Explore The Texas Coastal Bend
CORPUS CHRISTI
Sparkling City By The Sea
Experience Corpus Christi and you will
encounter a rich blend of nature, culture, history and unique entertainment.
Texas' largest coastal city, Corpus Christi is a vast wonderland of sea,
sun and fun! The tranquil beauty of Corpus Christi's waterfront, bay and
beaches is a persistent lure for visitors as well as locals. And on any
given sunny afternoon, the marina is host to an array of colorful sails
moving in, out and about Corpus Christi bay. Pack a lunch, find a sunny
spot, and enjoy the view. Or show up for the Wednesday night sailboat races
and join in on the fun.
Gateway to Padre Island
Located on the central Texas coast of the
Gulf of Mexico, Corpus Christi is the gateway to one of the world's natural
wonders, the Padre Island National Seashore. Just a 30-minute drive from
downtown, Padre Island is one of only a few nesting grounds for the
endangered Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles. Padre Island beaches stretch out along
more than 130 miles of the Gulf. As popular year-around attractions, area
beaches, bays and inland waterways offer some of the world's best conditions
for water sport such as kiteboarding, windsurfing, jet skiing, kayaking and
sport fishing.
USS Lexington Museum
The most famous aircraft carrier in the
history of naval aviation, the mighty USS Lexington, is docked at Corpus
Christi Beach just over the Harbor Bridge. Walk her deck and corridors an
discover the significant role the "Blue Ghost" and her sailors played in our
nation's defense for nearly 50 years. Her World War II record is second to
none, and she remains a memorial to the Americans who served her, served her
country, and who died defending freedom.
Texas State Aquarium
Want to take home a real big fish story? Dive
into the discovery of tiny seahorses or big sharks. Come face-to-fin with a
sand tiger, angelfish, and barracuda. Or discover the world of sea otters,
sea turtles or the friendliest of bottlenose dolphins. Island of Steel, a
replica of an offshore oil and gas platform found in the Gulf, is a huge
132,000-gallon exhibit that give the visitors the illusion of being
submerged more than 50 feet under water. The Aquarium's Flower Gardens Coral
Reef habitat is a reproduction of the coral reef found off the coast of
Galveston.
South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center
Enjoy serene beauty and a "walk on the wild
side", with stunning floral gardens almost shouting color and quiet trails
through identified native habitat. Whether it's decorative water features,
vast natural wetlands, the majestic Rose Garden Pavilion, or the thatched
hut on Gator Lake (perfect for birdwatchers), the South Texas Botanical
Gardens & Nature Center is an unforgettable study in contrasts.
More than 2500 orchids, 75 brilliantly colored hibiscus (Corpus Christ's
official flower), 100 fragrant tropical plumeria and 300 breathtaking roses
are gift wrapped in expansive vistas of wetland and shady mesquite forest.
Open only 10 years, this 180 acre showcase also includes a quaint
Hummingbird Garden, imaginative Sensory Garden with fascinating "artscape,"
Arid Garden, and colorful "smartscape" demo beds.
The Botanical Gardens is a Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail site. Visitors
learn about plant and wildlife through creative signage and paw prints along
the Wetlands Awareness Boardwalk! Don't forget to browse or buy in the
Garden Shoppe! (361) 852-2100.
Museums & Ships
If art is your thing, the South Texas
Institute for the Arts/ Arts Museum's permanent collection of more than 1100
pieces spans diverse style and medium. The museum's emphasis has been placed
on artist associated with the state of Texas. From western to
Mexican-American to abstract contemporary, a variety of art styles shape
this comprehensive collection.
The Asian Cultures Museum and Educational Center, one of five museums of its
kind in the nation and the only one in Texas, has an extensive collection of
Asians arts and crafts and houses thousands of artifacts and commissioned
artifacts and commissioned works from Japan, other Pacific Rim nations and
the Indian subcontinent.
Are you a history buff? If so, then the Corpus Christ Museum of Science and
History is a must see.
Explore the remains of three Spanish treasure ships that ran aground on
Padre Island in 1554. Visit the Columbus Quincentenary exhibit, and learn
about the beginning of Columbus' 15th century voyage to the New World. Watch
the kids' imaginations come alive in the interactive Children's Wharf
exhibit.
One of the area's newest and popular attractions is the Selena Museum. To
please fans from around the world who were showing up at the door of the
family business, Abraham Quintanilla decided to build a museum honoring his
daughters memory. The museum displays outfits and dresses worn by Selena at
concerts and award shows, each her own design, plus her red Porche and other
personal memorabilia.
Tune In
Music is everywhere in Corpus Christi. Live
music can be found in the downtown nightclubs, restaurants, performing
centers and outdoor amphitheaters. Treat yourself to some of Corpus
Christi's most popular and unique musical festivals such as Texas Jazz
Festival in October or visit the Art Center the second Sunday of every month
for the Jazz Brunch & Art Mart.
The Sporting Life
For some fast-paced action, try The Texas
Treasure Casino Cruise Ship has two cruises daily leaving for sails out to
international waters.
One of the city's newest attractions is baseball, with the city's own Corpus
Christi Hooks reeling in the crowds regularly from April through September
in the new Whataburger Field. And while the Hooks create home run fever
during their season, the Corpus Christi Rayz are thrilling the crowds during
hockey season.
Call the Corpus Christi Conventional &
Visitors Bureau at 800-766-2322 or visit
www.corpuschristicvb.com
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