Looking for a relaxing vacation to start your spring or summer? Corpus Christi has all the ingredients for a fun and stress-free vacation; the beach and bay, great food and fun activities that the whole family will enjoy.

The USS Lexington located on Corpus Christi’s North Beach, is a National Historic Landmark and a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike. There are five self-guided tours available as well as a theater, flight simulator and research library. When out at sea, aircraft carriers are called floating cities and once you tour the vessel, you will understand why. It comes equipped with everything you might need in typical daily life including a post office, barber, dentist, operating room and even its own butcher shop. The ladders, signs and stairs lead you through a labyrinth of 7 decks on the ship.

A visit aboard “The Blue Ghost” is even more interesting if you talk to one of the many volunteers who served on the USS Lexington or ships like it. “ It is important that people visit, because they get a taste of history and see what people had to go through to enjoy the freedoms we all have today,” said veteran and volunteer of 23 years, Bill Noonan.

Once you are done aboard the USS Lexington, take a short drive down to the Texas State Aquarium where you will be treated to a visit with otters, dolphins, sea turtles, birds and hundreds of species of fish, just to name a few. There are interactive talks, demonstrations and wonderful educational and entertaining shows for visitors of all ages. Summer visitors will be able to enjoy the newest exhibit Tentacles, which is slated to open in just a few short months. It will bring the world of jellyfish, octopus, squid, and cuttlefish to the Aquarium with 10 live exhibits as well as a jellyfish nursery which will focus on the sustainability of the species.

Corpus Christi boasts not just great sight-seeing, but wonderful food, as well. Tannins Wine Bar and Tapas located in trendy Lamar Park, is a great spot to unwind with some light food and great wine. The bar has an extensive wine list, several beers on tap and tasty tapas-style food. Tannins also boasts wine on tap, which is definitely something you won’t find everywhere else. During my visit I started off with a bowl of warm olives in herb sauce. The portion was large and the variety of olives was fantastic. I also had The Lorenzo panini which was loaded with different types of cheese and Italian meats – very tasty and filling. I was a bit skeptical when trying the wine on tap, but was pleasantly surprised at the taste and quality of the wine.

No visit to Corpus Christi would be complete without a visit to Maggie’s Italian Restaurant and Pizza Kitchen on the Southside of town. Open for 9 years, this local favorite has won several awards including Corpus Christi Caller Times “Best of the Best” several years running. It will only take one visit to see why they are so popular; the menu is extensive, pizza is fantastic and the prices are very reasonable. You might be in the mood for Italian food, but don’t write off the Greek options on the menu, these are house made specialties made from recipes brought from the old country.  Lamp Gyro with tzatziki sauce, spinach pie and baklava are a must, all made in-house and all surprise favorites on the menu. You can’t go wrong with the Italian food either. The Supreme Roll is fitting to its name because it is very big, very tasty – definitely a meal for two. All of the dough at Maggie’s is made in-house and that just might be their secret to great tasting pizza.

Corpus Christi is a great vacation spot right in our own backyard. Make the short drive, hit the beach, eat at some local favorites and see all that the Sparkling City by the Sea has to offer.