It’s hot -are you sitting around thinking, “Where is a splash pad near me?” Good news! We have rounded up over 90 across the greater Houston area. There are splash pads and spray parks all over town. And, even better, most of them are free! Know before you go: Treat a splash pad like a pool – the same hygiene requirements apply. Always have unpotty-trained children wear swim diapers. And, like your favorite pool bathroom, use water shoes. Always verify splash pad operations and park openings and closings on their respective website before heading out. It is not uncommon for splashpads to be down forRead More →

Castles are cool. And, that we have one in our backyard is extra awesome. From Houston, you can arrive at the drawbridge of Newman’s Castle, in Bellville, Texas, in just over an hour. We took our scout pack and hit the road. The castle is just outside of Bellville heading north on Highway 36. You turn off onto the unassuming Old Highway 36. The road is definitely old. It is rutted with asphalt repairs and peppered with potholes. Finally, you turn off the paved road and head into the forest. The signage is few but the maps are well marked. About a quarter mile theRead More →

Frozen in time Pompeii is a still life of ancient Roman history. What would the world see we froze our city right now? Then, 2000 years later unwrapped our society – a city preserved in ash. How many people would be found seemingly staring at a block in their hands? What would they think of our homes, food, relationships? This is Pompeii. The Houston Museum of Natural Science brings us through the streets and into the homes of ancient Romans. It all comes to life in the new journey POMPEII: The Exhibition. Enter Pompeii The exhibit begins in a theatrical manner. You wait in anRead More →

cirque italia water circus

The Cirque is coming! The Cirque is coming! Sharpen your cutlass and dust off your eye patch, Cirque Italia is taking you on an epic pirate adventure! Come to the brand new production! Notably, it is under the big top tent but this circus experience is unlike any other as it features a 35,000 gallon water tank. And, we have tickets to giveaway! The cirque begins when our Ringmaster goes fishing and finds a treasure map. Consequently, he must brave the high seas, dodge pirate fights, resist the lure of mermaids to claim the treasure as his own. In classic cirque tradition audiences will delightRead More →

hot springs

Our third hike on Day two at Big Bend National Park is the Hot Springs Trail. Like Boquillas, this is rated as a not-to-be-missed hike. Along the Hot Springs Trail, there are ruins of the old bathhouse, post office, and motel; a hot spring (duh!); the Rio Grande; pictographs, and petroglyphs. To get a fantastic history of this trail read “Big Bend: A Homesteader’s Story,” by J.O. Langford (referenced in the Packing & Prepping article).  Oh, and did I mention the thrill of almost dropping to your death? Shear fun. This is in reference to the road in. It is terrifyingly narrow. It is only aRead More →

After hiking down to the beautiful Boquillas Canyon and screaming our echoes for one singing Mexican to hear we drove to the Rio Grande Village. Here there are bathrooms, a visitor’s center, and a store. The visitor’s center was closed on the day we were there. Rather, we bought sandwiches at the store and topped off our Camelbacks with water. Our late start meant we would be out in the mid-day heat longer than we had originally planned. The store has picnic tables out front and we ate in the shade before trekking to our second trail. Our next scheduled trail is the Rio GrandeRead More →

Little boy hiking Boquillas Canyon

Boquillas Canyon Our first hike is at Boquillas Canyon. It is another popular hike as it is pretty easy for everyone with gradual inclines and it gently heads down to one of the three canyons in Big Bend National Park. Not to mention, if you bring your passport and time it correctly, you can pass into Mexico and visit the town of Boquillas. Boquillas, Mexico While you are there you can pick up your Boquillas stick – a light-weight hiking stick that is usually adorned with a painting of an animal or vegetation. These make great souvenirs for the kids. If you are unable toRead More →

Santa Elena Canyon Trail

We have reached day five of our Big Bend road trip and it is another amazing day exploring Big Bend National Park! Today our plan is to head down to the Rio Grande Village. This part of the park is southeast of Panther Junction. Once you get down there it has three great family-friendly trails in close proximity. BBRT Day Five: Big Bend National Park | Rio Grande Village Unfortunately, we got another later-than-planned start. My husband had a rough night. He had a raging headache and was dealing with bouts of nausea. Perhaps he was dealing with a little dehydration or altitude sickness butRead More →

new year's eve 2020

New Year’s Eve 2020 is here! It can be family-friendly or just friendly. We should all definitely expect it to be more low-key and family-oriented than in year’s past. We anticipate that families will be staying in as many of the larger displays have been canceled. Check out all the places to ring in the new year around town. There are some great noontime celebrations for your little ones. These usually have balloon drops and confetti (that you don’t have to clean up!). What are your big plans for New Year’s Eve 2020? Staying in? Fireworks? Let us know below in the comments! We haveRead More →

This city does not slow down – it just adapts! There are some great things to do this week if you are ready to get out and about. If not, the virtual opportunities are still bountiful. If all else fails, grab a book, find some water, and be as fabulous as a pool flamingo! Have a great week, Houston! Small Business Shoutout Bexar Barbecue, a long time favorite from the Tomball Farmer’s Market, opened its first storefront restaurant on June 13th! There are indoor and outdoor dining options – as well as take-out! Save us some candied ends! Support small businesses! Have a great businessRead More →