Corpus Christi for Groups

The largest community along the Coastal Bend is the bayside city of Corpus Christi. The city is protected from the Gulf of Mexico by Padre and Mustang islands, which served as pirate hideouts even after the area was chartered in 1519 by Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda. The Spaniard gave the bay its "body of Christ" name.

Today, visitors to Corpus Christi’s downtown have a spectacular view of the bay along the waterfront or on guided sightseeing trips aboard the Captain Clark, a paddlewheeler which can be chartered by groups of up to 386 attendees.

The downtown area has been undergoing several renovations of interest to meeting groups. Last year the city opened Concrete Street, a new festival and concert outdoor amphitheater. Located four blocks from the bayfront and from the newly renovated downtown area, this new addition boasts national restaurant chains, plenty of cool shade, and even a misting booth to keep music lovers cool.

The city will soon begin an expansion of the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center and Arena. Located within walking distance of the bay and conference hotels, the convention center will offer a Grand Foyer Lobby with a magnificent view of the bay, a 10,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, a 7,000-square-foot Junior Ballroom, a large catering kitchen, and expanded exhibit space. Just south of the convention center and connected by the convention center’s pre-function hall will be a new multi-purpose arena with 10,584 seats.

Throughout the downtown, travelers find numerous attractions including many top-notch museums. The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History is filled with exhibits that recall a 1554 Spanish shipwreck. See for yourself what life was like aboard those Spanish vessels by stepping outside to board life-sized replicas of Columbus’s Pinta and the Santa Maria; these vessels can be rented as reception venues for up to 1,000 attendees.

Also downtown stands the South Texas Institute for the Arts, filled with changing fine art exhibits of traditional and contemporary works, and the Asian Cultures Museum, with over 8,000 artifacts from throughout the region; the Asian Cultures Museum can serve as a reception site for up to 100 attendees.

Across the Harbor Bridge, stands the region’s largest attraction: the U.S.S. Lexington Museum on the Bay. This former WWII aircraft carrier holds the distinction as the most decorated aircraft carrier in US naval history. Visitors can explore the ship on self-guided tours.

Along with touring the vessel, you can also enjoy IMAX shows in the ship’s Joe Jessel Mega Theater or step into the onboard flight simulator if you'd like to experience what it's like to be a pilot coming in for a carrier landing. Groups of up to 2,600 can be accommodated on the carrier.

Next door to the Lexington lies the Texas State Aquarium, which showcases the sea life of the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors take a self-guided discovery through exhibits such as the Islands of Steel, a replica of an offshore oil platform surrounded by nurse sharks, amberjack, and other marine creatures commonly found around these man-made reefs. Nearby the Flower Gardens Coral Reef exhibit looks at the beautiful coral gardens found 115 miles off the coast, blooming with aquatic life and marine animals such as moray eels, tarpon, and rays. Up to 4,000 attendees can enjoy special events at the aquarium.

Corpus Christi has plenty of fast-paced activities as well. Because of the warm weather and a fairly consistent breeze of about 12 miles per hour, Corpus Christi is known as the unofficial windsurfing capital of the United States. Several national regattas are headquartered here, so it's not unusual to see the bay dotted with the colorful sails. Ocean Drive's Oleander Park is the only city-sanctioned sailboard park in the world.

Other options include horseback riding, boogie boards, sea kayaking, or strolling the trails of the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens, known as a top place for viewing local fauna and for spotting local birdlife.

And for groups whose idea of activity is watching someone else in action, the Corpus Christi Greyhound Race Track might just be the place; the clubhouse offers a view of the track as well as simulcast action. Gamblers can also try their luck on the M/V Texas Treasure which sails daily from nearby Port Aransas. While making the 9.2-mile cruise out to international waters, you can visit one of the five lounges, enjoy complimentary bingo, listen to some Caribbean tunes from the live band, or watch for dolphins from the deck. Once the ship reaches international waters, the action begins with slots and numerous table games.

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