Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Corpus Christi & Port Aransas Photos & Comments

Although they have many beaches, Corpus Christi and Port Aransas are primarily fishing and boating towns. Below are some places I visited. Click the titles for their web sites.

South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center
This 180-acre center is located on the city's affluent south side nearly touching the northern reaches of the world-famous King Ranch. There are many upscale housing developments nearby, so it's a good thing they acquired the land for the center years ago. Their booklet states "The Center is a leading South Texas tourism destination showcasing a unique blend of colorful, exotic floral exhibits bordered with vast conserved areas of native habitat and natural wetlands." They go on to say "Our wetlands are natural, so water levels vary from extremely full to completely dry, depending on the heavy moisture or definite drought cycles - both common to South Texas." Needless to say the wetlands aren't wet right now. The severe drought makes the center look a little muted – they water very few of the plants. Nonetheless it's amazing how well the mostly native plants continue to thrive. They have a large greenhouse for the bromeliads, orchids and roses and are completing a 2600 square-foot open-air butterfly house that has a wide range of colorful flowers and vines. It will house both native and migratory butterflies. But the really impressive areas are the native habitats that have a wide range of native cactus, grasses, shrubs and small trees.





The aquarium has a wide range of fish, sharks, dolphins and aquatic animals, as well as eagles. The most impressive part to me was their observation deck on top of the aquarium.

USS Lexington from the Texas State Aquarium observation deck


USS Lexington

The USS LEXINGTON rests in Corpus Christi Bay, just across the ship channel from downtown Corpus Christi, Texas. The carrier was involved in many critical Pacific battles and received the Presidential Unit Citation and 11 battle stars for World War II service. It was decommissioned in 1991 and donated to Corpus Christi to be operated as a museum.



Art Center


Mini park in front of the Art Center


Park behind Art Center

Omni Hotel on beach

Mansion south of Corpus Christi one block off the beach. There are many mansions right on the beach but it's hard to photograph them because of fences and lots of trees and landscaping.


Museum of Science & History
The museum has an overwhelming number of marine science, paleontology, earth science, natural history and nautical exhibits and a wide range of artifacts including many from three 1554 Spanish shipwrecks off Padre Island. The museum also has reproductions of Christopher Columbus' ships built by Spain to commemorate the 500th anniversary of his voyages to the New World. The Pinta and Santa Maria are located at the museum and the Nina is moored at the Corpus Christi Marina. It also has exhibits of important Texas historical persons, as well as an exhibit honoring Selena, a Mexican-American singer who has been called "The Queen of Tejano music."



WaterStreet Market
is a funky open-air courtyard of unusual shops in the downtown entertainment district. It has four restaurants including two seafood restaurants, a gourmet coffee shop and the Executive Surf Club that provides free entertainment most evenings. It also has a clothing store, record store, gift shop, graphic design store and a cat house. No, not that kind of cat house – it's a cat gift shop. It also has the Texas Surf Museum and the South Texas Music Walk of Fame. The Texas Surf Museum is just what it's name infers. It has hundreds of pieces of surfing memorabilia, including many historic Texas surf boards and photos. The South Texas Music Walk of Fame contains many musicians such as Guy Clark, Bubble Puppy and others who are largely unknown outside Texas. Buddy Holly (Lubbock) and Janis Joplin (Port Arthur), two of Texas' biggest stars, are not represented because they weren't born in or lived in South Texas.



Port Aransas










North Padre Island



Padre Island National Seashore

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