Houston, travel, travel with kids

11 {More} Things To Do in Houston, Texas

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Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park – 2800 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056

Built in 1983, the Hines Waterwall is a 64-foot-semi-circular fountain that re-circulates 11,000 gallons of water per minute! Yup, you read that right – PER MINUTE! It is really cool and experiencing the rush of the water and just how loud it is is something you just have to check out for yourself. Until 2008 the wall was actually privately owned but it has become such a part of the Uptown community of Houston that the Mayor purchased it and the little over 2.5 acre park area surrounding it. There is a parking garage across the way where the public can park for a small fee.

Eleanor Tinsley Park – 18-3600 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TX 77019

I didn’t realize how large Eleanor Tinsley Park was until I was looking up how to get there. Someone had told me that this was the place to get one of the best skyline views of the city. They were so right and I enjoyed hanging out and getting a look at the city that I have grown to really love. The park is actually just a small section of the Buffalo Bayou Park and features a Volleyball court, a skate park, art installations, performance areas, the Houston Police Officer’s Memorial, a really well-used and love running trail – and is the host of the Art Car Parade and the 4th of July Celebration, “Freedom Over Texas”. Other than a section of Glenwood Cemetary (which I learned is actually a part of Eleanor Tinsely) This spot where I took this picture is one of the best views of the entire skyline.

McGovern Centennial Gardens (Hermann Park) – 1500 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX 77004

The McGovern Centennial Gardens are a portion of Hermann Park in the Museum District of Houston. It houses a really cool Japanese garden, as well as a waterfall, which is quite the popular senior portarait place. They have a sculpture walk that includes the busts of many famous Texans and Houstonians, and they grow many native flowers and herbs here as well. There is lots of seating within the park and shady areas to eat lunch or take a break from the busy city bustle right outside of the gates.

Houston Love Mural

This mural is actually one of six murals that line the 1300 Block of McKinney Blvd, just down from Discovery Green. They are super fun and really colorful! Combine your love of Houston and a love a murals and take a picture with these babies while you’re downtown.

Discovery Green – 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010

I was so excited to meet up with my fellow Instagram, Houston-loving pal, Spacey Casey in Discovery Green! We got a behind-the-scenes personalized tour of the just over 11 1/2 acre park area outside of the Houston Convention Center. Originally a parking lot, when the area was left to the city the people of Houston were asked what they wanted here, and overwhelming the choice was to create some sort of outside space that could unify the city and bring together all of the best parts of Houston. This of course certainly included food and art. There are so many amazing art installations in the park, a small lake, which becomes an ice skating rink, and outdoor music venue and beautiful walking paths. There are playgrounds and splash pads, all designed with children in mind. They have done an outstanding job of creating a space where people can come an sit in the quiet, eat, play and be active, all right downtown.

Sig’s Lagoon (Record Store) – 3622 Main St ste e, Houston, TX 77002

Straying into the more unusual part of this list, I had to include Sig’s on this list only because it is a really cool spot in Houston. I had to restrain myself and only left with four records, leaving about ten more behind that I wanted. If you’re looking for something I’d be willing to be Sig’s has it. It is one of the neatest record stores I’ve been in and has quite the comprehensive collection. Prices are really on point as well. No gouging going on here as I’ve seen in other stores.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir – 1150 Brand Ln, Stafford, TX 77477

This came across my Instagram feed one day and I knew that I had to add to my Houston Bucket List. It is really very neat and the carvings are intricate and gorgeous. It is a peaceful place to visit and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It is a traditional Hindu temple built by a denomination of a branch of Hinduism. The gardens are peaceful and quiet, and it is really great place if you want a calming stroll and just listen to nature around you. It is open all year around to everyone, from all walks of life and faith, but it is a sacred place and visitors should adhere to the rules. For more information about visiting the Temple visit the website here.

The Orange Show/Smither’s Park

It’s not really a saying, but after visiting these two weird Houston spots the saying “Stay Weird Houston” could definitely be a thing. High on my list of things I just didn’t have time for the first time around is The Orange Show and Smither’s Park. The story of the Orange Show is just as strange as the Orange Show itself. It was created by a Houston mail carrier, dedicated to his favorite fruit, the Orange. For almost 30 years Mr. McKissack used recycled materials and every day building materials he came across to create this maze of a building. Its a trip for sure, but has become a beloved quirk of the city. After Mr. McKissack died a foundation was created to preserve the area, which included Houston’s own ZZ Top. The rest is history. The foundation also helps preserve the Beer Can House which I visited last time, as well as the park next door, Smither’s Park, which is equally as strange and cool as The Orange Show. While I visited I even got to see some of preservation and work that goes into maintaining these amazing mosaic art pieces. Check it out next time you’re in town, and especially with the kids!!

                                                     

Terminal Museum – 8325 Travelair St, Houston, TX 77061

If its vintage in any way you can usually count me in, add a very 1940s, feel and you can absolutely count me in. The Houston Terminal Museum, while not expansive or super fancy, is still a really neat piece of Houston history. But its more than that, its a place to learn a lot about the history of airlines and air travel in general. I learned so much about the different companies and how they started, as well as several that I had never even heard of! And of course the stewardess fashion was top notch! The Terminal, which is located on the Houston Hobby Airport, is the first terminal built in Houston for leisure travel. It was used for flight until the late 50s, and was almost demolished in the 70s. Thankfull it was saved and we have the small, but pretty cool, Terminal Museum.

Terminal Museum 1

8th Wonder Brewery – 2202 Dallas St, Houston, TX 77003

Where can you go to get some good beer, hear some music and see all the things that you think of when you think of Houston Instagram? Why 8th Wonder Brewery! Check out the super cool Beatles statutes that are insanely tall, the We Love Houston sign, and Welcome to Brewston mural. From the name you know it is an actual Brewery and they have year-round brews, as well as special seasonal brews. Come and see what food trucks are on rotation and take a tour of the brewery, or distillery..yup, they also distill their own vodka and gin!

Rice University and Sky Space – Suzanne Deal Booth Centennial Pavilion, Houston, TX 77005

As a fan of architecture I had to make sure to stop by the beautiful Rice University while I was in town this time. Rice University is a private Research University that opened in 1912, and the beautiful architecture reflect that. It is really beautiful and feels like an old university.  If you go in the evening you can hop on over to the James Turrell Sky Space and view the light show. There is a LED light show, that that takes place and projects through an aperture in the ceiling. It somehow works with the sky’s natural light and occurs during sunrise and sunset. I’m going to be completely honest with you and say that I have absolutely no idea how it does what it does…..or really what exactly it is doing, but it is really neat. Take as seat and relax because it is a very calming time.

If you can believe it, I still haven’t crossed all the things off my Houston list. It’s a long one and I intend to eventually cross them all off. So stay tuned for that! But in the mean time, check out some other Houston posts!

Houston Coffee

Houston Eats

10 Things You Must Do

Visit Houston with CityPass

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Houston, travel

Visit Houston – The Renzi, Museum of Fine Arts Houston

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I was so excited to have the opportunity to visit the Renzi on my trip to Houston. The Renzi is a part of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston collection and is a house museum in the River Oaks neighborhood. The home was donated by Houston philanthropists Carroll and Harris Masterson and full of amazing 17th-19th art, furniture and dishes. It is an absolutely incredible home with incredible grounds as well. The home is kept very much as it was when the Masterson’s lived there, incorporating many items belonging to the Mastersons, with some items brought in that fit with the time periods. The entire house is just gorgeous and interesting, but some of my favorite parts were the library and the ballroom – yeah, you read that right…a ballroom. Complete with family crest inlaid into the floor. No big deal! The Mastersons also spent some time producing Broadway plays, because when you have a lot of money and time why not right?!

Visiting the Renzi is different than your typical museum. Due to the nature of the collection, it is done by reservation and docent-led tours only. There are six tours available Wednesday through Saturday, and four slots on Sundays. The gardens, however, are open for self-guided tours every day, and those are free. Renzi also provides a military discount and kids 12 and under are free! This puts it at a very affordable option in the Houston area.

But for locals, would really recommend looking for one of Renzi’s special events. There are several options throughout the year including Twilight Tours in May, Family Days, Opera and Symphony performances, sketching and art times and focused tours. After you check out the Renzi, make sure to look for the other house museum in Houston, Bayou Bend, which focuses on American Art.

 

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Great Myrtle Beach Condo Giveaway! {Enter Today}

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When we moved to the East Coast we quickly learned that Myrtle Beach, and the surrounding area, was a favorite vacation destination for many of our friends here – and the greater Washington, DC area. Surprisingly we have STILL never managed to make it there. Between military life, visiting family, a busy life with three kids it’s just hard. I know we aren’t alone, that’s why I’m so excited to bring to you the great Myrtle Beach Condo giveaway!!!

Win an Oceanfront Condo and Change Your Life!

Vacation Myrtle Beach, one of the largest providers of family vacation accommodations in Myrtle Beach, SC, is pleased to announce the launch of The Great Myrtle Beach Condo Giveaway contest, which features the grand prize of a furnished oceanfront condo at The Caravelle Resort located in Myrtle Beach, SC, valued at nearly $100,000 (or $50,000 CASH, winner’s choice)!!! Other lucky winners will receive a 7-night stay or a 3-night stay at one of Vacation Myrtle Beach’s oceanfront properties.

The newly renovated, oceanfront efficiency condo offers room for up to four guests and includes a fully-equipped kitchen. In addition to its prime Myrtle Beach location, the resort provides convenient access to all of the area’s major attractions, restaurants, and things to do. Families and couples enjoy a wide variety of on-site amenities including an indoor pool, a block-long poolscape complete with a large pool, whirlpool, lazy river, kiddie lazy river, kids’ pool, poolside bar, and plenty of relaxing deck options. In addition to everything you need for fun in the sun, the resort offers an array of dining options as well as an opportunity for rejuvenation and relaxation at its on-site spa.

The Great Myrtle Beach Condo Giveaway sweepstakes is now open for entries. To enter and get official rules, as well as more information about Vacation Myrtle Beach properties,  click here –> Enter here!

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Houston, travel

Visit Houston with CityPass

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There is so much to do and see in Houston. I’ve been twice and made quite a dent in all the attractions, but you should see my “Houston Bucket List” because it’s still quite long. I know, it’s crazy, right? I mean, its Houston. You might not think of Houston has some major tourist attraction, especially when you think of Texas. Austin has the music and the nightlife and San Antonio has the Alamo and the River Walk. But don’t count Houston out. As the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth in the US, Houston boasts a robust art scene, dining and more. Not to mention that the skyline is one of the most beautiful in my opinion. While planning your trip you might be overwhelmed with what to choose from the long list of attractions and sites. What you do when you visit depends on whether or not you are visiting with kids or family, but a great way to go is to purchase a CityPass. You get access to five of Space City’s Must-See Attractions AND you save a little bit of money along the way. The only problem you’ll have is when it comes to the dreaded “Or” categories where you have to choose between two!

What is CityPass?

CityPass is a booklet of admission tickets to a city’s top locations at a discounted rate! You get all the admission tickets in one place and you don’t have to wait in admission lines, which when its super crowded can save you a lot of time. For most CityPass booklets you have 9 days to use your pass, including the first day you redeem something. CityPass is available in 12 locations including San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California and they just released CityPass in Orlando! CityPass can be purchased at many of the attractions themselves or you can purchase by visiting their website. Adult passes are $62 and child passes are $52. If you were to visit each of the attractions without CityPass you are looking at over $100 for adults! Even if you don’t make it to all the attractions in your visit you may still be saving some money. If you are military check with your local MWR ticket sales location because they may sell CityPass at an even more discounted rate!

CityPass in Houston

In Houston, you can choose between seven attractions, with a total of five attractions that you can see. Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium and the Houston Museum of Natural Science are your attractions available to you. Then you have to choose between the Zoo or the Museum of Fine Arts and the Kemah Boardwalk (All Day Ride Pass) or the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Space Center Houston

Visiting Space Center Houston was at the TOP of my list of things to see this time. It is a bit of a drive out of the center of the city, and while it’s well worth it if you’ve never been, it wasn’t something I could fit into my plans last time. Living in Washinton DC I am spoiled when it comes to museums. We have TWO space museums, one of which houses the Space Shuttle Discovery, which we saw land at the airport here. But being able to visit NASA is a whole other level of cool. Not only do you get the opportunity to go inside a space shuttle, as well as the plane that carried it (you don’t get that here), you get to go on Johnson Space Center property and see Mission Control. Expect to spend a good chunk of your day here, especially if you had kids. They have amazing docents that offer talks and presentations throughout the day. The movies are also really awesome and shouldn’t be missed. Parents: do beware of all the rides and simulations that are, of course, stationed right inside the entrance doors. But, as a perfect distraction, the Space Center has put together an amazing children’s area based on the Angry Birds in Space! Its a really neat, hands-on, learning experience for kids.

Active and Retired Military receive a $5 discount

Downtown Aquarium

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I visited the Aquarium. Again, having been to Monterey many times as a child and living near the ginormous National Aquarium Baltimore, I realize that I’m spoiled. This attraction is geared towards kids, and it isn’t very big. There are rides and a really cool restaurant on-site. They have a white tiger and a sting-ray feeding and petting area which is really cool. The Houston Aquarium devotes a lot of their exhibit to presenting conservation in a way kids can understand. I was very impressed with their presentation and the actions they take as an Aquarium to contribute to ocean protection and conservation. The Aquarium also provides extensive programs for schools for field trips and offers some of these programs to families that visit throughout the year. Be a marine biologist or zoologist for the day, meet some of the Aquariums animals or have an aquarium sleepover!

If you are visiting Houston without a CityPass and have a military id, the Aquarium offers a $2 discount on all-day passes and a 10% discount in the shop and restaurant.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Come see a giant moon, dinosaurs and Houston’s own Cabinet of Curiosities at the Museum of Natural Science. One of the coolest exhibits was a room full of animals made from gemstones. I had never seen anything like this and it was incredible. The Museum also showcased the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit with amazing photographs from all over the world. That was honestly probably my favorite part of the museum. The museum also has several special exhibits which require additional tickets (that are not included in your CityPass). One of those is Death By Natural Causes, which showcases wildlife and vegetation that pose a danger to we humans – think crazy snakes and spiders! I was kind of bummed that an exhibit like this requires an extra ticket purchase. One of the main attractions is the giant room of Dinosaurs, which the kids in your party will love! You will also find the Burker Baker Planetarium here, which has a whole host of movies and special presentations. One of the coolest things you can check out is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Listen to one of Pink Floyd’s most well-known albums and be immersed in a light and sound experience. Check out the Burke Baker Planetarium website for a list of their movies and presentations.

There is no offered military discount, however on Thursdays from 6-9 the museum is open to everyone for FREE! All permanent exhibits are open, and you can even purchase tickets for their special exhibits (like the Death by Natural Causes) for a discounted rate!

Houston Zoo

Aside from the Space Center and the Art Museum, which I knew would be amazing, the Zoo was probably my favorite thing I saw and the attraction I was the most impressed with. The layout of the zoo is really easy to traverse, and a majority of the paths are in the shade, which in Texas summers is a blessing. You can’t escape the humidity, but shade helps. They also have an exhibit that just opened features Texas wildlife, including a Bald Eagle. There are over 15 areas within the zoo to explore, including a great play and adventure area for kids, giraffe feeding, a water/splash pad area and a sea lion exhibit. They have three longhorns as well, which I had never seen before in real life. They are huge! There are plenty of places to grab a snack and sit in the cool air conditioning, bathrooms and places to sit. The addition of the water park and play areas really make it a great place for the whole family and place to keep little ones excited and engaged.

Houston Zoo does not offer a military discount, but during the summer months if you visit after 4pm you can get $4 off your ticket price!

Museum of Fine Arts

When the Museum of Fine Arts announced that they would be hosting a special VanGogh exhibit I pushed my trip planning into high gear. I knew that I was going to be planning another trip anyway, but this really made me all the more excited. VanGogh is one of my favorite artists. If you’ve never seen the VanGogh Doctor Who episode, watch that… it’s all you need to know. You can read more about my visit and see pictures by visiting my post dedicated to the Museum.  You Must “VanGogh” to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Kemah Boardwalk

Take a drive out to Kemah Boardwalk, a cute little coastal area not far from the Space Center Houston. Kemah is a collection of restaurants, retail shops, event spaces, and an amusement park. It is on the smaller size, with only a few larger rides. While it can be fun for older kids and adults, I would say that it is geared more towards younger kids. Be prepared for the wooden rollercoaster, which was my favorite ride of the day. It was pretty awesome and reminded me so much of my childhood and visiting Santa Cruz Boardwalk. I did, however, walk away with some bruises! It lives up to the wooden rollercoaster name for sure!

For military you can get $2 off and 10% off Boardwalk retail shops.

 

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You must “Van Gogh” to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

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As I was formulating my plan for my visit to Houston I knew that at the top of my list was visiting the Museum of Fine Arts. On display at the museum is Vincent Van Gogh: His Life in Art, currently a part of the collection through June 27th. Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, and I’m not even going to try to hide the fact that what really tipped it over the edge (I’m also a huge Degas fan) is the Doctor Who episode about him. What can I say, I’m an art lover and a super nerd.

Let me tell you a little bit about MFAH! The original MFAH museum was the first art museum to be built in the state, and has grown to a large complex of buildings and includes to house museums and an art school. The Museum is more about just displaying art, MFAH is also home to the International Center for the Arts of the Americas, specialized storage rooms and large research areas, including a leading research institute for 20th century Latin American and Latino Art. I live in Washington, DC where museums are a dime and dozen, with incredible art on display throughout the city, and I was extremely impressed with the buildings, the sculptures, the art available and the whole package of MFAH. In fact, I left MFAH on my “Houston Bucket List” because I barely scratched the surface of what there was to see. I also added Bayou Bend house because I didn’t even realize that that was something to see! MFAH has two house museums, Bayou Bend which I just mentioned, and the Renzi, which I was, in fact, able to visit during my time in Houston.

Aside from the actual museums and sculpture garden, the Museum puts on events every week in an effort to make art more accessible to everyone no matter what their life is like. Visit the museum during lunchtime during the week and you can get free admission to the museum with a receipt from one of the food trucks out front or the museum cafe! Get a break from the heat and humidity and visit the museum after you eat your lunch. Enjoy happy hour events where admission to the museum is free, test your photography and sketching skills with special access to the museums in the complex, enjoy specialized tours with curators and docents, family day activities through the year and special member events as well.

Now, to the Van Gogh Exhibit. MFAH is the only place to view an exhibit and collection like this. Get an in-depth and intimate look at the life of Van Gogh through more than fifty pieces of his work. The collection is set up so that it carefully takes you through not only his professional life (starting with his early sketches which I had never seen before) but also including pieces of his personal life. For Van Gogh, those two things were so closely tied and in my opinion, directly affected his works as an artist. I don’t want to give to much away about this amazing collection of pieces, but there were many things in it that I had never seen before. Getting to view the sketches and paintings that he did that was without color was incredible. It showed an interesting part of this man, and painter, where you can see that he took what he was doing very seriously. He wanted to master his techniques and improve his abilities before he added color, which was fascinating to me.

Also, a part of the Van Gogh exhibit is Van Gogh Up Close, which I highly recommend if you are bringing children to the museum. Bringing the arts to kids, and putting it on their level through physical activity and touch is such a brilliant idea. It is exactly perfect for little ones, but truthfully the adults in the room (including myself) were having just as much fun. Visiting the museum during this time is perfect because admission to the Van Gogh exhibit includes general admission to the Museum. For families, MFAH is perfect because child pricing (which is FREE!) is included for children all the way up to the age of 12, which is amazing.

         You have through June 27 to visit MFAH and experience the Van Gogh collection. Purchase tickets here

    Don’t miss out on this amazing exhibit all in one place!

**Stay tuned for my close-up post about the Renzi house museum!**

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