Situated on the South Texas Gulf Coast, Corpus Christi presents cultural experiences, procuring, hospitality, native meals and widespread sights.
Vacationers can spend their entire trip within the Glowing Metropolis by the Sea or drive out of city and spend time within the surrounding space, together with Port Aransas and Rockport.
America Segura, model supervisor for Go to Corpus Christi, stated final 12 months was a record-breaking 12 months for tourism within the metropolis. She stated whereas main cities open this 12 months, the middle will not be anticipating to have as sturdy of a 12 months as final 12 months since “vacationers look to expertise different locations which were closed for a pair years.”
“We do, nevertheless, anticipate that the summer season journey season will likely be extra much like 2019, which means we predict this summer season to be one of many strongest journey seasons ever for Corpus Christi,” Segura stated. “Once we say Corpus Christi is the Gulf Coast Capital, we really imply it. … That’s as a result of Corpus Christi has one thing for all vacationers.”
Household sights
Should you’re headed to the Corpus Christi space along with your youngsters in tow, chances are high your actions should be kid-friendly.
It is summertime, so you will wish to keep cool. Head to Hurricane Alley Waterpark in Corpus Christi and race your loved ones down the Storm Chaser water slide. Should you’re in Aransas Move, go to town’s Aquatic Middle, which incorporates three swimming pools, three slides, a excessive dive and low dive and a rope web.
Maybe your loved ones is on the aggressive aspect. The Corpus Christi space has a number of escape rooms, skate parks, arcades and native exercise companies, together with In The Recreation Funtrackers amusement park and Play Excessive Sports activities, a paintball middle.
For these wanting a extra scenic route, go to the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Middle and Texas State Aquarium. You will discover each wildlife on the Botanical Gardens. On the aquarium, you can see dolphins, sea turtles, otters, sharks, flamingos, ocelots and jellyfish, to call a couple of.
Eating places
If there’s one factor individuals in Corpus Christi like, it is consuming scrumptious meals.
Sitting on the Gulf Coast, the Corpus Christi space is aware of the right way to put together seafood, together with barbecue, Mexican delicacies and juicy burgers.
Should you’re in search of an off-the-cuff eating expertise, go to Government Surf Membership in downtown Corpus Christi or Castaways Seafood and Grill in Port Aransas. Each provide tasty seafood choices and alcoholic drinks.
Making an attempt to seize a fast chunk to eat? Corpus Christi is residence to a number of quick meals eating places, together with Pete’s Hen-N-Extra and Vick’s Well-known Hamburgers.
For {couples} on a romantic vacay, contemplate eating on the Republic of Texas Bar & Grill on the twentieth ground of the Omni Corpus Christi resort. Reservations are required for this fancy eatery, which options quail, escargot, oysters, lamb and lobster.
Extra:Try these 12 South Texas eating places within the surrounding space
Extra:Here is a dozen eating places the place you’ll be able to seize a juicy burger
Extra:Here is a information to the highest BBQ eating places
Selena
If there’s one factor you need to do whereas visiting the Glowing Metropolis by the Sea, it is visiting all issues Selena. The Queen of Tejano is handled as a deity in Corpus Christi.
Make sure to go to Selena’s memorial statue, The Mirador de la Flor, in downtown Corpus Christi and seize a selfie. Different Selena “landmarks” embrace her gravesite at Seaside Memorial Park on Ocean Drive and her previous residence on Elvira Drive, with a mural of her positioned down the road.
Aspect by aspect on Leopard Avenue are Q-Productions, Selena’s household music studio, and the Selena Museum. Take a look at childhood pictures of Selena, her iconic outfits, gold and platinum information and extra. Make sure to buy a few of Selena’s merchandise, together with clothes, hats and DVDs, earlier than leaving.
In Government Surf Membership’s courtyard in Corpus Christi, Selena has her personal star within the South Texas Music Stroll of Fame together with greater than 90 different musicians. Afterward, head to Hello-Ho Restaurant and dine in one of many Mexican eateries Selena used to eat at again within the day.
Extra:Again to Enterprise: Why Hello-Ho Restaurant believes in onerous work and scrumptious meals
Seashores
With almost a dozen sandy seashores you’ll be able to go to within the Corpus Christi space, you can discover that candy spot to sunbathe at.
A number of the seashores do require a $12 parking allow, so remember to buy one at taking part Stripes shops, H-E-B, the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, the Corpus Christi Customer Information Middle, the Nueces County Padre Balli Park Headquarters Workplace, Texas A&M College-Corpus Christi, Metropolis Corridor, taking part Circle Ok shops and taking part Murphy Oil USA shops.
Texas’ first Blue Wave Seaside — which means it’s stored clear, managed responsibly and has a deal with the safety of human well being and the setting — is Rockport Seaside.
Facilities on the seashore embrace a water skip loop, free boat launch, fishing piers, a strolling path, picnic cabanas, a windsurfing launch space, volleyball courts, playground areas, bird-watching alternatives, restrooms and showers.
Should you’re coming to Corpus Christi and need a seashore within the downtown space, McGee Seaside is the only option. The seaweed-free place presents a laid-back expertise the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from fishing, sand volleyball and strolling alongside the Corpus Christi seawall.
Extra:Able to hit the seashore? Here is a information to 11 sandy spots within the Coastal Bend space
Extra:Corpus Christi’s iconic seawall was accomplished in 1941 to guard downtown
Historic landmarks
Historic treasures lie ready to be discovered about within the Corpus Christi space.
With greater than 90 historic landmarks in Nueces County alone, prepare to find the previous of the Coastal Bend.
Heritage Park is the house to 12 historic Corpus Christi houses with many recorded as historic landmarks. The oldest one, Merriman-Bobys Home, dates to 1851. Every residence pays tribute to the world’s ethnic and cultural range.
Extra:Littles-Martin Home holds historical past of Corpus Christi’s Black group
Should you’re seeking to admire some structure, contemplate visiting the Corpus Christi Cathedral within the metropolis’s enterprise district or head out to the Stella Maris Chapel in Aransas County, each erected within the 1850s.
Boat excursions
There is a cause Corpus Christi is also referred to as the Glowing Metropolis by the Sea: water.
There is no higher technique to expertise the world in all its aquatic magnificence than from a ship from native companies providing a bounty of boat excursions to swimsuit anybody’s fancy — together with the little ones.
Should you’re in search of an opportunity to get away from civilization, the Jetty Boat trip in Port Aransas will take you on a five-minute journey to San Jose Island. The pure, undisturbed barrier isle presents guests an opportunity to get pleasure from a personal seashore, go fishing, birding and discover hidden treasures together with seashells and sand {dollars} alongside the island coast.
For a tour plus a enjoyable, interactive present, Port Aransas additionally has Pink Dragon Pirate Cruises. Take a household journey on the excessive seas, that includes pirates, sword fights, a water gun battle, tales of the ocean, treasure looking and dolphin watching close to Port Aransas’ Turtle Cove.
Extra:Boat excursions provide probability to see the Coastal Bend because it’s meant to be seen
Tenting
Coming to the Corpus Christi space for a soothing, tenting journey?
Most campsites embrace actions for households together with fishing, browsing, bird-watching and different alternatives to benefit from the scenic pure fantastic thing about the Coastal Bend.
Situated alongside St. Charles and Aransas Bay, Goose Island State Park has campsites alongside the bay and beneath oak bushes. Every tenting space has a restroom with showers, and all websites have entry to water and electrical energy. At Lake Corpus Christi in Mathis, you’ll be able to swim, paddle, fish, boat and water ski. On land, you’ll be able to camp, hike, bike, geocache and birdwatch.
Wanting to remain on the seashore? Head to Padre Balli County Park, Padre Island Nationwide Seashore or Mustang Island State Park. If you wish to go tenting with facilities, contemplate visiting Padre Balli County Park. Should you get pleasure from a primitive tenting expertise, the opposite two seashores are your finest guess.
Dwell leisure
There are 30 live shows and comedians visiting Corpus Christi this summer season.
To not point out, native venues Home of Rock and Brewster Avenue Ice Home may have loads of free reveals out there to the general public.
Nation lovers can rejoice as a result of Kevin Fowler, Randy Rogers, Koe Wetzel, Cody Johnson and extra artists will head to Concrete Avenue Amphitheater and Brewster Avenue Ice Home in downtown Corpus Christi.
Comedians Tom Segura and Brian Regan will go to the American Financial institution Middle.
Rock ’n’ roll listeners can jam out to a number of tribute bands enjoying hits from Deftones, Rage In opposition to the Machine and extra.
Extra:Summer time leisure: Listed below are all of the live shows, comedians coming to Corpus Christi
Procuring
You already know you’ll be able to’t depart Corpus Christi with out some souvenirs for household again residence and your self.
There are many native companies within the surrounding space that will not make an enormous dent in your pockets.
Swing by Sew Bonita and Made in Corpus Christi, two native present retailers that promote merchandise catered to locals and vacationers desirous to really feel like a neighborhood.
Downtown Corpus Christi additionally has a number of retailers for youthful individuals to get the most recent classic tee, bucket hat and ripped pair of denims to finish their look.
Nifty and thrifty:Here is a information to the perfect resale clothes shops in Corpus Christi
Store native:Here is 10 Corpus Christi companies to go to in your procuring
Vintage shops:A information to antiquing within the Coastal Bend
Museums
The Corpus Christi space has a museum for everybody.
Artwork lover? Lined. World Conflict II know-it-all? Obtained it. Gnarly waves, bro? Tubular.
The Artwork Museum of South Texas is in Corpus Christi and options two flooring of art work. As properly, dine in Elizabeth’s on the Artwork Museum earlier than you allow. One other clever place is Dinah Bowman’s Gallery in Portland. Journey over the Harbor Bridge and respect work from native artists.
Extra:Portland artist Dinah Bowman proves following your dream is well worth the danger
Should you’re in search of extra historic museums, take a look at the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay and Tejano Civil Rights Museum. The previous focuses on World Conflict II historical past and has three escape rooms, whereas the latter showcases the struggles Hispanics confronted to realize civil rights.
Corpus Christi’s three different museums are the Museum of Science and Historical past, Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures & Training Middle and Texas Surf Museum. The Texas Surf Museum, which is free, is the one surf museum within the Lone Star State.
MORE COVERAGE
Extra:Bay Jammin’ Cinema Sequence returns to Cole Park for summer season with 11 family-friendly movies
Extra:From Brockhampton to ‘Browsing Jesus:’ The best way to decode Corpus Christi slang like a neighborhood
John Oliva covers leisure and group information in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva. Take into account supporting native journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Instances.
