Things to do in Houston

Keeping in mind this is a family vacation - I thought I would ask those in the area what are some fun things to do in Houston that may not be on the beaten path?

We plan to see the Space Center, the Downtown Aquarium and possibly the Children's Museum.

I also saw that Wicked will be at the Hobby Center while we are there - torture! I would love to take the kids but it is a bit out of my price range right now.

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing Houston is good for is shopping at the Galleria.

leZilla said:

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing Houston is good for is shopping at the Galleria.

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I thought about that but I am not a shopper. I have passed at every opportunity I have had to go there. Besides, the kids will just want to spend money then.

True, I did not visit Houston with kids. I can't pass up an opportunity to shop there though. I live in the middle of fucking nowhere so it is a rare opportunity that I can shop AT Tiffany and Gucci instead of ordering online and probably sending it back 5 times before I get exactly what I want.

I'm sure there are tons of waterparks and stuff there...what about a zoo?

Don't bother with the aquarium downtown. There is a much better aquarium at the Moody Garden complex link , which is right near Space Center Houston. The zoo is nice, especially this time of year before it gets too hot to walk around.

If you're into history, the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas are both good bets...they're also in that south-east part of the burbs.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science website is wonderful, and they have the Body Worlds exhibit there right now. We've been itching to go see that.

Here's a link that might help, too:

http://www.houston-guide.com/guide/events/frameevents.html

I wanted to start a thread like that all my Lit life.

My work buddy went to the Body Works exhibit and said it was fabulous!

In the Museum District, the museums are next door to Herman Park. There's a cute train ride there the kids love. There is also the Miller Outdoor (amphitheater) Theater there that has free concerts and ballet performances in the Spring and Summer months.

In downtown Houston, you can go up to the 60th floor observation deck of Chase Tower (the tallest building in Houston) -- kids love that as well. The park in front of City Hall has some of the most beautiful old oak trees and a lovely reflection pool. Across the street is Tranquility Park with some awesome modern fountains. GREAT place to let the kids run etc.

Check on behind the scenes tours of all our new sports facilities -- Reliant Stadium and Minute Maid Park or Toyota Center.

The Moody Gardens complex down near Galveston is really fun but can be expensive. There's the butterfly gardens, IMAX, private beach (complete with bar) and of course the wonderful hotel with a fab pool. You don't have to stay at the hotel to visit the other attractions.

In Keemah (near Nasa) the boardwalk area is a large cluster of restaurants molded together with amusement rides including another small train and open plaza area. In the summer, the kids LOVE dancing to the free concerts (every weekend day) in the spontaeous fountains that spurt at irregular intervals from the ground. It's a fun place to people watch, have a beer and watch the people. There are lots of seagulls and let the kids feed the fish. (Twenty-five cents gets you a handful of fish food.)

In Galveston there is the tall ship Ellysa which has tours. If you're lucky, you'll be there when a cruise ship sails by -- with horns blaring and confetti flying ect. Be sure and wave!

South of downtown is a quirky house called The Orange Show which is very fun to see. Weird but fun.

North of Houston is Huntsville with a very large statue of Sam Houston (and a museum to visit). There is also the largest prison there, complete with macabre museum.

Old Town Spring (1 mile east of I-45/exit 2920) is an old historic rail town now turned into quaint shops and stuff. A great family place to eat is Puffabellies (a restored tain station) where you eat peanuts before the food arrives. Throw the shells on the floor. The burgers are great and the chicken fried steak yummy. Old Town Spring is still an active rail center and loud trains go by at various times throughout the day. There is also a walking ghost tour in Old Town Spring at night. Let me know if you're interested in it -- we've got an in with the folks who run it.

There's a very active convention & visitors bureau in Houston. Be sure and check them out (or call & have them send you tons of free info) before your trip.

I'll probably think of more but you're missing the obvious:

Houston is home to about 2 dozen active litsters and a host of occassional ones. Use them as a resource.

I love going to the natural history museum, but if you're kids have seen dinosaur bones before, they won't be impressed.

The zoo is nice, and whoever said that this time of year is nice is right, any later in the year and you'll dehydrate from just breathing.

Taking a trip to Galveston island is fun. You can rent family bicycles and ride up and down the seawall (it is very very long), browse at shops, and eat some really good seafood. Moody Gardens is also a neat place, they've got a decent aquarium and an Imax theater. You can also ride the ferry to Bolivar Peninsula. There's nothing much to see except an old army fort, but the ride is nice. Most days, porpoises can be seen leaping in the surf during the ride.

The only thing I can think of that I'd like to do in Houston is BnB.

It looks like some of my fellow Houstonians have covered the basics.

capricious_chic said:

Keeping in mind this is a family vacation - I thought I would ask those in the area what are some fun things to do in Houston that may not be on the beaten path?

We plan to see the Space Center, the Downtown Aquarium and possibly the Children's Museum.

I also saw that Wicked will be at the Hobby Center while we are there - torture! I would love to take the kids but it is a bit out of my price range right now.

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take I-10 East and exit on Jensen Dr or on Waco. 5th Ward is the place for white ppl to head.

My daughter always loved going to Moody Gardens and Kemah. She loved playing and running around the plaza and in the water fountain they have there.
Moody Gardens is great for many reasons and great for photography, too.

Two letters. DT. Just the right height to play with kids!

TANG GOD said:

take I-10 East and exit on Jensen Dr or on Waco. 5th Ward is the place for white ppl to head.

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bad bad bad

Bluesboy2 said:

Two letters. DT. Just the right height to play with kids!

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LOL!! I was going to say that, but didn't dare to!!

VermilionSkye said:

My daughter always loved going to Moody Gardens and Kemah. She loved playing and running around the plaza and in the water fountain they have there.
Moody Gardens is great for many reasons and great for photography, too.

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I like living near Kemah and not far from Moody Gardens. Too bad I can't move them with me when I move across town at the end of this month.

Get shopping for a pair of cowgirl boots and an awsome hat. Youd look killer.

VermilionSkye said:

LOL!! I was going to say that, but didn't dare to!!

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Why not?

TexasFunGuy said:

I like living near Kemah and not far from Moody Gardens. Too bad I can't move them with me when I move across town at the end of this month.

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I liked living close to all of that too. I hated being anywhere near downtown and getting to the Galleria SUCKED.


I'm soooo glad I don't live in Houston with the other four million people anymore.

VermilionSkye said:

I liked living close to all of that too. I hated being anywhere near downtown and getting to the Galleria SUCKED.


I'm soooo glad I don't live in Houston with the other four million people anymore.

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Five million.

VermilionSkye said:

I liked living close to all of that too. I hated being anywhere near downtown and getting to the Galleria SUCKED.


I'm soooo glad I don't live in Houston with the other four million people anymore.

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But I live here. Isn't that enough to make you want to stay here?

TexasFunGuy said:

bad bad bad

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ermm....i mean if your hubby is bi-curios, then please head to Montrose Blvd and Westheimer and visit D.T's crib. Oh yeah, stop by the Jefferson haunted hospital.

Bluesboy2 said:

Five million.

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I don't think I could bear it anymore.

And my daughter is much happier up here.

EATING!!!! There are lots and lots of great places to eat!

VermilionSkye said:

I don't think I could bare it anymore.

And my daughter is much happier up here.

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bare or bear? it makes a difference