Corpus Christi Overview

Corpus Christi’s shoreside location makes it a tourism cash cow. The warm waters from the Gulf of Mexico produce Corpus Christi’s copious amounts of tourists and crude oil. Summer vacationers are replaced in the cooler months by “winter Texans,” a breed of northern mobile-home owners who head south to enjoy coastal warmth. Defined by its pricey knick-knacks, natural stretches of sand, and offshore oil derricks on the horizon, Corpus Christi is a uniquely Texan stopover.

Transportation. Greyhound, 702 N. Chaparral (☎882-9206; www.greyhound.com; open daily 7:30am-12:45am), runs to Austin , (5 hr., 4 per day, $40). Dallas (9-10hr., 9 per day, $47.50) and Houston (4hr., 7 per day, $30). Regional Transit Authority (☎289-2600), also known as the “B,” operates a dozen bus routes within Corpus Christi. Get maps and schedules at the Visitors Center or at The B Headquarters, 1806 S. Alameda. (☎883-2287. Open M-F 8am-5pm.) City Hall, Port Ayers, Six Points, Padre Staples Mall, and the Staples St. stations are central transfer points. (M-Sa 5:30am-9:30pm, Su 10am-7:30pm. $0.75, students $0.35, seniors $0.25; transfers free.) The Harbor Ferry runs between the Art Museum, Aquarium, and downtown at People St. (Summer daily 10:30am-6:30pm. All-day pass $3.) On the north side of Harbor Bridge, the free beach shuttle travels to the beach, aquarium, and other attractions. (Summer daily 10:30am-6:30pm.) For a Taxi, call Yellow Cab, ☎884-3211.

Practical Information. Greater Corpus Christi lines the shores of Corpus Christi Bay. Downtown Corpus Christi is at the eastern edge of the bay, with residential districts stretching southward and the Padre Island beaches rounding out the eastern shore of the bay. Most attractions, restaurants, and nightlife are in a walkable area either in downtown or on the island-like peninsula just north of Harbor Bridge. Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1823 N. Chaparral, six blocks north of I-37, has maps, brochures, and information. (☎561-2000 or 800-766-2322; www.corpuschristicvb.org. Open daily 9am-5pm.) The Spohn Hospital Shoreline is at 600 Elizabeth St. (☎881-3000). Hotlines include: Battered Women and Rape Victims Shelter (☎881-8888; operates 24hr.). Internet Access: Corpus Christi Public Library, 805 Comanche St., just west of the Central Business District. (☎880-7000. Open M-Th 9am-9pm, F-Sa 9am-6pm, Su 2-6pm. 30min. limit.) Post Office: 809 Nueces Bay Blvd., just south of I-37 Exit 1E. (☎800-275-8777. Open M-F 8am-5:30pm, Sa 8am-1pm.) Postal Code: 78469.

Accommodations. Posh hotels line the shoreline in downtown. North of Harbor Bridge are several waterfront motels, but they are pricey as well. Cheap motels can be found along Leopard St. south of town or off of Exits 3-5 on I-37, a few miles north of town, with some even in the $25-35 range (though not all of those are clean or safe). Railway Inn Suites 3, 4343 Ocean Dr., are located on the fashionable Ocean Dr., 4 mi. south of town on bus route #6. They take the railroad motif very seriously: there is memorabilia, artwork, and a kiddie train that follows a mi. track around the hotel. The price and free continental breakfast make it a good choice for families. (☎729-7245; www.railwayinnsuites.com. 2+ person suites M-F from $60, Sa-Su from $80.) Camping 1 at Padre Island beaches starts at $12 . Labonte Park 1, right off I-37 at Exit 16, 18 mi. from downtown, allows free camping in a grassy area along the river. (☎241-1464. Toilets. No showers.) Pick up a permit from the Visitors Center next door. (Open daily 9am-5pm.)

Food And Nightlife. With the Gulf in its backyard, seafood dominates Corpus Christi’s cuisine. Pier 99 2, 2822 N. Shoreline Dr., right next to the U.S.S. Lexington, serves it up fried, boiled, grilled, or blackened. (☎887-0764. Lunch specials $6-7. Po’ boys $7. Live music F-Su. Open daily 11am-10pm.) Several bars and dance clubs line Chaparral in downtown, which is closed off for pedestrians Friday and Saturday nights. Groove to Southern rhythm ’n’ blues seven nights a week at  Dr. Rockits Blues Bar, 709 Chaparral, a classic bar with high ceilings, neon lights, and Jaegermeister on tap. (☎884-7634; www.drrockitsbluesbar.com. Cover $4-8. Open M-Th 4:30pm-2am, F-Sa 7pm-2am.)

Sights. Despite the ravenous gulls, Corpus Christi’s beaches are without a doubt the city’s top attraction. However, if it’s beaches you’re looking for, the best ones are actually located outside of the city on Padre Island, at least a 30min. drive away (p. 655). In-town swimming beaches are located next to the U.S.S. Lexington (metered parking) and at Magee Beach, just south of downtown (free parking). On the north side of Harbor Bridge, the Texas State Aquarium, 2710 N. Shoreline Blvd., focuses on animals native to the Gulf of Mexico. The state-of-the-art Dolphin Bay has above- and below-water viewing areas, with four shows per day. One exhibit features sharks and rays roaming, in true Texas fashion, beneath an oil platform. (☎881-1200 or 800-477-4853; www.texasstateaquarium.org. Open June-Aug. daily 9am-6pm; Sept.-May M-Sa 9am-5pm. $14, seniors $12, ages 4-12 $9. Parking $3.50.) Just next door floats the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lexington, a WWII relic that made a cameo in the Hollywood blockbuster Pearl Harbor. The “Lex,” as it is affectionately known, has completed secret missions in Formosa, Cuba, and Laos. The retired training vessel now welcomes tourists both below and above her decks, where 19 WWII planes sit on display. (☎888-4873 or 800-523-9539. Open daily June-Aug. 9am-6pm; Sept.-May 9am-5pm. $12, seniors $10, ages 4-12 $7.) Heritage Park, 1581 Chaparral, near the Visitors Center, is a collection of historic homes representing different immigrant groups, laid out in an attractive park. (☎883-0639. Free.) The Texas Surf Museum, 309 N. Water St., right in downtown, will remind you why you came to Corpus Christi: for the beaches. Several hundred pieces of surfing history—including more than 100 photographs and more than 50 boards dating back to the 30s—line the walls while a mock surfing garage plays a continuous loop of retro surfing videos.