Texas Waterpark question

Thinking about going to Texas to visit a Schlitterbahn - South Parde Island or New Br...outside San Antonio.  The one outside San Antonio seems bigger and easier to get to, but South Padre is right on a bearch and leaves more things to do on the beach outside the one day visit. Anyone been to either of the parks or locals?

There's lots of things to do in New Braunfels, and it is a very pretty and historic town.  I've been there three times, but each time was during Spring Break, too early for the waterparks.  They also "toob" (which we call tubing up north) down the river (I believe it's the Guadalupe River). 
 
Nearby Gruene (pronounced Green) has the oldest Dance Hall in Texas with lots of live country music.  The Gristmill, a really cool restaurant made within the ruins of an old mill is just behind it.  There are tons of other shops, including a General Store on their historic main street.  Not to mention the river where people "toob" is right on the Gristmill site. 
 
A few miles away is San Antonio which has plenty of attractions to keep anyone busy.  Many people will recommend the RiverWalk which is a beautiful, lazy way to spend the day.
 
In contrast we once drove all the way down to Padre Island, since my hubby is a beach nut.  We didn't go all the way to South Padre, just in the area around Corpus Christi.  Hands down the San Antonio/New Braunfels area was more exciting and scenic than Corpus Christi / Padre Island.  Not even close!

i second the New Braunfels location. By the way you can also go to Smitty's, Black's and Kreutz's market for BBQ
in Lockhart.  You can easily go drive down Texas Hwy 46 to Seguin, and take either IH10 or US Hwy 90 East to Luling and go to City Market for BBQ.Luling has the Watermelon Thump in June, since they grow many around there.
 
Also, you can take IH10 towards Houston and get off on US Hwy 183 and can go to Palmetto State Park
and then down to Gonzales to the muesum they have dedicated to the Texas Revolution and have bbq at Gonzales City Market.Gonzales was where the first shot in the Texas Revolt against Mexico was fired.
There is a monument to the event down at Cost,on Texas Hwy 97.
 
If you go west from San Antonio out to Castroville on US Hwy 90 West, you can go see a town founded by Alsatians brought from france by Henry,Count Castro in the 1840s. There are many quaint houses and antique shops there.
Also, you can go up to Fredricksburg and see the Chester A.Nimitz Muesum of The Pacific.
His family ran a hotel there.Fredricksburg is an old german town. You can also visit Bandera, which has many dude ranches around there,like the Mayan, which is one of the oldest.
 
Also near Fredricksburg is The Wildseed Farm.They grow and sell wildflower seeds.Haven't had a chance to go there yet.
Also, you can take US90 and drive around places like Schulenburg, St.John, Hill Hill, and several other communities and see some of the "Painted Churches". These are old Catholic churches that have painted ceilings and other decorations in them besides the usual statues and such.They were founded by polish,czechs and germans a 100 or more years ago.
Check out www.texasescapes.com for more info on the painted churches and some of the towns around here.
Now Corpus Christi does have the USS Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium,and I think you can tour the King Ranch,but not sure what else to do there besides fishing at Port Aransas.
 
In San Antonio you can check out the zoo and the Botanical Garden on Funston and North New Braunfels.
H.E.B. Central Market is not too far from there, it's on Broadway and if you want some gourmet goodies, that's the place to go. You also have Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Seaworld of San Antonio.
Hope you get here to Texas and have fun.

I concur. The NB/SA area has a lot more to do than the South Padre Island area, unless you just have to go to the beach. HollyDolly covered most of the area attraction but I'd also mention they have a huge outlet mall just north of New Braunfels if you're into shopping. And along with Greune Hall, there is another old roadside tavern called Riley's just a few miles north.

If you do decide on the South Padre Island location and you are at all interested in history, be sure to explore the area just north of Corpus Christi.  In 1686 the ship "La Belle" sank in Matagorda Bay and in 1997 it was brought back up again in remarkably better shape than had been expected for being underwater for over 300 years.  La Belle was one of the ships of French explorer LaSalle who (with Tonti) had claimed the Mississippi River basin for France in 1682 and named it Louisiana after King Louis XIV.  (This was later the "Louisiana Purchase" area.)  Seven museums in the Corpus Christi area have artifacts from La Belle and LaSalle's Fort St. Louis that he established in the area.  http://www.thc.state.tx.us/lasalle/lasdefault.shtml