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Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi [1] is Texas's largest coastal city. The name is Latin for "Body of Christ".

Travel to Corpus Christi & Visa Requirements

By air

Corpus Christi International Airport (IATA: CRP) [2] Served by American Eagle, Continental Express, and Southwest Airlines, with nonstop flights to Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston George Bush Intercontinental, and Houston Hobby respectively.

By car

Corpus Christi is on the southern end of Interstate 37, about two hours south of San Antonio.

Tours & Getting around Corpus Christi

Follow this link to the City of Corpus Christi webpage of maps of Corpus Christi and the surrounding area [3].

Corpus Christi's main routes are Interstate 37 and Texas State Routes 286 and 358. As it passes Corpus Christi, 358 is divided into North Padre Island Drive and South Padre Island Drive.

The main routes one needs to know to get around efficiently in Corpus Christi are I-37, South Padre Island Drive, the Crosstown Expressway, and Ocean Drive/Shoreline Boulevard (Ocean Drive is an extension of Shoreline Blvd. for about seven miles along Corpus Christi Bay).

I-37 brings one down from San Antonio and ends on Shoreline Drive downtown on the Bayfront.

Shoreline Dive is a section of maybe four miles in downtown Corpus Christi along the bay. It begins in the area of the Art Museum of South Texas and leads south, becoming Ocean Drive. Following Ocean Drive takes one through the most scenic part of the city and to its end at the Naval Air Station and Texas A&M.

South Padre Island Drive does not go to South Padre Island (a frequent mistake made by visitors), but is better thought of as the southern section of Padre Island Drive. It is a section of 358 running from I-37 down the southern side of the city from northwest to southeast and ending on Padre Island, where it becomes Park Road 22 and leads to Padre Island National Seashore. Along it is the main shopping and dining area for the city.

Connecting the northern end of South Padre Island Drive to the downtown area near where I-37 ends, is the Crosstown Expressway.

These are the main streets encircling the central part of the city. Inevitably, local people will use one of these streets in giving directions to visitors.

If one thinks of Corpus Christi as a sort of isoceles triangle with its base to the northwest and tip to the southeast, these streets make up its sides. South Padre Island Drive is the second-longest side, Crosstown Expressway is the base, and Shoreline Blvd./Ocean Drive is the longest side (hypoteneuse). Please note however that South Padre Island Drive (known locally as S.P.I.D.) do not touch as the triangle's sides do, although they do come relatively close in the Texas A&M area. To go from Ocean Drive to S.P.I.D. (or vice versa) at their closest point, take Ennis Joslin. In this analogy, I-37 will be a fourth line running from the intersection of Crosstown Expressway and Shoreline Blvd and leading to the northwest.

Corpus Christi has a small trolley service (actually buses poorly disguised as trolleys), a citywide bus service and, of course, several cab companies.

There is no Metro, subway, or any other form of a city rail service.

Car rental services can be found at the airport or along S.P.I.D.

Corpus Christi has a marina, for those few lucky enough to travel by water.

Corpus Christi attractions and sightseeing

  • Miradors (see photo) are small, gazebo-like structures found along the Corpus Christi bayfront. Inside each is found a small plaque commemorating some aspect of the city's or of the area's history. They are delightful places to relax in the shade while looking out over the city's downtown waterfront and Corpus Christi Bay. The name is from Spanish verb "mirar" (meaning to look) and means "one who looks (or watches)".
    • Mirador de la Flor A memorial to Selena Quintanilla Perez - better known simply as "Selena" - who was murdered in 1995 by her deranged fan club president and boutique manager. Includes a life-size bronze statue of the singer.
  • Texas State Aquarium, 2710 N. Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi, ☎ 361-881-1200(fax: 361-881-1257), [4]. 9AM-6PM daily, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. See water-related exhibits and creatures. You can even work with a dolphin trainer if you contact them ahead of time (and spend a lot of money).$8.95 Children, $13.95 Adults, $3.50 parking.
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    This page was last edited at 08:44, on 12 November 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Peter Fitzgerald, David, Phil Slattery and Mark Stevens, Wikitravel user(s) Donkeypump, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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