Bayfront Marina and T Heads
Located in downtown Corpus Christi, there is a marina with three T and L heads. They are open to the public and have restaurants, boat slips, bait stands and rentals available. Also located here is one of the Columbus ship replicas, with another of the ships located near the art museum and water gardens. Magee Beach is also located here in front of the seawall, and is the only beach in downtown Corpus. This area is perfect for sightseeing and enjoying the water and warm gulf breezes when in downtown.
Bayfront Harbor Bridge Area
This area is close to the Harbor Bridge in downtown and has several attractions for visitors and residents alike. Whataburger field is located here and is home to the local Corpus Christi Hooks baseball team. The field is right next to the Harbor Bridge and has a great view of the ship channel and the ships that traverse through the channel, giving a scenic view while watching a relaxing game of baseball. Right next to Whataburger field is Hurricane Alley Waterpark which is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer.
Another attraction in this area is the water gardens. This is a relaxing circular waterfall fountain that has a long channel waterway that empties into the water garden with a large grass area in the center. There are several benches here to relax and enjoy the soothing sounds of the water and take in the scenery.
Right next to the water gardens is the south Texas Institute for the Arts and the Corpus Christi museum of Science and History. The Museum includes exhibits from the history and culture of the south Texas area and has many artifacts and displays that tell the story of and history of the local area. The South Texas Institute for the Arts has many art displays as well as visiting exhibitions. With these attractions all in one location right next to the bay, it is an ideal place to visit and enjoy some history, artwork and beauty of the bayfront.
USS Lexington and Texas State Aquarium
These two attractions are located just across the Harbor bridge on Corpus Christi beach which is about a 10 minute drive across the bridge.
The USS Lexington, Nicknamed “The Blue Ghost”, is a US aircraft carrier that was built and saw service during the Second World War and was decommissioned in 1991. She was donated as a museum ship to the city of Corpus Christi in 1992 and was designated a national historic landmark in 2003. On board the ship is a 3D Mega Theater, a flight simulator and virtual battle stations that offer an exciting interactive experience. The ship is open daily at 9a.m. – 6 p.m. in the summer and all areas except the flight and hanger decks are air conditioned. Private functions as well as overnight youth campouts are also available.
The Texas State Aquarium is located right down the street from the USS Lexington and opened its first exhibit to the public in 1990. Designated as the “Official Aquarium of Texas”, the Aquarium offers both educational and entertaining experiences. The aquarium has a vast array of displays housing fish that are native to the Gulf of Mexico, as well as some exotic species. There are many daily programs as well as a number of special programs throughout the year, including a large “touch pool”, which is an interactive exhibit. The Aquarium is open every day 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.