Starbase, TX · 26.00° N · 97.16° W

Starbase Map

Starbase is at the end of State Highway 4, 23 miles (41 minutes) east of Brownsville. The launch pad is 5 miles across the water from South Padre Island, but the drive between them is 40 miles. Highway 4 and Boca Chica Beach close on launch days.

  1. Brownsville
  2. BRO airport
  3. Isla Blanca
  4. Highway 48
  5. Rocket Ranch
  6. Build site
  7. Launch pad
  8. Boca Chica

  • 23 mi

    Brownsville to Starbase, 41 min

  • 5 mi

    Across the water to South Padre Island

  • 40 mi

    The same trip by road. No bridge.

  • 1 road

    State Highway 4 is the only road in

About 400 km up

Two shores, one pass

Boca Chica, where the pad stands, and South Padre Island face each other across Brazos Santiago Pass. No bridge crosses it, which is why 5 miles of water is 40 miles of road.Photo: NASA/ESA, Harry Stranger, 2021 · Public domain · cropped
Boca Chica and South Padre Island from the International Space Station, with the pass between them.From the International Space Station · 2021

25.95° N · 97.33° W

The Valley

How far is Starbase from Brownsville?

23 miles, about 41 minutes east on State Highway 4. The nearest airport, BRO, is 35 minutes away.

State Highway 4, Brownsville to the beach · 24.5 mi

Closure posted today

  1. Brownsville

    mi 0.0 · 5.0 mi to the next stop

  2. Airport turn

    mi 5.0 · 9.8 mi to the next stop

  3. Rocket Ranch turn

    mi 14.8 · approx. · 3.4 mi to the next stop

  4. Checkpoint

    mi 18.2 · approx. · 3.9 mi to the next stop

  5. Build site

    mi 22.2 · 1.9 mi to the next stop

  6. Pad

    mi 24.1 · 0.4 mi to the next stop

  7. Beach

    mi 24.5

Drive to Starbase, in minutes

  • BRO airport35
  • Brownsville41
  • Matamoros45
  • Port Isabel54
  • South Padre Island63
  • Harlingen65
  • HRL airport69
  • McAllen102
  • MFE airport104
OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic, checked Sep 30, 2026.
State Highway 4 running toward the Starbase build site across flat tidal land.
Highway 4 near the build site, 2021. The road is the only way in.Photo: Alexander Hatley, 2021 · CC BY 2.0 · cropped

26.01° N · 97.23° W

The Bay

Where can you watch a launch?

Across the water. Isla Blanca Park is 4.8 miles from the pad. On launch day, Highway 4 and the beach close.

From Starbase: as the crow flies vs. by road

Straight line By road

  • Isla Blanca Park

    ×7.3

    5.5 mi straight · 39.6 mi by road · 63 min

  • Highway 48 ramp

    ×3.8

    7.2 mi straight · 27.1 mi by road · 42 min

  • BRO airport

    ×1.2

    16.1 mi straight · 19.1 mi by road · 35 min

  • Brownsville

    ×1.1

    20.5 mi straight · 22.8 mi by road · 41 min

No bridge crosses the bay. To reach the island you drive back through Brownsville. OpenStreetMap routing, no traffic.
A Starship prototype climbing above a cloud of exhaust, seen across the water from South Padre Island.
Starship SN8 lifts off, seen across the water from South Padre Island, December 2020.Photo: Forest Katsch, 2020 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

When to leave, what to bring, and what to expect on the day.

Where to watch: the plan

25.99° N · 97.17° W

Highway 4

Can you drive to the launch pad?

You can drive past the build site to the beach when the road is open. The pad is private, and the road closes for launches and tests.

Highway 4 today

Highway 4 has a road delay 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. today

Production to Pad. Plan your drive outside the window.

Road closuresPlan a visit

  • Public road

    Free to drive when it is open.

  • See the rockets

    Stop along the road to see Starship and Super Heavy.

  • The pad is private

    The pad and the land around it are closed to the public.

  • It closes

    For launches and tests. The City of Starbase posts each order.

The STARBASE letters on a long wall, with the high bays and rockets behind it.
F · The Starbase sign and the build site, 2023.Photo: Jenny Hautmann, 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
The launch tower and mount behind a concrete barrier painted with the words We Are Explorers.
G · The launch tower and mount, 2023.Photo: Jenny Hautmann, 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Waves rolling onto Boca Chica Beach under a blue sky.
H · Boca Chica Beach, where the road meets the Gulf.Photo: Justin Hundsnurscher · Public domain

Questions People Ask

Where is the best place to watch a Starship launch?

Isla Blanca Park, at the south end of South Padre Island, is the most popular public viewing spot. It is about 5 miles across the water from the launch pad, with a clear line of sight, and Cameron County charges $15 per vehicle. Other choices are the Highway 48 boat ramp, which has no published fee, and Rocket Ranch, which sells tickets. Boca Chica Beach and State Highway 4 close on launch day, and you cannot watch from the launch pad itself.

How far is Starbase from South Padre Island?

Starbase and South Padre Island are only about 5 miles apart across the Brazos Santiago Pass, but there's no bridge between them. By road it's about 40 miles and about an hour, back through Brownsville and up SH-48. That's why most launch viewers watch from South Padre Island rather than trying to reach Boca Chica.

Can you drive to the SpaceX launch site?

You can drive State Highway 4 past the Starbase build site and out to Boca Chica Beach when the road is open, and view the rockets from the public road. However, the launch pad and surrounding land are private and closed, and the City of Starbase closes Highway 4 and the beach entirely during testing and launches. Always check road closures before driving out.

How close can you get to Starbase?

When Highway 4 is open you can drive right past the build site and stop along the public road to see the rockets up close. During launches and most testing the road is closed at a checkpoint, so the closest public viewing is from across the water on South Padre Island.

Sources · checked Oct 10, 2026

Photo credits · via Wikimedia Commons

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