Ten Towns Less Travelled: Part One - Corpus Christi, Texas
Anyone can visit Paris, LA, New York or San Francisco. But it takes some pluck and imagination to plan a vacation in a place that might not have had a million movies shot there, or where Zagat or Fodor's frequent. In that vein, I am introducing you to ten towns less traveled and hope you'll see what I see in them.
First: I've been coming to South Texas and specifically, the seaside city of Corpus Christi, since I was a baby. My grandmother lived in a house in a small town just west of here, and taught me to roam the beaches at "Padre" to cull shells. We'd Elmer Glue them to cigar boxes (not sure where those boxes came from because my Southern Baptist grandma certainly didn't condone smoking!) and create cherished mementos.
It's been nearly 30 years since she passed, but when my bare feet hit the sand of these Gulf of Mexico beaches I can still recall that joy.
You should visit Corpus if you're looking for a slower pace than Austin or Houston, but a locale cosmopolitan enough to find great book stores, music, and cappuccino. Following are my top tens for your visit. See ya 'round, y'all!
1. The Beaches. Hit Padre Island or Mustang Island State Park. Mustang Island is just a wee bit north of Corpus at Port Aransas, costs $5 for the day, and is well worth it. Find whole sand dollars and soak in the calm; white-capped warm waves lap the shore.
2. The USS Lexington ship is a WWII treasure and has been gracing Corpus Christi, its permanent home, for many years after seeing combat in the Pacific.
3. South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is just eight bucks and you'll see gorgeous plumerias and charming parrots, while learning about local flora and fauna and meeting new people.
4. The Art Center of Corpus Christi is a beachside treasure where you can absorb the local culture in a frame or standing as a statue on a table. Eat a nice meal while you are there as you gaze out at the Gulf.
5. Eat "dinner" at Luby's on Saratoga Blvd. There are two in town; this one's better. Hey, y'all in the South, it's breakfast, dinner, and supper. So if you're used to calling dinner lunch, leave your uppity words at Starbucks in Manhattan and talk like the regular folk here. Lap up your fill of fried okra, black-eyed peas (or "eye peas", as I called them as a child), fresh cornbread, iced tea and too many pie types to list.
6. Attend a concert at Selena Auditorium. Chicago is playing this Monday, March 27. Top bands and artists from all over the world flock here. It's not just a cowboy town, folks!
7. Speaking of the late "Queen of Tejano music", Selena, every year there's a festival in her honor. It kicks off this weekend, March 24-25, and is sure to excite the senses and whet your appetite. Eat, drink, listen to music, check out local art and get your Latin music groove on at Fiesta de la Flor. Special plus: Jackie Cruz of Netflix hit "Orange is the New Black" will be there.
8. Head to La Palmera mall. Yeah, it's a mall but it's a really, really nice one. I recommend eating at P.F. Chang's. I adore the tempura batter crisp green beans - yum.
9. Visit a beautiful church. The South is the Bible Belt, so if you're Christian, this is obviously the place for you. But even if you're not you'd be welcome at one of the many churches that dot the area. And if you are Jewish, Muslim, atheist or agnostic, there is something for you here as well. Yes, you have to find your "group" but it exists. For example, check out the Chua Huong Dam Buddhist temple in Corpus to expand your horizons!
10. Waterslide fun. It should be no surprise that South Texas is usually warm if not hot so you don't have to worry about too much of an off season. It was in the 80s today in Corpus, so on April 29 and later head on out to the Schlitterbahn Water Park just east of Padre Island. Tickets are a little pricey but it's good for the day: $29.99 for kids and seniors; $41.99 for everyone else. Make sure to wear plenty of sun screen, y'all, and pack that bag lunch!
Tomorrow: Part Two: Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Photos: Top and second from top, Laurie Wiegler (selfies)Top - outside the Art Center; next, at Mustang Island beach; 3rd and 4th to bottom photosCourtesy of Wikimedia Commons: by Travis Witt, June 20, 2010, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Lexington_Corpus.JPG; bottom: Downtown Corpus Christi, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Downtown_Corpus_Christi_,_Texas.jpg, by Mglsndst1993, 12/7/2011.
Writer's note: The Ventura blog, the original #1, was published yesterday but will be rewritten and published later in this series.
Contact me through my website or by emailing me at lauriewiegler@gmail.com.
You should visit Corpus if you're looking for a slower pace than Austin or Houston, but a locale cosmopolitan enough to find great book stores, music, and cappuccino. Following are my top tens for your visit. See ya 'round, y'all!
1. The Beaches. Hit Padre Island or Mustang Island State Park. Mustang Island is just a wee bit north of Corpus at Port Aransas, costs $5 for the day, and is well worth it. Find whole sand dollars and soak in the calm; white-capped warm waves lap the shore.
2. The USS Lexington ship is a WWII treasure and has been gracing Corpus Christi, its permanent home, for many years after seeing combat in the Pacific.
3. South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is just eight bucks and you'll see gorgeous plumerias and charming parrots, while learning about local flora and fauna and meeting new people.
4. The Art Center of Corpus Christi is a beachside treasure where you can absorb the local culture in a frame or standing as a statue on a table. Eat a nice meal while you are there as you gaze out at the Gulf.
5. Eat "dinner" at Luby's on Saratoga Blvd. There are two in town; this one's better. Hey, y'all in the South, it's breakfast, dinner, and supper. So if you're used to calling dinner lunch, leave your uppity words at Starbucks in Manhattan and talk like the regular folk here. Lap up your fill of fried okra, black-eyed peas (or "eye peas", as I called them as a child), fresh cornbread, iced tea and too many pie types to list.
6. Attend a concert at Selena Auditorium. Chicago is playing this Monday, March 27. Top bands and artists from all over the world flock here. It's not just a cowboy town, folks!
7. Speaking of the late "Queen of Tejano music", Selena, every year there's a festival in her honor. It kicks off this weekend, March 24-25, and is sure to excite the senses and whet your appetite. Eat, drink, listen to music, check out local art and get your Latin music groove on at Fiesta de la Flor. Special plus: Jackie Cruz of Netflix hit "Orange is the New Black" will be there.
8. Head to La Palmera mall. Yeah, it's a mall but it's a really, really nice one. I recommend eating at P.F. Chang's. I adore the tempura batter crisp green beans - yum.
9. Visit a beautiful church. The South is the Bible Belt, so if you're Christian, this is obviously the place for you. But even if you're not you'd be welcome at one of the many churches that dot the area. And if you are Jewish, Muslim, atheist or agnostic, there is something for you here as well. Yes, you have to find your "group" but it exists. For example, check out the Chua Huong Dam Buddhist temple in Corpus to expand your horizons!
10. Waterslide fun. It should be no surprise that South Texas is usually warm if not hot so you don't have to worry about too much of an off season. It was in the 80s today in Corpus, so on April 29 and later head on out to the Schlitterbahn Water Park just east of Padre Island. Tickets are a little pricey but it's good for the day: $29.99 for kids and seniors; $41.99 for everyone else. Make sure to wear plenty of sun screen, y'all, and pack that bag lunch!
Tomorrow: Part Two: Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Photos: Top and second from top, Laurie Wiegler (selfies)Top - outside the Art Center; next, at Mustang Island beach; 3rd and 4th to bottom photosCourtesy of Wikimedia Commons: by Travis Witt, June 20, 2010, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Lexington_Corpus.JPG; bottom: Downtown Corpus Christi, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Downtown_Corpus_Christi_,_Texas.jpg, by Mglsndst1993, 12/7/2011.
Writer's note: The Ventura blog, the original #1, was published yesterday but will be rewritten and published later in this series.
Contact me through my website or by emailing me at lauriewiegler@gmail.com.
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