Pack your two-day trip to the beach full of the best of the Texas Gulf Coast.
The Texas Gulf Coast is an ideal place to vacation, drawing visitors in with fresh seafood, unique history, and of course, the beach. Make Corpus Christi your coastal destination for a two-day getaway and dive in with these must-do activities.
Where to Stay
With a range of places to stay in Corpus Christi, you can find the perfect accommodations to suit your needs while you’re in town. The historic Emerald Beach Hotel in downtown Corpus is one-of-a-kind — as the only downtown hotel located directly on the beach, it offers stunning views and easy access to the water. Live in luxury for a few days at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel in the Marina District, indulging in rest and relaxation in the salon, heated pool, or your own room’s private balcony. For a truly unique experience, stay in one of the various beachfront condos available to rent for your trip.
Day One
On your first day in Corpus Christi, drive up to North Beach for a fun-filled morning of swimming, cycling, shopping, and more. If you’re coming from downtown, you’ll cross over the striking Harbor Bridge to get there — so soak up those ocean views as you fly over the water. Once you’ve had your fill of promenading this sunny stretch of white-sand beach, stop at the USS Lexington Museum. This notable World War II aircraft carrier turned naval museum, which has been permanently docked in Corpus Christi Bay since 1992, contains 100,000 square feet of historic planes and artifacts ready to be explored.
After a morning on your feet, stop to fuel up with lunch at Pier 99 Restaurant. This colorful seafood spot is located right on the water and offers traditional Gulf Coast favorites. Enjoy your meal on the shaded outdoor deck with a view of the ocean.
After lunch, stay up north and visit the Texas State Aquarium, where you’ll discover aquatic wildlife such as sharks, dolphins, stingrays, jellyfish, and a whole host of underwater dwellers through numerous exhibits. Your visit also supports wildlife rescue and conservation, an important mission of the aquarium. Or, if flowers and fauna above sea level are more your thing, head south for an afternoon at the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center. Here, you can stop and smell the roses (literally!) among the center’s various gardens and conservatories, as well as interact with resident reptiles, birds, and butterflies.
Evening festivities begin with a boat ride to Sunset Island, where you can enjoy fruity drinks and yard games at Marker 37 Marina until it’s time for dinner. Sit down at The Pearl for a tasty “Gulf to Table” dining experience. Watch the sun set over the Laguna Madre with a cone of Blue Bell Ice Cream at Scoopy’s before boating back to the mainland.
Day Two
Start the day with a sophisticated brunch at the Glass Pavilion Restaurant in the Omni and enjoy a carafe of mimosas along with an amazing ocean view. Then head out for a Sightseeing Historical Tour with Enjoy Corpus Christi Tours.
Time to hit the beach! Soak up some sun at McGee Beach, where you can lay out along the seawall or take a dip in the serene waters, perfect for families. For the more adventurous, get out in the waves on a paddleboard, jet skis, or even a boat out of the Corpus Christi Marina, the only major downtown marina on the Texas Coast.
Spend the afternoon wandering the Art Museum of South Texas, taking in the museum’s permanent collection of more than 1,850 works of art and traveling exhibitions. Or, travel through space and time at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, where numerous exhibits contain hundreds of thousands of interesting items like shipwreck artifacts, stunning geodes, space debris, and Megalodon teeth.
Shop for the perfect souvenir in the downtown Marina Arts District, where you can find hand-crafted items unique to Corpus Christi. And your trip wouldn’t be complete without enjoying the downtown nightlife! Keep it local with dinner at Water Street Market, a family-owned hub of entertainment that includes multiple restaurants and the Executive Surf Club, a live music venue serving up burgers, brews, and some good tunes. Or head to Brewster Street Ice House, another favorite live music venue with award-winning eats and a spacious deck to pack folks in for a night of dancing and fun.
