😮 Accidentally Met a Movie Star! 🎬✈️

I originally planned to drive all the way from Dallas to Pensacola, Florida to visit the National Naval Aviation Museum 🏛️✈️. But when I checked the official website, I found out it’s located inside the Forrest Sherman Base — and only U.S. citizens are allowed entry 😔🇺🇸. So I had to look for a new destination 🧭. While browsing Google Maps, I stumbled upon the USS Lexington (CV-16) — a retired aircraft carrier in Corpus Christi, Texas! 🚢⚓ Without hesitation, I drove straight from Dallas to Corpus Christi and visited it the next morning 🌅. The USS Lexington is a bit smaller than the USS Midway I visited earlier in San Diego 🏙️, and fewer areas are open to the public. For example, while the Midway offered access to multiple deck layers like crew lounges and dining halls, the Lexington focuses more on the hangar and flight deck. But the upside? Way fewer crowds! 👥✅ I could take my time exploring the bridge and really soak in the history. 🎥 Cool fact: The USS Lexington was used in the movie Pearl Harbor 🎞️🍿, standing in as the USS Hornet! And that’s not all — on the flight deck, there’s an F-14A Tomcat that was actually used in the 1986 classic Top Gun 🚀🔥! It’s painted in the exact same livery as Maverick and Goose’s jet — an absolute dream come true for Top Gun fans! 😍✈️ An unexpected but totally awesome detour! If you love military history or classic movies — don’t miss this one! 🙌 #USSLexington #CorpusChristi #TopGun #AircraftCarrier #MovieLocations #TexasTravel