★
Catch Corpus Christi Fishing is just one of many reasons
to visit Corpus Christi. This coastal city just exudes excitement—blending culture, nature and entertainment. The Harbor Bridge area is a great place to start a Corpus Christi vacation. Starting at the Corpus Christi Mu-
seum of Science & History, just south of the bridge, travelers can wander amongst exhibits to see how Corpus Christi transformed from a trading post to a modern port city. They can learn about the Karankawa Indians and Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, and see remains from ship- wrecks like La Salle’s ship La Belle and the Spanish ships San Esteban and Espiritu Santo. Other exhibits highlight reptiles, earth science and coastal ecology. Outside, visitors can pass through
before set ling on a location. Even fried can vary from light and tasty bat er with just a hint of seasoning
to a crunchy, almost greasy delight. A few restaurants will prepare
your own-catch-of-the-day, so travel- ers including a fi shing trip in the
itinerary might want to inquire about that option.
★
Bring on Brownsville At the very southern tip of Texas,
Brownsville is a bi-cultural city with a tropical location and festive at i-
tude. The city is known for many festivals throughout the year includ-
Laguna Madre SAILING
the Water Gardens to get to the Art Museum of South Texas. The museum has more than 1,500 works in its per- manent collection, featuring fi ne art and craſt of the Americas with a focus on Texas, surrounding states and Mex- ico, plus special exhibitions. The muse- um’s bright and open galleries make it easy to be drawn into the artwork. Across the bridge, the Texas State
Aquarium invites visitors to learn more about the inhabitants of the Gulf and other waters without having to get in a boat. A 40,000-gallon exhibit—with a replica of a coral reef about 300 miles off the coast—allows visitors to observe some of the life that occupies reefs. The Islands of Steel indoor exhibit shows the type of life that develops around a Gulf oil platform. Touch pools allow interac- tion with sea creatures that live in the Laguna Madre and Padre Island bays and estuaries. These exhibits—along with Atlantic bot lenose dolphins, ot ers, stingrays and sea turtles— make for a memorable visit. Next to the Texas State Aquarium,
the USS Lexington, a World War II aircraſt carrier, serves as a naval avia- tion museum and educational facility. Self-guided tour routes lead visitors through 11 decks. For a diff erent expe- rience, visitors can make an advance reservation for a spot on the 3- to
PHOTO: WILL VAN OVERBEEK/TXDOT
4-hour Hard Hat Tour, which explores 15 areas not on the self-guided tour. A great way to wrap up a tour or take a break is to strap into the pilot seat of a fi ghter jet in the fl ight simulator or experience air-to-air combat, carrier landings and the ship’s gunnery in the Virtual Bat le Stations. Before leaving the city, visitors
might want to check out the hum- mingbird and plumeria gardens at South Texas Botanical Gardens & Na- ture Center, play in the sand and surf at Mustang Island State Park or Padre Island National Seashore, and see a game at Whataburger Field. Consider get ing a bite to eat at a Whataburger, aſt er all, the chain started here as a humble burger stand on Ayers Street.
★
Seek Tasty Seafood When visiting the Gulf Coast, trav-
elers oſt en want to know where to eat seafood. There are plenty of great places for seafood from comfortable shacks where a T-shirt over a swim- suit is proper at ire to more formal din- ing experiences. Some of the best places are located inland and others off er a view of the shrimp boats com- ing in or have a clear view of the Gulf. Menu options generally include
shrimp, oysters and fi sh with prepara- tions ranging from fried to boiled or grilled. Some places may only off er fried options of some items, so lighter eaters might want to check options
ing the weeklong Charro Days fi esta in February and the Latin Jazz Festival in October. Several Brownsville at ractions are
located within walking distance of each other in the Mit e Cultural Dis- trict. Visitors encounter the Browns- ville Museum of Fine Art, Gladys Porter Zoo, Old City Cemetery Center, Historic Brownsville Museum, Cos- tumes of the Americas Museum, Chil- dren’s Museum of Brownsville, Camille Playhouse, and three city parks all within a four-block radius. These facilities introduce visitors to Browns- ville’s history, architecture and art, or invite them to touch a stingray or feed a giraff e. Further afi eld, other historic loca-
tions also beckon visitors. The Palo Alto Bat lefi eld National Historic Site tells the story of the Mexican War from each nation’s perspective. At Pal- mito Ranch Bat lefi eld, visitors can wander the site of the last clash in the Civil War (a month aſt er the war’s end). So come and relax on the Texas Gulf Coast and soak up the experiences. ★
getting there
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL. AIRPORT
www.corpuschristiairport.com
HOUSTON-GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT
www.fly2houston.com
VALLEY INTL. AIRPORT (HARLINGEN)
www.flythevalley.com
MORE TRAVEL INFORMATION ON PAGE 7. 53
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