Corpus Christi was a pleasant surprise for me. A blend of great coastal offerings, it also has a great restaurant scene, is quite walkable, has unique attractions, and it’s very artsy. With my homebase conveniently in the downtown area, but just a short walk to the ocean, it was easy to make a 3-day itinerary out of it. I encourage you to wander and make your own discoveries but here are my Editor’s Pick things to do in Corpus Christi on a 3-day (+1) getaway for RealFoodTraveler.com readers.

Save this Editor’s Pick article for Things to Do in Corpus Christi to help you plan your visit. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Things to Do In Corpus Christi on a 3-Day Getaway

First…getting there and getting around:

Fly into the Corpus Christi International Airport. You could get by doing ride shares to some activities that are farther away or you could rent a car. Much of your time in downtown Corpus Christi though can be handled on foot.

Where to stay:
The Omni Corpus Christi Hotel was a great, central location for all of our activities. Request an upper floor room facing the water for beautiful views. The Hotel is very attractive, has an indoor-outdoor pool (notice the dolphin murals), restaurants and workout facility. Be sure to start your day with a sip of one of their infused waters.

Consider the Omni Hotel Corpus Christi your homebase. It is attractive, conveniently located and has great amenities.

Day 1: Some attraction fun

Depending on when you arrive and reach downtown, if your hotel room isn’t ready yet, head to the Texas State Aquarium nearby. Impressive, well-laid out, and so much fun, it’s a great place to see some of the creatures that call Corpus Christi’s waters, land and skies home. If you’re hungry from your flight, grab a bite at one of several on-site spots.

You’ll see all kinds of fish, foul, and reptiles at the Texas State Aquarium.

Another option is the USS Lexington Museum, a real WWII aircraft carrier with a massive flight deck. There’s a 3D Theater, flight simulator, escape rooms and opportunities to see the inner workings of an historic naval ship.

If the game day schedule works out, take in a baseball game with the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field. The minor league, Astros-affiliated games are a favorite among the locals so it’s a great way to connect with the city.

Locals and visitors can watch the Corpus Christi Hooks play at Whataburger Field.

Day 2:  Take in the coastline

Have breakfast at the hotel in the Glass Pavilion Restaurant where you can enjoy their plentiful buffet or order hearty breakfasts a la carte. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

Another option is Lucy’s Snackbar about a half mile from The Omni Hotel. With a coffee-house feel that welcomes you to hang out a while, they have a small breakfast menu plus coffees and teas. Keep it in mind for later when happy hour deals kick in or to sip Prosecco on tap and nibble on a charcuterie board. Pick up a bottle of wine from their curated selection of local options.

If you’ve always wanted to try surfing, Corpus Christi is the place, with surf lessons from Texas Surf Camps. Pre-arrange lessons that start on dry land (the beach), showing you the fundamentals of the board, how to sit/stand/lay, and how to ride the waves. That’s all before heading out with an instructor to try out what you’ve learned.

Tip: We learned that, as you enter the water, you should always shuffle your feet to scare away jellyfish and stingrays. The vibration that they feel when we’re just walking normally makes them feel threatened, increasing the chances they’ll come after you.

With the Texas Surf Camps, you’ll learn the essentials on land before going into the water.

If surfing isn’t your thing, another way to enjoy the water is with Horses on the Beach, a local company that provides just that for visitors. Whether you’re a beginner or more experienced riding horses, the team will find the right horse for you, provide some basic instruction and lead you along the beach where you can enjoy ocean breezes in your hair (and the horse’s mane).

After horseback riding, head to Padre Island National Seashore for more than 130,000 acres of federally-protected wildlife area, beach and grasslands.

Tip: Take 15 minutes or so to sit quietly in the rocking chairs on the visitors center deck. With the sounds of the waves and sea birds, it’s the perfect way to stop and be very present with your surroundings.

Relax and take in the views at the Padre Island National Seashore’s patio.

All that fresh coastal air works up a powerful hunger so head to Doc’s Seafood & Steaks Restaurant with their big beach shack vibe and indoor/outdoor dining room. The place is known for sunset views so take note of that for a future trip. With plenty to choose from on the menu for both seafood and steak lovers, the views are dramatic of the J.F.K. freeway bridge and the Intercoastal Waterway just outside. We were told it’s not uncommon to see a pod of dolphins going by. At Doc’s, I had their famous clam chowder which is, hands down, the best I’ve ever had. That was followed by a loaded up Coastal Club Salad that I added grilled shrimp to. The Bacon-wrapped Grilled Shrimp next to me looked darned good too.

Tip: Go downstairs and see fishermen pulling up in their boats to hand a tub of their fresh catch to a staffer who would clean and package their fish for them. It’s quite a sight.

Huge shrimp feature prominently in many dishes at Doc’s such as this bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp with rice and green beans.

While in the area, check out Marker 37 Marina, the departure point for fishing and boating. The Marina itself is a catch though, with outdoor games including shuffleboard, corn hole and sand volleyball, plus places to eat and drink.

We had dinner at the Marina at the Pearl Oyster Bar where they serve more than 15 varieties of oysters. Order a fruity drink and a plate of seafood, or a steak.

Tip: Order a shrimp or crab boil and dive in with your hands. But be forewarned, the portions are big enough to share since the seafood is plentiful and the accompanying potatoes and corn are filling.

Keeping with the water theme, round out your night with Glow Row’s Glow in the Dark Kayaking experience. As dusk approaches, and after a brief tutorial, you get in wide, clear kayaks fitted with lights. You’re pushed into the water and, as a group, take off, following the Glow Row leader. See fish below and the changing sky above. You won’t know what’s more beautiful – the fish, the sky, or the glowing group of you.

Tip: Dress for the situation in something you don’t mind getting a little wet in. And wear shoes you can easily slip off as you’ll be leaving them on shore.

Glow Row is one of the prettiest things you can do on the water in Corpus Christi! See Doc’s Seafood & Steaks Restaurant in the distance.

Hungry for more? Learn more and discover 7 ways to have beach-time fun.

Day 3: A Taste of Downtown in Corpus Christi

Walk to Central Kitchen, about a half mile walk from The Omni Hotel for breakfast. It’s one of the restaurants by Water Street Restaurants, a family-owned and run company that is responsible for a good portion of Corpus Christi’s varied dining scene. Each restaurant in the group has a different angle, décor, and food. It’s very impressive that they can be successful at each, unique concept. At Central Kitchen, there’s a hip but homey feeling, assisted by the aromas of freshly-baked breads (you can see them in action). Grab a pastry or one of their hot dishes including Breakfast Toasts which are finished off in the wood-burning oven. I ordered one of their Toasts, the Downtown Hot Brown with beer can chicken, heirloom tomatoes, bacon and smoked gouda mornay on broad. It was delicious!

Tip: Get a baked good (or three) to go. Yum!

Dine in or take something to go, everything is prepared from scratch at Central Kitchen.

Next, visit the Art Museum of South Texas for contemporary and modern art to see a variety of styles of art using diverse mediums. Right on the water, the Museum is just the right size to be able to take it all in within one visit. Build in time while there to have a meal at Elizabeth’s inside the Art Museum. A very pretty restaurant with expansive views, the restaurant is popular with the locals. There are sandwiches, salads, bowls and the like but we ended up liking the appetizers the most.

Tip: Be sure to stop at the gift shop too for interesting items to take home.

Hungry for more? Hear our interview with Richard Lomax, owner of Water Street restaurants.

Let the artistic theme continue at KSpace Contemporary. The non-profit introduces visitors to local artists as well as ones from around the world. Stop at this gift shop too for jewelry, clothing, home goods, posters and more.

Enjoy a day of art experiences as one of the many things to do. That includes a visit to the Art Museum of South Texas (top), Elizabeth’s Restaurant within the Museum (right), and a stop at KSpace Contemporary Gallery and its gift shop (bottom).

Of all the fun things I did in Corpus Christi, the tour with Blue Shore Pedal Lounge was the most fun. Given all that I’ve mentioned in this article, that may be a surprise. Picture sitting at a long table on wheels where you perch on a seat and pedal while sipping a drink, taking in the views and spontaneously breaking into song from the music playing. It’s such a great way to see the city, the ocean, wave to pedestrians, and commune with your fellow riders. You don’t actually have to pedal to make the vehicle go but it’s part of the fun (and you can work off a beer as you go). There are several themed tours offered. The guide/driver gives the tour, plays music and generally keeps the convivial vibe going.

Tip: Buckle up on your seat because that’s the only thing keeping you from falling off. Also, be ready to tip your driver with cash or Venmo. They are worth it.

You can arrange for a mural tour with the Blue Pedal Lounge which will also stop at bars such as the charming Bus(bottom left), created from what was the old bus station.

Having worked up an appetite, quench your hunger and thirst at Dokyo Dauntaun in the heart of downtown Corpus Christi. Take note of the beautiful mural on the parking lot side of the building before you go in. Inside, it’s high energy edginess, with a Neo-Tokyo-inspired vibe complete with neon lights and big graphics. They are known for their creative cocktails and Japanese and Korean dishes including chicken mushroom gyoza, kimchi pancake, teriyakis and noodle dishes.

Tip: Ask which cocktails are the most visual and then, when you see it coming to your table, be ready with your camera. Dokyo prides itself on very visual presentations.

Dokyo Dauntaun creates delicious and inventive cocktails to go along with their Japanese and Korean cuisine. Don’t miss having one when you go.

Day 4: Quick, before you head home…

Although your 3-day itinerary has come to an end, there are still a couple more things to do in Corpus Christi before you head to the airport. Grab breakfast at one of these places locals recommended to us. We didn’t have time to go ourselves but the locals never steered us wrong: Hester’s Café in the old part of Corpus called Six Points, in the old Cages hardware building from 1954. Said to be cozy and inviting, it serves breakfast and lunch and has a gift shop called Bleu Frog attached. Or, try Yola Cocina Mexicana for authentic Mexican food in the Lamar Park area, including house-made salsas, breakfast tacos and egg plates.

Do try to make time (and room in your suitcase) to go to Sew Bonita before heading to the airport. This fun and super-cheerful Latina-run boutique is owned by Elena Flores who sells colorful fabrics by the yard, Mexican folk art, contemporary items for the home, jewelry, clothing, food stuffs and gifts. Stop by the inviting Instagram wall to take a selfie before you depart.

Tip: Take note of the stickers on the door and sandwich board outside – Flores has a great sense of humor matched only by her devotion to the late singer/celebrity, Corpus Christi’s own, Selena.

Sew Bonita is a great place to shop for Corpus Christi-centric goods, including fabric and jewelry.

There you have it, a quick getaway to explore just some of the many things to do in Corpus Christi, Texas. You’ll likely find, as I did, that it’s worthy of much more time. To learn more about Corpus Christi, and to create other itineraries, go to their very helpful website, here. Also, Corpus Christi is one of the best places to see the eclipse, April 8, 2024. Here’s everything you need to know about taking it in.

-Story and photos by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher and Managing Editor of RealFoodTraveler.com

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Please note: As is common practice in this industry, we were hosted for some of these activities to help facilitate writing about them for our readers. However, as is always the case, the honest opinions are our own.