Howard's BBQ & Catering

Make a splash at Hurricane Alley, the Coastal Bend's largest and newest waterpark, which features exciting attractions and plenty of water so you can cool off under the Texas sun. Experience the rush of the 6-story Cat 5 water slide, race down the Storm Chaser speed slide, battle the waves of the Storm Surge or get carried away in the Gulf Stream lazy river. There are also designated areas where pint-sized visitors can have fun made just for them. There are also swim-up bars where adults can enjoy a drink without leaving the water.

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.

If you're looking for a classic Americana experience, a visit to a small town's Rialto Theater is a must-do. The name itself, meaning the theater district, is steeped in history and tradition. And if you're in the Texas Coastal Bend, you're in luck, Aransas Pass has its very own Rialto, right in the heart of downtown. It's one of the few remaining Rialtos in the country, and it's just a short drive from downtown Corpus Christi. The Rialto Theater in Aransas Pass is a hub for visual arts, music, and live theater performances. The original building has been renovated and reborn, offering a year-round event schedule packed with traditional and eclectic performances. You can catch a show in the 100-seat theater auditorium, grab a drink at the 40-seat beer/wine bar, or check out the art exhibits in the gallery and lobby.

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.