Running around town

If you’re looking to eat, sightsee or go to the beach, Corpus Christi has a lot to offer

By Caller-Times staff

George Tuley/Caller-Times Shelby Koskela, 7, walks around the farthest advance of saltwater and foam on Corpus Christi Beach. The Lexington is in the background.

Whether you are visiting Corpus Christi for Beach to Bay or are just looking for something to do, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re single or have kids, if you’re hungry or just hungry for shopping, it’s all here from sun up to sun down.

South Texas breakfasts
Whether you start your morning with a brisk run along the Bayfront or a short walk from bed to shower, there are plenty oflocally flavored options for breakfast. Head to a landmark more than half a century old, Price’s Chef (1800 S. Alameda St., 883-2786), which offers old-fashioned biscuits and gravy plus diner standards, such as hashbrowns or eggs made to order. For a Mexican breakfast, try Moody’s Taquitos No. 1 (4630 S. Alameda St., 985-1120) for a breakfast taquito made with eggs and sausage, potatoes or carne guisada rolled in a soft tortilla. Or sample the endearing, all-but-the-kitchen-sink menu at Harvey’s Barn Door (4135 S. Alameda St., 854-2656).

Reach for the beach
Visitors looking for relaxation or active sports will want to take advantage of the water sports that draw so many to the Coastal Bend. The young and frisky should head to J.P. Luby Surf Park; families should go further down state Highway 361 near Mustang Island State Park. Prime surfing action is near Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas or Bob Hall Pier on Padre Island.

Tamer beaches within city limits include Corpus Christi Beach, across the Harbor Bridge from downtown near the Lexington Museum on the Bay, or Magee Beach across from Memorial Coliseum on Shoreline Boulevard.

Take advantage of the breaking waves on the Gulf beaches by renting an ocean kayak, surfboard or boogie board at Wind & Wave Water Sports (10721 SPID, 937-9283) or Pat Magee’s (124 E. Ave. G in Port Aransas, 361-749-7630).

Corpus Christi is known internationally as a great place for windsurfing and its new offshoot, kiteboarding. If you just want to watch, or if you’re a fairly accomplished sailor, head to Cole Park (just south of downtown on Ocean Drive) where there’s almost always someone sailing.

To try the sport, call Worldwinds (at Bird Island Basin in the Padre Island National Seashore, 949-7472). The Basin’s constant wind, shallow water and lack of Gulf-style waves make for ideal circumstances for learning. Introductory lessons are $45, including all equipment.

Horseback riding on the beach is another quintessentially Coastal Bend experience. Mustang Ranch Riding Stable (361-749-5055 or www.ridingstable.com) offers guided rides that leave on the hour between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. everyday.

Laid-back sightseeing
If a slower daytime pace is more your style, the Coastal Bend offers a hodgepodge of sightseeing and museum attractions.

Stroll along the 2-mile Corpus Christi Seawall (along Shoreline Boulevard, from Buford Street to I-37), to view the downtown skyline, fishing boats along the T-heads or the statue commemorating slain Tejano singer and local hometown heroine Selena Quintanilla-Perez.

Right across the Harbor Bridge is the Lexington Museum on the Bay (2914 N. Shoreline Blvd., 888-4873), a World War II aircraft carrier known as the "Blue Ghost" that now includes a theater complex and vintage fighter aircraft. Just a short stroll away are 300-pound sharks, octopus and exotic gulf creatures at the Texas State Aquarium (2710 N. Shoreline Blvd., 881-1200).

Head back over the bridge to check out the 1554 Padre Island Shipwreck Collection at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History (1900 N. Chaparral St., 883-2862), which also features a Children’s Wharf and Christopher Columbus ship guided tours. Learn about the "Myanmar (Burma) Perspective: A Photo Essay of Myanmar and its People" and Japanese porcelain dolls on display at the Asian Cultures Museum and Educational Center (1809 N. Chaparral St., 882-2641).

Nearby, permanent and featured exhibits are on display at the Art Museum of South Texas (1902 N. Shoreline Blvd., 825-3500) This weekend, take a look at blown glass baskets by Dale Chihuly and Mary Neumuth Mito’s representational landscape paintings.

Purchase original artwork from local artists as well as handmade jewelry, ceramics and pottery in the gift shop at Art Center of Corpus Christi (100 Shoreline Blvd., 884-6406). Visitors can also view the Las Donas de la Corte gowns and trains on display from this year’s coronation.

For low-key outdoor adventure, visit the 180-acre Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens (8545 S. Staples St., 852-2100) with its orchid house and bird-and-butterfly trail, featuring native habitats and natural wetlands.

From shrimp to sausage
If it’s time for lunch, stroll over to Pier 99 (2822 N. Shoreline Blvd., 887-0764), where you’ll find seafood platters, a patio and a sweeping view of the bay. For Mexican food, head to Taqueria Garibaldi (200 N. Staples St., 884-5456), for enchiladas, caldo, tacos, tortas and burritos. For authentic Texas barbecue, drive a few miles southwest of Corpus Christi to Robstown and find Joe Cotten’s Barbeque (U.S. Hwy. 77, 361-767-9973) for slow-cooked pork, beef brisket, sausage and ribs.

For serious shoppers
If you prefer to spend the day shopping indoors after lunch, there are several places to visit and keep cool.

Find everything from fresh fruit cups to elegant formal dresses at the Corpus Christi Trade Center, (2833 S. Padre Island Drive, 854-4943) a huge indoor flea market. For a more subdued atmosphere, it’s Lamar Park Shopping Center (corner of Doddridge and Alameda streets) featuring fine jewelry, gifts and women’s apparel shops. Crossroads Shopping Village (at Airline and McArdle roads) is a village-style center with stylish flip-flops or elegant retail fashion.

For mall junkies, try Padre Staples Mall, (5488 S. Padre Island Drive, 991-5718), anchored by Dillard’s and Foley’s department stores or Sunrise Mall, (5858 S. Padre Island Drive, 993-2900) which includes Burlington Coat Factory, Stein Mart and Mervyn’s.

On your way to the beach on Padre Island, stop at Island Sports (14514 S. Padre Island Drive, 949-7443), for a swimsuit under $25. Or stock up on beach essentials at Padre Islander (14514 S. Padre Island Drive, 949-8800) and souvenirs and surf gear at Ocean Treasures (14049 S. Padre Island Drive, 949-7558).

Last-minute gear run
If you need an essential item for the big race, try Fleet Feet Sports, 514 Everhart Road, 225-FEET), Roger Soler’s Sports (5854 S. Staples St., 992-8397) or Academy Sports & Outdoors (4914 S. Padre Island Drive, 992-9022).

Night-time dining
Load up on carbs the night before the race with fine pasta at Mamma Mia’s (128 N. Mesquite St., 883-3773), an Italian restaurant where the kitchen is an intimate part of the great-room style dining room.

To take in the sunset while dining, visit Snoopy’s Pier (13313 South Padre Island Drive under the JFK Causeway, 949-8815) and relax on the Laguna Madre while crunching on fried shrimp.

At Water Street Seafood Co. (309 N. Water St., 881-9448), enjoy freshly prepared amberjack, drum and other seafood served with creative sauces. Or sample the lively atmosphere of Santiago’s (5702 S. Staples St., 991-9766) for traditional Mexican fare served with special fresh-from-the-oven rolls.

Nightlife for every style
The downtown bars and clubs scene includes Sharkey’s (313 N. Chaparral St., 882-2082), which draws young dancers with two levels, multiple bars, pool tables and a large dance floor. More dancing can be found down the street at Stingers (hip-hop/dance/techno) and Dead Eye Dicks (country), both at 301 N. Chaparral St., 882-2192. Those who like their beats heavy and manufactured will be drawn to Velvet (511 Starr St., 882-4200).

Mulligan’s Pub (621 N. Chaparral St., 884-8190) attracts a chatty college crowd. Dr. Rockit’s (709 N. Chaparral St., 884-7634) hosts blues bands nightly. Club 21 (317 N. Mesquite St., 884-1221) fits the bill as an upscale cocktail lounge.

Also try Texas music hub, the Executive Surf Club (309 N. Chaparral St., 884-7873) and the Sparkling City Comedy Club (1001 N. Chaparral St., 884-0700).

A much more Corpus Christi-specific experience can be had outside of downtown at charming dive The Texan (3625 S. Staples St., 854-1571) and Tejano club VIP (5820 S. Staples St., 991-0188).

Family-friendly options
Of course there are more family-friendly nighttime options, too. Besides the standard movie theaters and pizza parlors, Corpus Christi has other options.

The Cityskates rink in Flour Bluff (8051 SPID, 993-7456) draws large teenage and family crowds, and even if wheeled shoes aren’t your thing, there are game rooms, food and other diversions. Friday there is an all-ages skate from 4 to 7 p.m. and a teen dance and skate from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday’s evening open skating is from 7:30 to 11 p.m.; Sunday is 2 to 5 p.m.

If you’ve happened to pack your skateboard or inline skates, head to the Portland Skate Park (2002 Billy G. Webb Drive in Portland, (361) 777-3301).

Fun Trackers (9606 SPID, 937-9400) keeps the youngsters entertained with go-karts, mini-golf, video games and, no joke, the area’s only mechanical bull. If that’s not Texas, we don’t know what is.

For daytrippers
ROCKPORT
A short drive will find you in a creative community called Rockport, which more than 400 artists call home. Once named among the "100 Best Small Art Towns in America," Rockport is a coastal paradise that attracts fishermen and the artists who paint them. Drive down Austin Street and take your pick of galleries (such as Estelle Stair Gallery, 406 S. Austin, 361-729-2478) or head to the Rockport Center for the Arts (361-729-5519), located at 902 Navigation Circle.

Day trips outside Corpus Christi mean a chance to sample food that’s both regional in flavor and presentation. Try Hemingway’s Bar & Grill (1008 E. North St., Rockport, 361-729-7555), a stylish eatery of inspired Texas regional selections, or AransaZu (2841 state Hwy 35, 361-727-1105) for a reasonably-priced, creative menu that includes duck gumbo.

In nearby Fulton, Charlotte Plummer’s Seafare Restaurant (202 N. Fulton Beach Road, 361-729-1185) offers a wide array of seafood and a great view of Aransas Bay. Also in Fulton, you can find a fresh variety of Vietnamese, Cajun and Chinese dishes at Hu Dat (61 Broadway, 361-790-7621), run by the family of Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dat Nguyen.

Port Aransas
Port Aransas beaches attract bird-watchers, surfers, kayakers and families who swim, camp or fish off the rock jetties on either side of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Parking on city-owned beaches requires a parking sticker, which can be purchased at the beach, the visitor’s center or area stores for $6. Or, take a short boat ride from Woody’s Sport Center to San Jose Island, a privately owned island that’s great for fishing, shelling or simply sitting on the beach. First boat leaves at 7 a.m., with departures every hour until noon, and then at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are $9.95 for adults and $4.95 for children age 3 through 12. (136 W. Cotter, (361) 749-5252). For an air-conditioned retreat, try the Art Center for the Islands (309 N. Alister St., (361) 749-7334) to view the works of featured artist, Susan Adams, who has returned from Costa Rica with paintings depicting the tropical area.

When hunger strikes, kids will love the Crazy Cajun (corner of Beach and Station streets, (361) 749-5069), where waiters dump buckets of spicy seafood on tables covered with butcher paper and eating with fingers is encouraged. For a more sophisticated experience, it’s got to be Beulah’s (200 E. Cotter, (361) 749-4888), at the historic Tarpon Inn.

Kingsville
Hop in the car and head southwest on U.S. Highway 77 for 45 miles to get to Kingsville, whose ranching heritage makes it a must-see South Texas stop. Tour the King Ranch (take King Avenue exit, (361) 595-8055), once the world’s largest ranch and now a National Historical Landmark. Popular stores include the King Ranch Saddle Shop and Cactusflower (721 S. 14th St., (361) 595-1424).

If all that shopping makes you hungry, stop at El Jardin Restaurant & Patio (330 E. Henrietta, (361) 595-5955) for fajitas or Harrel’s Kingsville Pharmacy (204 E. Kleberg, (361) 592-3354) for a milkshake. Or you could drive 12 miles south to Loyola Beach and grab a meal at the King’s Inn (Farm-to-Market Road 628, off U.S. Hwy. 77, (361) 297-5265), which is hard to beat for fried seafood and a view of Baffin Bay.


Written and compiled by Cassandra Hinojosa, Leanne Libby, Brendan Walsh and Dan Parker