Corpus Christi offers so many fun things to do year-round, and of course it’s proximity to Mustang Island and Padre Island, barrier islands that protect the mainland, make it a perfect place to plan a beach getaway! The city sits on Corpus Christi Bay, a tranquil, shallow but super-saline body of water, part of the Upper Laguna Madre, a haven for fish and nursery for their babies. Across the bridge, the barrier islands offer everything from long days playing on the beach, to fishing and a gateway to the Padre Island National Seashore.
The Texas State Aquarium is the largest aquarium in Texas and one of the best aquariums in the state, with amazing displays on native Texas fish, sea turtles, birds and much more, a splashpad for keeping cool during the Summer, dolphin shows, you can feed stingrays, and a unique view into the marine life of the Caribbean in their huge Caribbean Journey!
U.S.S. Lexington Take a tour of the huge aircraft carrier permanently anchored in Corpus Christi Bay! See and hear stories of WWII, where the sailors lived, worked, slept and played!
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History A great, interactive museum for children and adults, with a really great special exhibit on shipwrecks of the Gulf Coast!
Art Museum of South Texas Located overlooking beautiful Corpus Christi Bay, this is a wonderful art museum with terrific hands-on educational activities for children! The Corpus Christi Water Gardens are located here, too.
Catch a Corpus Christi Hooks Game at Whataburger Field The AA Minor League Team for the Houston Astros play during the Summer at Whataburger Field. It’s one of our Summer must visits! Minor League baseball is so much fun for the entire family!
Hurricane Alley Waterpark Slide, splash and swim the day away at this fun waterpark located near Corpus Christi Bay and Whataburger Field!
Padre Island National Seashore The longest undeveloped barrier island in the world, the Padre Island National Seashore Malaquite Beach offers camping, windsurfing on the bay, a nature center, fishing and sea turtle hatchling releases on select days during the Summer.
Horses on the Beach Trail Rides Take a morning or sunset horseback ride along the beach! We loved being able to take our horses in the surf!
Whitecap Beach A busy beach on the Gulf, with showers or you can drive your car down on the beach. FREE with an annual beach parking sticker, which is also good in Port A beaches!
Selena Statue Located on the Seawall Bayfront, it’s a popular place for selfies!
Marina District Bayfront Seawall You’ll find great restaurants in the Marina District, and it’s a good place to come early in the morning to purchase fresh seafood from the boats! We’ve stayed at the Omni Hotel, and I enjoyed early morning walks along the seawall. It’s also where many of the harbor tours leave, such as Sunset Sail Charters. MaGee Beach is just a short walk down the Seawall. One of my kid’s favorite activities in this area are the rental scooters!
2-Story Whataburger We are always up for a Whataburger, but since Corpus Christi was home to the very first Whataburgers, and they city loves their orange so much, a burger just always taste better here! The 2-Story Whataburger offers a deck and is in the Downtown/Marina area, just across the street from the Seawall.
South Texas Botanical Gardens The warm, tropical climate of Corpus Christi makes this a beautiful garden for a casual stroll or a special event!
Texas Sealife Center Take a tour of this unique wildlife rehabilitation center and learn more about the nature of the Gulf Coast.
Turtle Hatchling Release on Malaquite Beach As mentioned, this is one of our favorite things to do in Corpus Christi in the Summer! You do have to wake up early, but it’s something you’ll never forget!
North Beach A terrific bay beach, the water is shallow and calm, great for young children! You’ll find terrific restaurants in the area, such as Blackbeards on the Beach and Fajitaville, as well as being the place for terrific little t-shirt and souvenir shops! The Texas State Aquarium and U.S.S. Lexington are both located on North Beach.
Texas Surf Museum Visit the only Surf Museum in the state of Texas, where they states that “Like the Waves, the Museum is Always Free.”.
Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve and Learning Center A city-run hiking and nature center to learn more about the nature of the Gulf Coast!
Padre Island Surf Camp My two youngest have both attended Padre Island Surf Camp, after a recommendation from a reader, and just loved it! They have day and week long classes!
Eat
Atomic Omelette and Grill The crab benedict first brought us here. We were actually sitting at another restaurant when my husband found the review of the crab benedict, a tasty crab cake with a poached eggs and hollandaise sauce on top, online. We quickly paid for our already-ordered appetizer (doesn’t everyone order breakfast appetizers?) and drinks, tipped well and drove over quickly and we were not disappointed!
Blackbeards On The Beach Located on North Beach, this is such a fun beach restaurants, even if it’s not right on the water, which would usually be a no go for me, but they have the best Big Red Margaritas, so I can forgive them their geography mistake! Plus, the restaurant is said to be haunted, and who doesn’t want to eat dinner with a ghost?
Fajitaville The big, colorful buildings on North Beach, with a sand volleyball court and a beachside ferris wheel! I love their shrimp tacos and their jerk chicken!
Doc’s Seafood and Steaks I love this big, waterfront restaurant! I’m a seafood girl, but we actually had the steak on our last visit and it was really good, too! We were at Doc’s years ago, when my son was still a young, barely verbal toddler. I had put something to eat in front of him, and was talking with the waitress, something I take for granted now but a rare treat as the mom with a toddler. Suddenly, I’m stopped mid-sentence when I hear him, quite clearly, shout “Damn It, Danielle!”, just as his 8-year-old sister is stealing all his food! Shocked, I ask out loud, “Did I just hear him say…..” and a lady several tables away replies quite loudly “Yes, you did!”! I was so embarrassed, but not so embarrassed that I didn’t stay and eat!
Stay
In Corpus Christi, the saying really is true, you get what you pay for. Like San Antonio and other big tourist area, there are many hotels that don’t need to try too hard, and it shows. These are some of our favoite places to stay.
Omni Hotel Corpus Christi I love the location in the Harbor District and easy access to the Seawall, restaurants and attractions.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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