Corpus Christi, Texas
November 20, 2006 10:53 AM Subscribe
We're considering a job-related move to Corpus Christi, Texas, a place we know nothing about. I'd appreciate hearing anything you can tell us about the area.
People, culture, attitudes - best public school areas (elementary, middle/junior) - good family oriented neighborhoods - any decent housing under $200,000?
We are small town people (under 50,000 population) so for us this would be a jump to 'big city' life - we're also Western mountain people (CO, WY, ID), currently unhappily living in the desert Southwest. Any tips for adjusting to a coastal area would also be appreciated (I have trouble even imagining what the typical lifestyle would even be like).
Thanks everyone.
People, culture, attitudes - best public school areas (elementary, middle/junior) - good family oriented neighborhoods - any decent housing under $200,000?
We are small town people (under 50,000 population) so for us this would be a jump to 'big city' life - we're also Western mountain people (CO, WY, ID), currently unhappily living in the desert Southwest. Any tips for adjusting to a coastal area would also be appreciated (I have trouble even imagining what the typical lifestyle would even be like).
Thanks everyone.
While I can't speak to Corpus Christi, TX except to say that I hated my (thankfully brief) time there, and regard the place as a dirty, industrial-military shithole, I did live on/near the coast for years.
For you, I suspect, the biggest change will be the humidity. CC's climate will be a lot more temperate but you'll have to get used to 80+% humidity most of the year. Luckily, a lot of the sun mitigation techniques you've gathered from your time in the desert apply here - take advantage of shade, use sunscreen, crack your car windows, etc. I also don't know exactly what CC's beaches are like, but talk to the locals before heading down to the shore. Bopping down unawares could result in painful (jellyfish season!) or disappointing (seaweed season!) results.
Best of luck on your move!
posted by TheNewWazoo at 11:18 AM on November 20, 2006
For you, I suspect, the biggest change will be the humidity. CC's climate will be a lot more temperate but you'll have to get used to 80+% humidity most of the year. Luckily, a lot of the sun mitigation techniques you've gathered from your time in the desert apply here - take advantage of shade, use sunscreen, crack your car windows, etc. I also don't know exactly what CC's beaches are like, but talk to the locals before heading down to the shore. Bopping down unawares could result in painful (jellyfish season!) or disappointing (seaweed season!) results.
Best of luck on your move!
posted by TheNewWazoo at 11:18 AM on November 20, 2006
I live right up the coast in Galveston, and spent many of my formative years in San Antonio.
A lot of random thoughts...
Corpus Christi shares the South Texas culture: Friendly, warm, laid-back, strong Tex-Mex presence. Family is very important here. Also, CC is, in fact, the hometown of Tejano singer Selena. :-)
The Texas Gulf Coast climate is much more moderate than inland areas. We like to say that compared to Houston we're 10 degrees cooler in summer and 10 degrees warmer in winter. YMMV. Seafood and fishing are a big deal.
You should find a lot of housing under $200,000. For that money, you could live like royalty. If you want to live in a beach house, your costs would be higher, but then so would your property taxes, insurance, etc. Be aware that although Texas has no income tax, property taxes are high, and the cost of insurance for coastal residents is going up.
CC is very close to the Padre Island national seashore, the north end of the island. We used to go camping there when I was growing up. It can be a very pleasant place, worth a camping trip or a hike. Nothing at all like the mountains, but give it a chance and it may grow on you.
posted by Robert Angelo at 11:19 AM on November 20, 2006
A lot of random thoughts...
Corpus Christi shares the South Texas culture: Friendly, warm, laid-back, strong Tex-Mex presence. Family is very important here. Also, CC is, in fact, the hometown of Tejano singer Selena. :-)
The Texas Gulf Coast climate is much more moderate than inland areas. We like to say that compared to Houston we're 10 degrees cooler in summer and 10 degrees warmer in winter. YMMV. Seafood and fishing are a big deal.
You should find a lot of housing under $200,000. For that money, you could live like royalty. If you want to live in a beach house, your costs would be higher, but then so would your property taxes, insurance, etc. Be aware that although Texas has no income tax, property taxes are high, and the cost of insurance for coastal residents is going up.
CC is very close to the Padre Island national seashore, the north end of the island. We used to go camping there when I was growing up. It can be a very pleasant place, worth a camping trip or a hike. Nothing at all like the mountains, but give it a chance and it may grow on you.
posted by Robert Angelo at 11:19 AM on November 20, 2006
I rather doubt that Corpus will seem like the big city to you -- more probably it will feel to you like a medium-sized town... just lots more of it. The only part that's remotely urban is a small sector on the waterfront.
I was in Corpus for a long-weekend conference a couple-few years ago. Those ~4 days were the longest year in my life. I've spent time in Sistersville WV, a dying oil town on the Ohio whose only claim to fame is that a town of ~2000 people can support 2 funeral homes. I've gone to Midland / Odessa for tourist purposes, and enjoyed it. Hold that thought for a second -- I have enjoyed spending time in Midland/Odessa, widely regarded as the t'ain't of the universe. I was interviewing in Buffalo for the October snowstorm and found it charming and delightful. I do not lightly disparage cities, even cities that people love to hate.
And I tell you that Corpus Christi is flat-out the shittiest, sorriest excuse for a town I have ever had the misfortune to spend any time in. I'll second the dirty, industrial-military and add that it was completely fucking dead and seemed to be shrinking -- lots of closed this and closed that and shuttered-up the other thing. I would sooner move to, shit, Effingham Illinois and make my living selling my blood by day and my body by night than I would move to Corpus. I would rather be a beggar in Dallas than King of Corpus Christi.
None of which means that you couldn't like it -- it's a big world, and there are even people who like Brussels sprouts. But in the name of all that is holy and several things that aren't, GO THERE YOURSELF to check it out before you make any commitments.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:53 AM on November 20, 2006 [3 favorites]
I was in Corpus for a long-weekend conference a couple-few years ago. Those ~4 days were the longest year in my life. I've spent time in Sistersville WV, a dying oil town on the Ohio whose only claim to fame is that a town of ~2000 people can support 2 funeral homes. I've gone to Midland / Odessa for tourist purposes, and enjoyed it. Hold that thought for a second -- I have enjoyed spending time in Midland/Odessa, widely regarded as the t'ain't of the universe. I was interviewing in Buffalo for the October snowstorm and found it charming and delightful. I do not lightly disparage cities, even cities that people love to hate.
And I tell you that Corpus Christi is flat-out the shittiest, sorriest excuse for a town I have ever had the misfortune to spend any time in. I'll second the dirty, industrial-military and add that it was completely fucking dead and seemed to be shrinking -- lots of closed this and closed that and shuttered-up the other thing. I would sooner move to, shit, Effingham Illinois and make my living selling my blood by day and my body by night than I would move to Corpus. I would rather be a beggar in Dallas than King of Corpus Christi.
None of which means that you couldn't like it -- it's a big world, and there are even people who like Brussels sprouts. But in the name of all that is holy and several things that aren't, GO THERE YOURSELF to check it out before you make any commitments.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:53 AM on November 20, 2006 [3 favorites]
I agree with some of the comments about CC being kind of industrial... I also don't care much for some of the culture. But the barrier islands are beautiful places to hang out and relax. You can really get off the beaten path if you like. I live in east Texas and the Rockport / Port Aransas area, about 30 min from Corpus, is one of our favorite quick getaways.
On another note, carry some Lava and some spare clothes at the beach. If you have an chance encounter with a floating oil glob, soaping/washing will make it a lot worse. I suspect others might have better advice on how to handle those annoyances.
posted by rolypolyman at 12:39 PM on November 20, 2006
On another note, carry some Lava and some spare clothes at the beach. If you have an chance encounter with a floating oil glob, soaping/washing will make it a lot worse. I suspect others might have better advice on how to handle those annoyances.
posted by rolypolyman at 12:39 PM on November 20, 2006
I grew up in Texas and I went to Corpus for a family vacation as a kid once. I was so dissapointed I cried the whole time, and made the trip hell for the rest of my family. From what I remember it was a really dirty brown water beach, littered with dead jelly fish and garbage. So if you're thinking "hey, beach town!" I kinda think you might be dissapointed coming from beautiful mountain country. But hey, I was just a kid.
posted by delladlux at 2:12 PM on November 20, 2006
posted by delladlux at 2:12 PM on November 20, 2006
Ick. I've only been there once, but aside from the aircraft carrier, the beach (which I thought was pretty nice) and the aquarium, it felt like a run-down, sad, decaying, depressing sort of place. It seemed to have some nice bits here and there but it would take some convincing to get me to visit there again, and I'd gouge my eyes out with a fork before I lived there. Obviously YMMV, but please do visit before you make a decision.
posted by biscotti at 3:22 PM on November 20, 2006
posted by biscotti at 3:22 PM on November 20, 2006
Hmm. I live in Corpus Christi and don't think it's all that bad. Granted, I've also lived in Utah (whoa! very very bad place!) and Oklahoma City, so Fate must not like me too much.
Some of you who once vacationed here must have made your trips eons ago, because when I've been to the beach this year, the water's been great; no jellyfish. Trash, yes, because the folks on ships and tankers treat the Gulf of Mexico like a giant toilet. Guess they think it'll magically disappear with a flush. As for it being industrial, well, yeah -- we've got oil refineries out the wazoo but they are all in one spot, not scattered all around the city. And the downtown area's undergoing a semi-revitalization. Still a long way to go. As for the beachfront in Corpus Christi proper, it has a lovely promenade with Miradors (lookouts) and benches that draw lots of tourists. Padre Island is a great draw, and there's tons of opportunities to fish, sail, swim, dive. By golly, we even have electricity! And traffic lights, too! (And Barnes & Noble, Joe's Crab Shack, a Mercedes dealer, a BMW dealer, multimillion-dollar mansions along Ocean Drive, a real university even though it's affiliated with Texas A&M, Landry's Seafood, and we're the birthplace of the Whataburger chain.) The nightlife ain't like Austin's or Houston's, but those towns aren't that far up the road. I forgot to mention our darn good baseball team affiliated with the Astros, plus lots of protestant and Catholic churches, a Reform Jewish synagogue and a Mosque with an imam. Take a look at the Corpus Christi city website or the chamber of commerce site before you move here. It just isn't as bad as these other people make it appear.
posted by Smalltown Girl at 3:42 PM on November 20, 2006
Some of you who once vacationed here must have made your trips eons ago, because when I've been to the beach this year, the water's been great; no jellyfish. Trash, yes, because the folks on ships and tankers treat the Gulf of Mexico like a giant toilet. Guess they think it'll magically disappear with a flush. As for it being industrial, well, yeah -- we've got oil refineries out the wazoo but they are all in one spot, not scattered all around the city. And the downtown area's undergoing a semi-revitalization. Still a long way to go. As for the beachfront in Corpus Christi proper, it has a lovely promenade with Miradors (lookouts) and benches that draw lots of tourists. Padre Island is a great draw, and there's tons of opportunities to fish, sail, swim, dive. By golly, we even have electricity! And traffic lights, too! (And Barnes & Noble, Joe's Crab Shack, a Mercedes dealer, a BMW dealer, multimillion-dollar mansions along Ocean Drive, a real university even though it's affiliated with Texas A&M, Landry's Seafood, and we're the birthplace of the Whataburger chain.) The nightlife ain't like Austin's or Houston's, but those towns aren't that far up the road. I forgot to mention our darn good baseball team affiliated with the Astros, plus lots of protestant and Catholic churches, a Reform Jewish synagogue and a Mosque with an imam. Take a look at the Corpus Christi city website or the chamber of commerce site before you move here. It just isn't as bad as these other people make it appear.
posted by Smalltown Girl at 3:42 PM on November 20, 2006
Some of you who once vacationed here must have made your trips eons ago
I was there in 2004 or so.
Like any town, I'm sure you can find the things to get by -- there will be a bookstore, and a couple of decent restaurants, a theater showing first-run picture, and whatnot. But lots of crappy towns have those things.
But the whole place was dreary and awful and had a leaden, depressing atmosphere. Seriously the worst place I've ever been, to me at least even worse than Pigeon Forge, Tennesee. I travel a lot, and not just to exciting places. I've seen lots of boring, ordinary-crummy little towns, and I don't rag on them. Shit, I liked Buffalo, for God's sake. But Corpus is the only place I've been for like ten years where I wanted to leave just to not be there any more.
That doesn't mean that you're bad or not a nice person or stupid for being there and enjoying life. Corpus sucking doesn't have any implications about you or your tastes. Hell, maybe LadyBonita would love it. All that I'm saying is that she needs to see it for herself before she agrees to move there, because there's a nontrivial chance that she'll think it's the irredeemable shithole that most of the replies here indicate.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:45 PM on November 20, 2006
I was there in 2004 or so.
Like any town, I'm sure you can find the things to get by -- there will be a bookstore, and a couple of decent restaurants, a theater showing first-run picture, and whatnot. But lots of crappy towns have those things.
But the whole place was dreary and awful and had a leaden, depressing atmosphere. Seriously the worst place I've ever been, to me at least even worse than Pigeon Forge, Tennesee. I travel a lot, and not just to exciting places. I've seen lots of boring, ordinary-crummy little towns, and I don't rag on them. Shit, I liked Buffalo, for God's sake. But Corpus is the only place I've been for like ten years where I wanted to leave just to not be there any more.
That doesn't mean that you're bad or not a nice person or stupid for being there and enjoying life. Corpus sucking doesn't have any implications about you or your tastes. Hell, maybe LadyBonita would love it. All that I'm saying is that she needs to see it for herself before she agrees to move there, because there's a nontrivial chance that she'll think it's the irredeemable shithole that most of the replies here indicate.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:45 PM on November 20, 2006
irredeemable shithole
It's like Killeen, TX but bigger and near more (nasty) water. First time I laid eyes on that little town (after a two day, no sleep drive from TN) the word shithole popped into my mind and wouldn't leave. It became so prevalent that every street I turned down, either me or my wife would say the word and start giggling uncontrollably because that place just embodies the term. Corpus is much like this.
posted by IronLizard at 6:15 PM on November 20, 2006
It's like Killeen, TX but bigger and near more (nasty) water. First time I laid eyes on that little town (after a two day, no sleep drive from TN) the word shithole popped into my mind and wouldn't leave. It became so prevalent that every street I turned down, either me or my wife would say the word and start giggling uncontrollably because that place just embodies the term. Corpus is much like this.
posted by IronLizard at 6:15 PM on November 20, 2006
I have to echo the previous comments. My parents grew up in Alice Texas, where CC was the closest city, and it's pretty awful. Lots of gang activity and all of the objectionable things that come from that. There is not a lot to say for the area, except that things are very cheap there. I always liked to shop there because clothes were so much cheaper there. That's about all of the positive things I can say about the area.
posted by kamikazegopher at 7:06 PM on November 20, 2006
posted by kamikazegopher at 7:06 PM on November 20, 2006
I lived there for six months and echo the "fuck no" chorus. Chain restaurants, industrial wasteland, lame beaches and strip mall after strip mall. I'd rather live in Houston. (And that's saying something.)
posted by youcancallmeal at 9:35 PM on November 20, 2006
posted by youcancallmeal at 9:35 PM on November 20, 2006
How do you like cockroaches? German hissing cockroaches, the size of your hand? 'Cuz, I mean, if you like them, then by all means move there.
There are parts of Texas that are awesome, but they're mostly in the middle of the state -- hill country by Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft Worth area, North Houston, Tyler, pretty much anywhere in the central/middle part of the state. I love College Station and the surrounding area. The coastal areas, the far north panhandle, El Paso, and Texarkana are all great places to be from. As in, "Thank god I left" kinda places.
posted by SpecialK at 7:48 AM on November 21, 2006
There are parts of Texas that are awesome, but they're mostly in the middle of the state -- hill country by Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft Worth area, North Houston, Tyler, pretty much anywhere in the central/middle part of the state. I love College Station and the surrounding area. The coastal areas, the far north panhandle, El Paso, and Texarkana are all great places to be from. As in, "Thank god I left" kinda places.
posted by SpecialK at 7:48 AM on November 21, 2006
Response by poster: Oh shit (hole). Oh Wow. I'm stunned. We will most certainly visit for ourselves before making a decision. We already live in a shithole but maybe our shithole is better than CC - or maybe vice versa.
I sincerely appreciate all the responses, positive & negative. Lots for us to consider & think about. Thanks everyone.
posted by LadyBonita at 12:26 PM on November 21, 2006
I sincerely appreciate all the responses, positive & negative. Lots for us to consider & think about. Thanks everyone.
posted by LadyBonita at 12:26 PM on November 21, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
But of what I've seen of Corpus, it's not a pretty town, nothing much in the city to do. It feels like an urban jungle, really (perhaps moreso to you, who calls Corpus the big city). Large Hispanic population, which I guess you'll be used to dealing with.
Bottom line, the draw to me for Corpus has always been the natural areas around it, not the city itself.
posted by lychee at 11:15 AM on November 20, 2006