As spring approaches, you may be wondering what the best day trips and destinations are around the Houston area. Here are ten can’t-miss experiences within driving distance from Houston!

Kemah Boardwalk is located just 10 miles from downtown Houston and positioned along a fabulous waterfront. Families will find the boardwalk packed with restaurants, amusements, retail shops and boutiques, festivals, and live shows by the sea. If you’re looking for a wonderful trip without spending too much time in the car, Kemah is only 45 minutes away from Houston and offers plenty of ways for visitors of all ages to enjoy themselves. Be sure to check out all of the amusement rides like the Drop Zone.

Space Center Houston is the cornerstone of space education. It’s a leading science and exploration learning center for all ages and has welcomed over 22 million guests in its 250,000 square-foot facility. Space Center Houston focuses specifically on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and is a pleasure to explore. With exhibits that could be straight from a Stephen Speilberg film, overnight camps, and fun events like Space Center Houston’s Galaxy Lights, it is one of Houston’s most popular attractions for a reason: it’s impossible to run out of things to do here. Space Center Houston is located just 30 minutes away from downtown Houston on the way to Galveston Beach.

Galveston is one of Texas’ largest coastal attractions and draws in visitors with its beaches, bays, and island attractions. This gorgeous bay day trip is only one hour from downtown Houston making it easily accessible. Galveston Beach is host to family-fun attractions and outdoor recreation at its finest. Not only that, but the art scene thrives here with festivals galore, and the famous Grand 1984 Opera House. Other attractions in the area include the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig Museum, the Historic Strand District, and the Moody Mansion. Of course, Galveston is family-friendly—but the area's many breweries also offer plenty of fun for adults, too.

One of the most famous attractions in Galveston is Moody Gardens. Moody Gardens have a plethora of unique things to do, with the most popular being the Aquarium Pyramid, the Rainforest Pyramid, and Discovery Museum.

Blessington Farms offers families an escape from city life for the day with fresh berries and vegetables that you can pick yourself. This farm located just under an hour from downtown Houston is the perfect place to host family events, field trips, or even corporate events. With animal farms, year-round events, and sanctioned fishing, Blessington is a little slice of country living just outside the city.

Brazosport is a coastal community fifty miles south of Houston and comprises Surfside Beach, Quintana, Lake Jackson, Freeport, and Clute. Together this host of cities offers beaches, attractions, wildlife and nature sites, and local eateries.

If you fancy a trip to the beach without running into the crowds at Galveston Beach, Surfside Beach may be what you’re looking for, just an hour south of downtown Houston. Surfers and beach tanners alike will rejoice in the salty sea air that Surfside Beach provides. Local delicacies are prevalent and the perfect place to relax for a drink and a bite to eat after bird and butterfly watching along the Bluewater Highway Trail.

 

Brazos Bend State Park is a nature lover’s paradise 45 miles (about 50 minutes) away from downtown Houston. With hiking and biking trails, fishing locations, and even equestrian trails, Brazos is everything one could ask for in a state park. You may even see an alligator or two. Nestled within the Brazos Bend State Park area is the George Observatory, a destination for space lovers and stargazers alike.

Sea Rim State Park sits at the far southeast corner of Texas and is one of its most unique coastal parks. Sea Rim is where over 5.2 miles of gulf shoreline meets 4,000 acres of marshlands. The Gambusia Nature Trail boardwalk immerses you in the best flora and fauna that the marsh has to offer. This walkway feels so untouched by society that it’s no wonder birders flock from all around to experience its wonder.

Lastly on the list is Lake Livingston State Park. This lakeside retreat brushes the edge of Sam Houston National Forest, and its quiet trails and seemingly endless lakes filled with white bass bounties for fishers are in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of city life. In fact, the bones of cities past can be explored at Swartwout, a ghost town on the southeastern edge of the park.

The Texas landscape really has something to offer everyone. Sam Houston National Forest is one of four national forests that can be found in Texas and is located 50 miles (about 1 hour) North of Houston. Hikers will rejoice at the 129-mile award-winning Lone Star Hiking Trail as well as multi-use trails that are open to off-road and all-terrain vehicles.

For antique enthusiasts and history buffs, Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site is for you. Located on the Brazos River, this site offers a wonderful day-escape for picnicking, sightseeing, and bird-watching. Several museums are in the area including the Star of the Republic Museum and Independence Hall. All of the historic sites here offer a unique perspective and insight into the lives and times of the Texas revolt. This historic site is located an hour and a half outside of Houston.

Arts and culture are immensely significant to Texans. The Stark Museum of Art is one of the nation’s largest collections of American Western Art. This museum holds paintings, sculptures, prints, rare books from 19th-century frontiersmen and women, and even some 20th-century artistic colonies of New Mexico. Stark is located just an hour and a half east of Houston, and 100 percent worth the drive for enthusiasts of frontier life and southwestern history.

Last on the list, but certainly not least, is a city that needs no introduction: Austin, TX. Austin is the Texas capital and one of America’s largest hubs for live performances and music. Austin’s nightlife is teeming with activity—the city boasts more than 250 live music venues, clubs, coffeehouses, bars, restaurants, sporting events, and more. Only two-and-a-half hours away from Houston, TX, Austin is the furthest locale on the list but still completely doable on one tank of gas. Residents of Houston who like to explore all that Texas has to offer are sure to find something new here, and visiting a new city always brings a welcome adventure to your daily routine.

Contact Heather Fordham today to find homes for sale in The Heights, Houston, TX, and throughout the Houston metropolitan area!