B A Y G U & I D E H 2 A C 0 E 0 B 9 Dolphins Dunes + Beaches + Birds Flowers + Food Ships + Sails 800.766.BEACH • www.corpuschristicvb.com COOL & CASUAL Dance on the beach. Run in the NORTH PADRE ISLAND surf. Make a splash in tropically sunny Corpus Christi, Texas! There are miles of beaches for fishing, boating and floating. Attrac- tions like the USS Lexington and the Texas State 361-949-8041 Full service Hotel • Located on the Beach Aquarium are waiting to be explored. Music and art festivals and sporting events continue year’ round. 361-949-1112 Stay a while. The rhythm of the waves transports you to another place. Lose yourself to the beat. Lin- BY CHOICE HOTELS Free full breakfast • Across the street from the Beach ger over dinner. Fresh air. Freash seafood. Kick back. Coast. Stroll through a historical square or cool your heels in a spectacular art museum. After all, this is CENTRALLY LOCATED casual, cool and so close by Corpus Christi, Texas. 361-229-2266 BY CHOICE HOTELS Introduction ...............................3 Free full breakfast • Located in the center of town Area Map .....................................4 Convention & Visitors Bureau Traveler Tips .............................. 6 CORPUS CHRISTI BEACH A publication of the Vital Facts ................................... 7 Corpus Christi Convention Transportation .......................... 10 & Visitors Bureau Attractions ............................... 12 Special Events ........................... 18 361-883-9700 Full Service Hotel • Located on Corpus Christi Beach Activities .................................. 22 Shopping .................................. 25 Area Communities ..................... 27 361-883-7456 Dining Guide .............................30 Accommodations ....................... 34 Free deluxe Continental Breakfast • Located on Corpus Christi Beach www.corpuschristibeachhotels.com 2 800.766.BEACH www.corpuschristicvb.com 3 AREA MAP 1 Corpus Christi Beach 6 Watergarden 23 South Texas Botanical Garden 2 Texas State Aquarium 7 Harbor Bridge & Nature Center 3 USS Lexington Museum on the Bay 8 American Bank Center 24 Kingsville–Conner Museum 4 Corpus Christi Museum of Science and Selena Auditorium King Ranch & King Ranch Museum & History and Ships 9 Art Museum of South Texas 2 5 Hans Suter Wildlife Area 5 Port of Corpus Christi 10 Heritage Park 26 Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz 11 Harbor Playhouse 27 Naval Ait Station Corpus Christi International Center and Corpus Christi Army Depot 12 Asian Cultures Museum 28 Padre Island National Seashore 13 Corpus Christi Marina WHATABURGER 29 Padre Balli Park (Bob Hall Pier) ASIAN CULTURES ORTIZ 14 Mirador del Flor (Selena Memorial) MUSEUM FIELD 22 Brewster St 20 CENTER . 5 30 J.P. Luby Surf Park Mesquite St Hu 15 Art Center g h ORS es St. VISIT 31 Mustang Island State Park HERITAGE CENTER 16 Memorial Coliseum PARK . 4 32 Mustang Riding Stables 10 11 MUSEUM 7 17 Cole Park . HARBOR OF SCIENCE 33 Chaparral St & HISTORY HARBOR 18 Del Mar Junior College Naval Station Ingleside PLAYHOUSE BRIDGE 34 Port Aransas Ferry US 19 McGee Beach –181 (Free 24 hour automobile service) 20 Whataburger Field CONVENTION WATER 35 ter St. CENTER GARDEN Fulton Mansion Wa 8 21 Funtrackers Resaca St AMERICAN BANK CENTER SELENA 36 Goose Island State Park AUDITORIUM 22 Concrete Street Amphitheater ARENA 2 37 Aransas National Wildlife Refuge . 9 TEXAS STATE ART AQUARIUM d. MUSEUM 1 Shoreline Blv 35 Rockport d. Shoreline Blv CORPUS CHRISTI Fulton 37 35 36 BEACH Gregory 35 361 Aransas Pass 361 361 3 Portland USS LEXINGTON Aransas38 Bay MUSEUM ON THE BAY Ingleside 181 34 Port 1 2 Aransas 7 33 3 22 5 4 20 11 6 37 10 9 Leopard 12 8 Navigation 13 14 Agnes 15 19 44 Baldwin 286 16 CC Int. Airport 358 Morgan 17 Corpus Christi Ocean Drive Bay Robstown 18 361 Crosstown Expressway S. Alameda S. Alameda Old Brownsville Rd. S. Padre Island Drive 357 Saratoga Blvd. Ayers Kostoryz 26 Mustang Island Weber 25 665 Everhart CC Naval 27 Airline S. Staples Air Station 31 368 Rodd Field 21 Yorktown 44 357 665 Gulf of Mexico Padre Island Flour Blu Waldron 2444 23 Laguna Shores Laguna Chapman Ranch Rd. 30 24 286 Madre 70 29 Bishop ~ Kingsville 28 32 4 800.766.BEACH www.corpuschristicvb.com 5 TRAVELER TIPS VITAL FACTS Corpus Christi Location Climate Visitors Centers Located on the Gulf of Mexico, about The annual mean temperature in Corpus Downtown halfway between Houston and the U.S. Christi is 71.1 degrees. There is an average Mexico border, Corpus Christi shares the of 288 sun-filled and rain-free days, and 1823 N. Chaparral same latitude as Tampa, Florida. Nestled winter-time temperatures in the 70s and 800-766-BEACH (2322) on a bay and surrounded by islands and 80s are common. The mild semitropical hundreds of miles of beaches, Corpus climate and warm waters of the Gulf of Christi is a popular spot for family vaca- Mexico create an outdoor paradise year tions and provides endless recreational round with plenty of fishing (bay and opportunities. offshore), outdoor tennis, sailing, golf, windsurfing, kiteboarding and more! Average Temperature and Precipitation TEXAS MONTH HIGH*/LOW* PRECIPITATION SEA TEMP* Fort Wo rth Dallas January 63.3/51.2 2.00” 56.5 El Paso February 65.3/53.9 2.70” 58.1 1 0 35 March 70.4/59.1 2.74” 63.4 45 Austin April 76.6/66.4 1.99” 70.4 1 0 Houston May 82.9/73.7 3.51” 77.4 San Antonio 1 0 June 87.7/78.3 3.28” 81.9 59 35 37 July 88.9/79.5 1.53” 83.2 Laredo August 89.7/79.7 2.98” 84.1 44 Corpus Christi September 87.5/76.6 5.51” 82.1 Travel Discounts 77 October 81.4/70.3 5.22” 79.7 Visit www.corpuschristicvb.com for November 72.9/60.9 2.82” 68.3 Brownsville special hotel, attractions, and vacation December 65.4/53.0 1.77” 61.1 packages. * FAHRENHEIT Tipping Population Arts & Culture The standard for restaurant waitstaff is Corpus Christi is the eighth largest Ballet Nacional 15-20 percent. A good standard for tip- Texas city with a 2000 metro census of 361-854-6528 ping drivers and chauffeurs is 15 percent. 180,783. The seven-county Bay Area Hotel staff are usually tipped $1 per bag population is over 500,000. Broadway Series 800-714-5331 for luggage handling. Relocation Packages www.americanbankcenter.com Taxes Corpus Christi Chamber Corpus Christi Ballet of Commerce Higher Education 361-882-4588 Sales tax for goods and services is 8.25 www.corpuschristi.com percent; hotel tax rate is 15 percent. 1201 N. Shoreline Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 6300 Ocean Drive The Cathedral Concert Series Drive Time and Distance 361-881-1800 • Fax: 361-882-4256 Corpus Christi, Texas 78412 361-888-7444 email: [email protected] www.goccn.org/dioces/ccs DEPARTURE MILES HOURS 361-825-5700 www.tamucc.edu Corpus Christi Concert Ballet San Antonio 143 mi. 2 hrs. Convention Center Del Mar College 361-854-7969 Houston 207 mi. 3 hrs. American Bank Center Arena, Baldwin & Ayers www.coastalbendballet.org Convention Center & Exhibit Hall, Austin 192 mi. 3 hrs. Corpus Christi, Texas 78404 Corpus Christi Symphony and Selena Auditorium 361-698-1269 361-882-4091 Dallas/Ft Worth 377 mi. 6 hrs. 1901 N. Shoreline Dr. www.delmar.edu www.ccsymphony.org Brownsville 159 mi. 2.75 hrs. Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 361-826-4100 Texas A&M-Kingsville Harbor Playhouse Laredo 141 mi. 2 hrs. www.americanbankcenter.com 361-593-2111 361-888-7469 www.tamuk.edu www.harborplayhouse.com 6 800.766.BEACH www.corpuschristicvb.com 7 VITAL FACTS, cont. Fishing Fishing in Corpus Christi is excellent any time of the year. There are three kinds of fishing: shallow water, deep water, and freshwater. Shallow Water – Along the bays and shores is where you’ll catch speckled trout, redfish, whiting, drum, and Sports flounder. MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Deep Water – Offshore from Port Corpus Christi Hooks Aransas to Rockport is “where they bite everyday.” Whether in a private or 734 East Port Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 charter boat, sport fishermen can try Whataburger Field for amberjack, red snapper, and tuna 361-561-HOOK year’round, with marlin and bill fish from www.cchooks.com May to September. Texas League Champions 2006 Fresh Water – Lake Corpus Christi is Season April 2 – September 7, 2009 located about 40 miles northwest of FOOTBALL Corpus Christi in Mathis. There you’ll find 200 miles of shoreline and excellent fish- AF2 Corpus Christi Sharks ing for bass, catfish, and crappie. 101 N. Shoreline, Suite 208 Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 361-882-9292 In Texas, if you intend to go fresh or salt American Bank Center Arena water fishing, you must have a fishing www.ccsharks.com license. Children under the age of 17 do not need a license. Corpus Christi Hammerheads 5262 S. Staples St. Out-of-state Annual License Fees: Corpus Christi, Texas 78411 Fresh Water Fishing $55 361-814-7277 Salt Water Fishing $60 www.cchammerheads.com All Water Fishing $65 One Day Temporary License Fees: College Basketball Fresh Water Fishing $17 Mens/Womens NCAA Div. Salt Water Fishing $22 The Texas A&M University All Water Fishing $33 – Corpus Christi Islanders 6300 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, Texas 78412 361-825-BALL American Bank Center Arena www.goislanders.com HOCKEY Corpus Christi Rayz 1901 N. Shoreline Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 361-814-PUCK American Bank Center Arena www.ccrays.com 8 800.766.BEACH www.corpuschristicvb.com 9 TRANSPORTATION Enterprise Rent-A-Car (Vans) Scenic Trail #75: Harbor Ferry #77: 823 N. Water St., 78401 An old-time trolley that explores historic 361-289-2712 361-884-7368 sights of Corpus Christi.