Summer vacation is here and there a a number of staycation options in and around the Greater Houston area for residents to enjoy.
1. Blue Lagoon The Blue Lagoon in Huntsville is a premier destination for scuba diving and swimming. The facility not only trains scuba divers but also offers a place for other scuba instructors to train students and allows certified divers to practice their diving skills. Nondivers are also permitted at Blue Lagoon and get in on a first-come, first-served basis due to space availability. 649 Pinedale Road, Huntsville 936-438-8888 www.bluelagoonscuba.net Hours: Mon., Thu.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays 2. Lone Pint Brewery Lone Pint Brewery in Magnolia offers weekend tours every Saturday to give residents a close-up look at how their craft brews— including the Yellow Rose IPA, Gentleman’s Relish brown ale and Tornado Shark American strong ale—are made from start to finish. Located right next to the Magnolia Stroll downtown, the brewery is family- and dog-friendly and offers live music and food for purchase on weekends. 507 Commerce St., Magnolia 281-731-5466 www.lonepint.com Taproom hours: Sat. noon-4 3. Riva Row Boat House Riva Row Boat House offers paddleboards, and single and tandem kayaks for rent. Participants can make their way around Lake Woodlands for $15 for the first hour in a single kayak and $20 for the first hour in a tandem kayak or paddleboard. Additional hour slots are $5 per hour. Dogs are also allowed to ride in kayaks, and life jackets are provided. 2101 Riva Row, The Woodlands 281-210-3965 www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/rivarowboathouse Hours: Mon., Thu.-Sun. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays 4. The Woodlands Resort The resort and hotel features a swimming pool with waterslides, underwater music, waterfalls and a lazy river that winds through the surrounding forest area. Amenities include a lagoon-style relaxation pool, hot tub and cafe as well as weekend activities such as live music and games. Family-friendly dive-in movies are also shown nightly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. 2301 North Millbend Drive, The Woodlands 281-367-1100 www.woodlandsresort.com Hours: Summer hours vary, activities begin after May 29 and continue through Sept. 4. 5. Old Town Spring Old Town Spring is a historic shopping district 1 mile east of I-45 at the end of Spring Cypress Road. The shopping center is home to restaurants, museums, art galleries and a variety of shops. Old Town Spring emerged with the steady growth of merchants through the ‘70s and ‘80s into a popular destination for customers and visitors and also produces several popular events, such as the Texas Crawfish & Music Festival, held each year in April. Other events include PetFest, Ladies Expo and Fashion Walk, and Old Town Spring Market Days, which features a variety of vendors. 403 Main St., Spring 281-353-9310 www.shopspringtexas.com 6. Oil Ranch The Oil Ranch in Hockley features over 50 acres of land with a petting zoo, animal barn, swimming pool and miniature golf course. Summer activities include a stockyard maze, fishing, train, hay and pony rides. Paintball fields are also open on weekends by reservation. Children can also go mining for gems and fossils in the Spring Creek Mining Co., or learn about Texas’ Native American culture at Indian Village. Birthday, field trip and corporate event packages are also available. The price of admission is $19.95 per person for attendees aged 24 months and older. Activities vary during inclement weather; attendees are encouraged to call ahead to verify daily events. 235021 Macedonia Road, Hockley 281-859-1616 www.oilranch.com Hours: Thu.-Fri. 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Things to do inside Loop 610 7. Discovery Green 1500 McKinney St., Houston 713-400-7336 www.discoverygreen.com Open daily 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Free admission for all events, unless otherwise noted on the website 8. Miller Outdoor Theatre 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 832-487-7102 www.milleroutdoortheatre.com Free admission 9. Japanese Garden 6000 Fannin St., Houston 713-524-5876 www.hermannpark.org Open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission 10. Houston Museum of Natural Science 5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 713-639-4629 www.hmns.org Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $25 (guests age 12 and older); $15 (guests ages 3-11, college students with I.D. and seniors age 62 and older); free (guests age 2 and younger); $8 (per person for military and groups of 10 or more); $3.50 (per person for school groups); special exhibitions, the planetarium, butterfly center and giant screen theater cost extra. 11. The Houston Zoo 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 713-533-6500 www.houstonzoo.org Hours: Open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission: $18 (guests age 12 and older); $14 (children ages 2-11); free (children age 1 and younger); $11.50 (seniors age 65 and older)