a firework show. Across the street, the community marina has boat tie-ups and a ramp. Boaters can head east and dock at a marina on South Padre, where roller coasters and a waterpark sit along the beach. Over 60 miles of hiking and biking trails are at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, about 12 miles north.
Flooding and the nearby SpaceX site impact the community
Residents should be aware that Laguna Vista faces some environmental concerns. For instance, heavy rainfall and tropical storms put most of the community in a high-risk flood zone, where flood insurance is mandatory. Rocket launches from the SpaceX site, about 40 miles south, have been reported to shake homes and leave debris scattered around town.
Port Isabel High offers after-school programs
Point Isabel Independent School District serves Laguna Vista. Kids can attend Derry Elementary and Port Isabel Junior High, both of which earn C-plus grades from Niche. Students may continue to B-minus-rated Port Isabel High, where after-school programs include art classes, math tutoring and wood shop.
There’s a diner and a bar in town
Offices, a liquor store and a dog groomer fill The Village at Laguna Vista, a small, pastel-painted commercial strip on Santa Isabel Boulevard. It also has two restaurants, which tourists rarely visit. “They’re the type of places where waitresses remember your name if you’ve been a few times,” Martinez says. Bayside Café is a small diner with meatloaf and Tex-Mex food on the menu. A pool table and neon beer signs decorate Bay B Boomers, a bar and grill with regular live music nights. Grocery stores like H-E-B and Walmart Supercenter are in Port Isabel, about 6 miles east. Seafood restaurants, bars and souvenir shops line South Padre’s main strip.
Traffic on state Route 100 backs up during tourist seasons
Though locals sometimes drive golf carts around town, Laguna Vista is car-dependent. State Route 100 spans the community’s southern edge and connects with Port Isabel and South Padre Island. The highway often experiences heavy traffic during spring break and summer. “It makes getting groceries in Port Isabel a hassle, and people will completely avoid getting on the bridge to South Padre during those times,” Martinez says. Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport and Valley Regional Medical Center are both less than 25 miles west.
