Before the Europeans arrived in Corpus Christi, the Karankawa Indians inhabited the area. The city started as a trading center where contraband goods were smuggled and later sold in Mexico. Initially, Corpus Christi was known as Kinney’s Rancho or Kinney’s Ranch. Henry Lawrence Kinney was a politician and a military officer who founded the city, which is now Corpus Christi. He began trading and ranching in this area in 1841, hence the name Kinney’s Rancho. So, where did the name Corpus Christi originate from? The city got its current name from Corpus Christi Bay. It is believed that one Alonso Álvarez de Piñeda, a Spanish explorer discovered the bay in 1519 and named it Corpus Christi as he explored this region around the Feast Day of Corpus Christi. This Roman Catholic festival honors the body of Christ. Even after this discovery, people only started settling in the Corpus Christi Bay area around 1839. In 1846, the growing town was officially named Corpus Christi. In the same year, the town became the county seat of Nueces County. In an attempt to see the town grow further, Kinney organized a state affair and put Corpus Christi on the map in 1852. However, this did very little in growing the town. In 1854, a yellow fever epidemic hit the town, further paralyzing its growth. The difficulty in obtaining fresh water in the area did the town no favor, and the population was decimated. But the main challenge impeding growth in Corpus Christi in the 1800s was the lack of a deepwater port. Large ships couldn’t enter Corpus Christi Bay and were forced to go offshore, where goods would be transferred into smaller vessels that could easily navigate the bay. By 1926, the Port of Corpus Christi opened after years of hard work in obtaining a deep water port. The port, the sixth largest one in the U.S, brought immense growth to Corpus Christi. Although the city has been hit severely by hurricanes that caused massive damage, it continues to grow and hold on to its nickname, “the sparkling city by the sea.”

Visit the South Texas Botanical Garden and Nature Center
There’s no better way to soak in nature than visiting the South Texas Botanical Garden and Nature Center. The 182-acre haven is a perfect place to go for leisure walks or just sit in silence as you admire the magnificent blooms and friendly animals. It also features a safe playground where your kids can have some fun. Your kids will undoubtedly love feeding the parrots here and posing for photos while at it.

Padre Island National Seashore
The islands boast beautiful beaches, wildlife, and dunes. Padre Island separates the Laguna Madre from the Gulf of Mexico. While here, you can choose to just relax by the beach and watch the waves, or you could go fishing, swimming, kayaking, and even camping. If you want to run away from the buzz in the city and immerse yourself in nature’s tranquility, Padre Island is your go-to destination.

Head over to the Texas State Aquarium
There’s quite a lot to see and do in the Texas State Aquarium, so plan ahead so that you don’t miss out on the exciting exhibits. One of the exhibits you don’t want to miss is the Polar obsession. It showcases beautiful photography of polar bears in the wild as captured by National Geographic’s Paul Nicklen.

They also have daily presentations where you can learn about the animals in the aquarium and engage with some of them. You will experience trainers engaging with the dolphins and learn how they train and work with them. You’ll also learn about the various types of turtles that call this habitat home and get a chance to feed the stingrays.