For almost two decades now, my family and I have traveled to Port Aransas to spend some well-received downtime along the gulf’s welcoming shoreline.
With the chaotic and tourist-filled summer season well behind it, it never disappoints, and the only thing that can usually pull us away from its warm hug of a grasp is a trip to the island grocery store or a local souvenir shop.
With no time to waste, our business in town gets taken care of and we’re back in the salty air and calming waves before we know it.
But this year was different. With a couple of extra days on our hands thanks to our schedules affording us an entire week away, we decided to plan a day trip to nearby Corpus Christi.
Corpus Christi has always been nothing more than a pass-through for my family and me as we make the four-and-a-half-hour-long drive from Liberty Hill to Port Aransas. As the barren and seemingly endless stretch of Interstate 37 South finally gives way to civilization, the city has always been a welcome beacon as we all sit up in our seats and breathe a sigh of relief that paradise awaits just beyond its horizon.
Other than that, and a quick stop at a local H-E-B, that’s about the extent of our time spent there. But our recent excursion into some of its parts unknown offered a deep dive into its rich history as well as a glimpse of its reemergence as a destination for those near and far looking for some seaside adventures of their own.
Our day started out at the condo in Port Aransas, where we enjoyed a hearty breakfast that would fuel us for the morning’s activities and then, it was off to the races we went. Our first stop on the route was just under 40 minutes away: the famous and storied USS Lexington Museum. As we crossed Corpus Christi’s newly constructed harbor bridge, which was an amazing sight in itself to behold, the aircraft carrier, first commissioned in 1943, could be seen in the harbor below, patiently waiting for our eager eyes and ears.
Pro tip — if you plan on visiting the area anytime in the near future, you’re going to want to turn your patience dial up to 11, because Corpus Christi’s reinvention of itself includes an endless list of road closures and detours. Just remember — you’re on island time.
The Corpus Christi Bay is home to the USS Lexington, a famed World War II era aircraft carrier that now serves as a museum.
After serving this great country during World War II, where she participated in nearly every major operation in the Pacific Theater and then spent her remaining active years stateside, the USS Lexington has now become one of only five nationwide museums of its kind, offering an impressively detailed and very well delivered history of not only the service of her and her crews, but of the United States military in general, encompassing former conflicts, highlighting many notable figures and offering an up close look of the entire vessel, including past and present aerial warcraft on full display.
As we toured the bridge, flight deck, engine rooms and other quarters below deck, I became increasingly overwhelmed by two very distinct feelings.
One — I was in absolute awe of the ship’s construction and ingenuity. Every single piece of her served a very specific purpose. To think of the war effort during World War II, where the entire country united to build what would become the world’s most elite military force in an unfathomable amount of time, left me with goosebumps at almost every turn. And two — I couldn’t stop thinking of the men and women who took part in the ship’s tremendous story as they put everything on the table to defend Lady Liberty. The handrails got me the most.
To think of the countless hands that gripped those rails, in peacetime or war, made me feel as if I was able to shake each and every one of their hands, thanking them for their service and, for some, their lives. If I could, I’d sit with that vessel for hours on end, just to feel that feeling again and again.
Our next stop was the Texas State Aquarium.
I’ll be the first to admit that there was a slight feeling of guilt as we toured a truly amazing facility full of all the very species that we’d just dined upon. I’m fairly certain one of the shrimp gave me an unapproving look as we gazed upon his habitat. But the guilt soon gave way to a jaw-dropping display of aquatic and seaside life.
From the monstrous, almost too immense to believe aquariums that held some of mother nature’s finest specimens such as sharks, eels and sea tortoises to the grand displays of exotic birds and reptiles, I was blown away with how much effort had been put into this one-of-a-kind facility.
There were sharks and stingrays that you could pet (no thank you), and they even had an otter exhibit. Ah, yes, the loveable, adorable otter. If you’ve never seen one up close and in its most curious and playful form, it’s worth the trip alone to see these little creatures that I now dream of having as a pet.
The aquarium tickets are a bit on the pricier side, but it goes to a great cause as their core mission is the rescue, rehabilitation and reintroduction of injured wildlife to their natural habitats.
They’ve also done a great job in maintaining awareness of certain environmental issues such as pollution and even excessive water consumption. In light of the rapidly falling sun, we opted to spend only an hour or two there, but a family could easily make an entire morning or afternoon of the visit as there are multiple interactive attractions as well as several indoor and outdoor eateries and refreshment kiosks. Its exterior grounds line the shores of the Corpus Christi Bay, ensuring that the beachside vibes remain front and center in your seafaring escape.
We greatly enjoyed our day in Corpus, but after a round trip through road construction straight from a fever dream and the congested roads through town, we couldn’t get back to our island paradise any sooner. I think we might have set a record for how fast a family can walk through the front door of their condo and right out the back. The sand between our toes never knew what hit it.
These little excursions within our family vacations could quite possibly become a tradition. I continue to be in awe of just how many gems of a destination lie just around the corner from just about anywhere in the world one might be. Heck, think of the local hidden treasures in this town alone. You never know what enriching discovery you’ll find unless you, well, find it.
Life’s too short to stay on the beaten paths and in your comfort zone. It may be easier said than done, but every spontaneous adventure will always be worth every butterfly in the stomach and every bitten nail. Trust me, you’ll find a brand-new smile every single time.