Did you know that The Ritz Theatre is one of the last historic buildings remaining in Corpus Christi? It was built in 1929 and was the first talking movie theater in the area. The Ritz was one of the finest theaters in Texas and is now best known as The Ritz Music Hall, which housed a great range of artists from Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and Stevie Ray Vaughn to Metallica and Def Leppard in the 70s. Recently, PATCH, the non-profit organization behind the restoration of The Ritz, has launched a dynamic new action plan. They have published a manifesto about Corpus Christi, a "State of The Ritz" document, and a call to the community for help.
Take a meaningful stroll through The University Galleries at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, which accommodates both the Weil Gallery and the Islander Art Gallery. Here you will be impressed by the traditional gallery spaces used for screenings, symposia, and exhibitions of work by TAMU-CC graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and visiting artists from the local, national, and international contexts.
Padre Island National Seashore, the longest undeveloped stretch of a barrier island in the world, has more than 133,000 acres of protected, natural beaches, white dunes, thriving grassland, saltwater marshes, and a host of untouched wildlife. Experience the island in its natural state with primitive camping, which is allowed in any spot along the entire length of the beach. Year-round inhabitants include coyotes, white-tail deer, peregrine falcons, kangaroo rats, and jackrabbits.