The Stables (South Padre Island) - What to Know BEFORE You Go Your family's day in the . This 1500-foot boardwalk criss-crosses marshland near the Laguna Madre, and is a great place to spotlots of different bird species. Outside the Petting Barn are the corrals with a host of barnyard animals that love to be hand-fed & entertain children and big people. Birdwatch on the bayside.