CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Soon the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, with Corpus Christi directly in its path and giving thousands of people the opportunity to see the Ring of Fire solar eclipse.
“There was a map I saw that showed the best viewing spots and we're right on the line,” one local resident said.
While all the attention will be on the heavens on Saturday, the city is hoping to shift some of the focus to more down to earth attractions.
"This is usually our shorter season. It's not really our typical tourist season but because of the eclipse and because we'll have the longest visibility we have that influx of visitors,” Visit Corpus Christi employee America Segura said.
Visitors are headed here for good reason. According to Visit Corpus Christi, the city has been dubbed the champion destination for the annular eclipse.
As of Wednesday, the hotel occupancy is 55% above this time last year. KRIS 6 News spoke to one group that came from Dallas to enjoy the eclipse over the coast.
"The beaches are nice here so might as well go to the beach and watch the eclipse.”
The Padre Island National Seashore is planning special eclipse-themed activities. The same goes for the USS Lexington. That historic landmark is getting ready to be a part of a historical moment.
"We're looking forward to crowds of people. It's going to be standing room only on the flight deck that way we can get the most people possible to be witness to this historical event,” Director of Marketing Samantha Koepp-Stemplinger said.
La Palmera Mall hopes to cash in on eclipse mania. They've been planning a solar eclipse party for the past month.
"We're going to have a DJ. The first 100 guest will get a solar swag bag and this bag includes a lot of swag from our tenants,” Marketing Coordinator Kristina Wechsler said.
For those planning to look up at the sky on Saturday, Oct. 14, its advised to wear ISO glasses to protect the eyes. Visit Corpus Christiwill be giving them out for free.
