It's hot and humid in Houston, but space attractions and free stuff make it worth the trip
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Buzz60’s Elizabeth Keatinge tells us about some beautiful historic places to visit.
Buzz60
Houston with kids, in the middle of the summer. If those aren’t the perfect ingredients for a family adventure, then I don’t know what are.
A lot of Houstonians flee to the mountains during the hottest months, seeking relief from the 90-degree temperatures and oppressive humidity.Â
We went the other way. My kids had a big school project that required their presence for a few weeks.
Turns out there’s a lot to keep the whole gang entertained in H-Town — and then some.
- Space Center Houston is the must-see attraction, even if you’re not into rockets.Â
- You can experience Houston with kids by visiting its kid-friendly museums. There are almost too many to fit into one story.
- Houston also has public events that are great for the whole family.
While many of these attractions don’t cost anything or have “free” days, I learned one secret for cutting our entertainment costs. CityPASS ($62 for adults and $52 for children ages 3 to 11) can offer savings of up to 47% on major attractions such as the Downtown Aquarium, Houston Zoo or Space Center Houston.
Check out Space Center HoustonÂ
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!['Apollo 11' astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin stands by the American flag planted on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. Apollo 11 landed Commander Neil Armstrong made this photo.]()
1 of 51![An image of the of the 363-foot Saturn V rocket, used by the Apollo 11 moon mission, is projected onto the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, July 16, 2019. The projection is part of events organized to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The Saturn rocket launched astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin into space.]()
2 of 51![Apollo 11 was launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Fla, on July 16, 1969. The Saturn V is 363-feet tall, 60 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. Fully fueled for liftoff, the Saturn V weighed 6.2 million pounds.]()
3 of 51![The Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket blasts off on July 16, 1969. At takeoff, the rocket generated 7.6 million pounds of thrust.]()
4 of 51![Former President Lyndon B. Johnson and then-current Vice President Spiro Agnew are among the spectators at the launch of Apollo 11, July 16, 1969.]()
5 of 51![This photograph shows the Saturn V launch vehicle (SA-506) for the Apollo 11 mission liftoff at 8:32 am CDT, July 16, 1969, from launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Apollo 11 was the first manned lunar landing mission with a crew of three astronauts: Mission commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module pilot Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. It placed the first humans on the surface of the moon and returned them back to Earth. Astronaut Armstrong became the first man on the lunar surface, and astronaut Aldrin became the second. Astronaut Collins piloted the Command Module in a parking orbit around the Moon.]()
6 of 51![Thousands of spectators camped out on beaches and roads to watch the launch of Apollo 11, which launched at 9:32 a.m. Eastern on July 16, 1969.]()
7 of 51![These are some of the thousands of people who camped out on beaches adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center in Fla. to watch the Apollo 11 mission liftoff aboard the Saturn V rocket, July 16, 1969.]()
8 of 51![The Launch Control Center during 'Saturn V' rocket launch carrying the 'Apollo 11' astronauts as it lifts off in Cape Canavarel on July 16, 1969.]()
9 of 51![Astronaut and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity on the moon. He had just deployed the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package. In the foreground is the Passive Seismic Experiment Package; beyond it is the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector (LR-3).]()
10 of 51![Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, trudges across the surface of the moon leaving behind footprints, July 20, 1969.]()
11 of 51![Edwin Buzz Aldrin in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, July 20, 1969.]()
12 of 51![New York City welcomes the Apollo 11 crew in a ticker tape parade down Broadway and Park Avenue. In the lead car are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. The three astronauts teamed for the first manned lunar landing, on July 20, 1969.]()
13 of 51![These are the flight controllers at Space Center in Houston, as the Apollo 11 mission's lunar landing module descends to the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969.]()
14 of 51![Astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin walking on the moon in this iconic image taken by 'Apollo 11' commander and First Man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969.]()
15 of 51![Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio on Aug. 5, 1930 and passed away at age 82 on Aug. 25, 2012. Armstrong made history on July 20, 1969, when he became the first person to walk on the moon as commander of Apollo 11. This photograph of Armstrong from the Apollo 11 mission was taken inside the Lunar Module while the LM rested on the lunar surface. Astronauts Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, had already completed their historic spacewalk when this picture was made. Astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit while Armstrong and Aldrin explored the moon's surface.]()
16 of 51![Earthrise is viewed from the Apollo 11 mission's lunar landing module 'Eagle' prior to its landing on July 20, 1969.]()
17 of 51![Astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands besides a lunar seismometer looking back toward the lunar landing module in this photo taken by 'Apollo 11' commander and first Man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969.]()
18 of 51![Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, descends the steps of the Lunar Module (LM) ladder as he prepares to walk on the moon, july 16, 1969. This photograph was taken by astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, with a 70mm lunar surface camera during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA). While Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the LM Eagle to explore the moon, astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.]()
19 of 51![This is Crater 308 on the moon viewed from orbit on July 20, 1969.]()
20 of 51![This is astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin's boot and footprint in lunar soil July 20,1969.]()
21 of 51![This photograph of the Lunar Module at Tranquility Base was taken by Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 mission, from the rim of Little West Crater on the lunar surface. This is the furthest distance from the lunar module traveled by either astronaut while on the moon.]()
22 of 51![The Moon limb and 'Eagle' Lunar Module ascent to the moon, July 20,1969.]()
23 of 51![This is at Tranquility Base.]()
24 of 51![This is the Eagle lunar landing module in landing configuration in orbit taken by Michael Collins on July 20, 1969.]()
25 of 51![Astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin deploys the Passive Seismic Experiment Package on the moon, July 20, 1969.]()
26 of 51![This is astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin's boot and footprint in lunar soil July 20,1969.]()
27 of 51![This is the Eagle lunar landing module in landing configuration in orbit taken by Michael Collins on July 20, 1969.]()
28 of 51![Neil Armstrong works near the lunar landing module in this photo taken by 'Eagle' lander pilot Edwin Aldrin on July 20, 1969.]()
29 of 51![Members of the 'Apollo 11' crew wait for pickup by a helicopter from the 'USS Hornet', July 24, 1969.]()
30 of 51![Navy Lieutenant Clancey Hatleberg disinfects Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin in the life raft during recovery operations in the Pacific Ocean, July 24, 1969.]()
31 of 51![The Apollo 11 command module lands in the Pacific Ocean as the crew waits to be picked up by Navy personnel after an eight day mission to the moon, July 24, 1969.]()
32 of 51![President Richard M. Nixon welcomes the 'Apollo 11' astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin confined in the Mobile Quarantine Facility aboard the 'USS Hornet', July 24, 1969.]()
33 of 51![Apollo 11 Astronauts Michael Collins, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. and Neil A. Armstrong relax in the Mobile Quarantine Facility.]()
34 of 51![Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin in a NASA photo used to promote the motion picture In the Shadow of the Moon. The photo shows the three men in quarantine after their trip to the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin were respectively the first and second men to walk on the lunar surface.]()
35 of 51![The Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module (CM) is loaded aboard a Super Guppy Aircraft at Ellington Air Force Base for shipment to the North American Rockwell Corporation at Downey, Calif. The CM was just released from its postflight quarantine at the Manned Spacecraft Center (which would later be renamed JSC).]()
36 of 51![The crawler inches its way along the three-and-a-half-mile journey to Launch Pad 39A carrying the Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket.]()
37 of 51![Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 mission commander, floats safely to the ground after the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle exploded seconds before while Armstrong was rehearsing a lunar landing at Ellington Air Force Base near the Manned Spacecraft Center. The photo is a blowup of a 16mm documentary motion picture.]()
38 of 51![The Instrument Instrument Unit For Saturn V is lowered In place.]()
39 of 51![This is the S-1C booster for the Apollo 11 Saturn V.]()
40 of 51![Apollo 11 astronauts stand next to their spacecraft in 1969 including Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, lunar module pilot; Neil Armstrong, flight commander; and Lt. Michael Collins, command module pilot.]()
41 of 51![Neil Armstrong trained for the Apollo 11 mission at NASA Langley's Lunar Landing Research Facility on equipment that cancelled all but one-sixth of Earth's gravitational force. Armstrong offered perhaps the greatest tribute to the importance of his training when asked what it was like to land on the moon, replying, Like Langley.]()
42 of 51![Apollo 11 backup crew members Fred Haise (left) and Jim Lovell prepare to enter the Lunar Module for an altitude test.]()
43 of 51![Command Module pilot Michael Collins practices in the CM simulator on June 19, 1969, at Kennedy Space Center.]()
44 of 51![The Apollo 11 lunar landing mission crew, Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. July 16, 1969.]()
45 of 51![Neil Armstrong's helmet and gloves from the Apollo 11 space mission at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Conservation Lab Sept. 12, 2018.]()
46 of 51![This is a Hasselblad 70mm Camera from the command module that was carried on the Apollo 11 mission. According to NASA, When John Glenn became the first American in orbit, bringing a camera was an afterthought. An Ansco Autoset 35mm camera, manufactured by Minolta, was purchased in a local drug store and hastily modified so the astronaut could use it more easily while in his pressure suit. A comprehensive set of camera equipment was carried on board Apollo 11. This included two 16mm Maurer motion picture film cameras, a color television camera in the orbiting Columbia, and a black and white TV camera outside of the lunar module to transmit to Earth Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon's surface. A Kodak stereo close-up camera was used to film the lunar soil from only inches away. Three Hasselblad 500EL cameras were carried. Two of the Hasselblad cameras were identical to those carried on the earlier Apollo 8 and 10 lunar orbit missions. During the Moon landing one Hasselblad was left aboard the Command Module Columbia, which remained in lunar orbit. Two were taken on the Lunar Module Eagle to the Moon's surface.]()
47 of 51![Neil Armstrong is awarded the Samuel P. Langely medal in front of the Apollo 11 Columbia Command Module during a ceremony on the 30th anniversary of the moon landing as Vice President Al Gore applauds, July 20 1999 at the National Air and Space Museum.]()
48 of 51![This is Neil Armstrong's A6L Apollo 11 space suit glove displayed as part of Julien's Auctions Treasures from the Vault media preview in Los Angeles. Nov. 13, 2017.]()
49 of 51![The crew of Apollo 11, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stand in front of the Apollo command module Columbia after being awarded the Samuel P. Langley medal July, 20, 1999 at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.]()
50 of 51![Apollo 11 Astronauts Edwin Aldrin Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong get a close view of one of the moon rocks carried back by the crew from the surface of the moon, Sept. 16, 1969 in Washington. The two-pound, fist-sized grey rock was turned over to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and will be put on public display.]()
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50th anniversary of the moon landing. Johnson Space Centerhosted a series of events, including an outdoor concert and festival, Apollo 11-themed pop-up science labs, mission briefings and a special NASA tram tour featuring a just-reopened historic mission control.
Moon landing reading list: 7 new out-of-this-world moon books
And a film list, too: 5 great moon movies to celebrate humanity’s great achievement
My kids have probably been to too many museums. But Space Center Houston, the official visitors center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, is no ordinary museum. You can walk through a retrofitted Boeing 747 that carried the space shuttle or touch a real moon rock. That kind of show-don’t-tell philosophy is pretty engaging — even for the most jaded teenager. That kept the eye-rolls and “Dad, I’m hungry!” comments to a minimum.
Be sure to set aside time for a Level 9 Tour, which takes you behind the scenes at Johnson Space Center. You’ll see spaceships, astronauts in training and the control center for the International Space Station. Our guide took us into an old building that used to serve as a command center for shuttle missions. I felt as if we were walking through a part of history.
The space center tends to get crowded on weekends and during holiday periods. But if you arrive early, you can have the place to yourself, even if it’s just for a short while. It’s one of the best opportunities in America to learn about the history of spaceflight.
See Houston’s museums and more
When it comes to seeing Houston with kids, there’s more than space.Â
Houston Zoo: This zoo is considered one of the best in the country — and with good reason. This is home to every kind of exotic animal you know, and a few you don’t. We spent a lot of time checking out the birds, especially the flamingos. We wish we’d had time to come back for an animal encounter; I think my daughter would have loved the reptile one.
Houston Museum of Natural Science: I admit, when I told my teenagers we were visiting the museum, they protested. “Can’t we do … something else?” But after a few minutes at the natural science museum, they grew strangely quiet. That’s because this museum has it all, from a paleontology hall with enormous dinosaur skeletons, to an exhibition of naturally crystallized tourmalines. Don’t miss Death by Natural Causes, an exhibit of things that will kill you. Literally.
Downtown Aquarium: The aquarium is a perfect excuse to come downtown and grab a bite to eat. It’s a combination of a world-class aquarium and restaurant. Exhibits include a Ferris wheel, an aquatic carousel and a white tiger exhibit. A warning — finding parking downtown isn’t always easy. If you’re staying in a hotel, take mass transit or rideshare to the aquarium.
The kids also enjoyed Houston’s restaurants, conveniently located near these museums. One of our favorites: Kenny Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen. It’s an authentic deli that serves classics like lox and bagels or corned beef sandwich. They even have fairly unusual dishes, at least for an American deli, like Hungarian goulash. The kids also had a great time at The Classic, which serves terrific breakfast sandwiches and burgers.
Free things to do in Houston
But some of the best things to do in Houston with kids are free.
Both of my sons were enrolled in a music appreciation class for community college. One of the class assignments: Go to a concert and write a report. That’s when we found out about the Houston Symphony’s free summer concerts.
We attended a tribute concert to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. My sons do not listen to either. The Houston Symphony is a class act, and they were seriously impressed by the artistry. Oh yeah, and they got As on their assignments, too. We wanted to attend more of these shows but had to leave town. Maybe we can come back for the Symphonic Spooktacular in October — just in time for Halloween?
I know what you’re thinking. Houston sounds so perfect, why would anyone want to leave in the summer?
Let’s be honest: It’s hotter than a firecracker. Add the humidity of the bayou, and you really feel like locking the door to your vacation rental and turning the AC down to 60 degrees.
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![Pro Football Hall of Famer and television personality]()
1 of 9![Discovery Green, a downtown city park, has helped bring]()
2 of 9![A statue of Sam Houston watches over Houston's historic]()
3 of 9![Bring your appetite and your patience to the Breakfast]()
4 of 9![Hugos, a restaurant in Houston's Montrose area run]()
5 of 9![The 36-hole public Cypresswood Golf Club has hosted]()
6 of 9![Houston's NRG Stadium, the first in the NFL built with]()
7 of 9![If pre-game partying is beginning to wear you down,]()
8 of 9![One of the nations largest shopping malls, Houston's]()
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But there’s too much to do in Houston with kids to stay indoors, even during the summer. The kids might not feel like it, but get out there and experience this city. They’ll thank you for it later.
Maybe not in a month, or even a year. But they will someday. Trust me on that.
Christopher Elliott’s latest book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler.†He edits the family adventure travel blog Away is Home. You can follow his adventures on Twitter or Facebook.
Posted!
![Texas, the Lone Star State and our second largest (after Alaska), was the 28th state to join the Union. Come along as we explore this state via 48 postcard-perfect images.]()
1 of 48![Remember the Alamo! These words have resonated through history from 1836, when this modest mission in the heart of modern-day San Antonio witnessed one of the most infamous battles of the Texas Revolution, where legends like Davy Crockett, James Bowie and William B. Travis lost their lives.]()
2 of 48![Texas is synonymous with cowboy culture, and visitors who want to pick up a pair of boots and a hat can do so at Allen's Boots in Austin, an outfitter that's been fitting cowboy boots since 1977.]()
3 of 48![Austin - the state capital - is set in the middle of scenic Texas Hill Country. This eclectic city - a major hippie outpost in the 70s - is delightfully and self-admittedly weird. This quirky but progressive capital is home to high-tech ventures, outdoor lovers, musicians and university students.]()
4 of 48![Where there are cowboys, you can bet there are savory Texas steaks. In Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle, The Big Texan is famous for its 72 oz. steak, free to any visitor who can finish all 4.5 pounds of meat, along with a shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad and bread roll . . . but all in under an hour.]()
5 of 48![Just 10 miles from the center of downtown Fort Worth, beautiful Benbrook Lake attracts bass fishermen in early spring.]()
6 of 48![You'll be seeing blue during a visit to Central Texas in springtime. Get behind the wheel and drive out into the countryside to see the seas of bluebonnets, the Texas state flower (and an indigenous plant). Peak season typically comes in April. Lady Bird Johnson is responsible for the state's abundance of annual roadside wildflowers.]()
7 of 48![Big Bend National Park, one of the state's little-known treasures, features soaring peaks, deep canyons and some of the most beautiful desert scenery in the state. The vast park borders the Chihuahua and Coahuila de Zaragoza regions of Mexico.]()
8 of 48![For a taste of authentic Texas culture, spend a night at Billy Bob's Texas, a country-themed nightclub in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Locals and tourists alike come to dance the two-step, watch some bull riding or catch some of the biggest acts in country music.]()
9 of 48![A level below the streets of downtown San Antonio, the River Walk is one of the state's top attractions. Lined with hotels, shops and restaurants, the River Walk can be enjoyed via half-hour scenic boat rides.]()
10 of 48![San Antonio is one of the state's top family destinations, thanks in part to attractions like Seaworld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas just a short drive away.]()
11 of 48![Founded in 1852, the town of Bandera is one of the country's oldest Polish communities and the self-proclaimed Cowboy Capital of the World. In true Wild West fashion, the town hosts twice-weekly rodeos, and Western reenactments in front of the court house each weekend.]()
12 of 48![When hot Texas summers arrive, locals partake in a beloved pastime: floating the river. Equipped with inner tubes - both for participants and for coolers of beverages - groups of friends hit the water for a leisurely day of floating, swimming and sunning under the Texas sun.]()
13 of 48![When summer temperatures soar, Texans head to the nearest swimming hole. In Austin, that's beloved Barton Springs, a pool that maintains a 70-degree temperature throughout the year.]()
14 of 48![Dominated by majestic bald cypress, Caddo Lake State Park is a maze of bayous and ponds perfect for fishing, birdwatching and camping.]()
15 of 48![The Texas Panhandle is home to one of the country's most famous (and bizarre) roadside attractions, Cadillac Ranch. Located about 12 miles outside of Amarillo, this public art installation comprises a row of 10 Cadillacs buried nose-first into a field.]()
16 of 48![Named after Sam Houston, the state's largest city - and the fourth-largest in the country - offers a world-class museum district, teams in every major professional sport but hockey, a mouth-watering food scene and excellent shopping.]()
17 of 48![Hop on Interstate 45 heading south from Houston, and you'll eventually end up on Galveston Island. Originally established by pirate Jean Laffite in 1817, lovely Galveston offers 32 miles of beaches and one of the most intersting histories in the USA.]()
18 of 48![Galveston's history as a prosperous port city is evident in the beautifully restored Strand Historic District. The Victorian buildings now house souvenir shops, boutiques and trendy restaurants, all within easy access of the cruise terminal.]()
19 of 48![The City of Cowboys and Culture, Fort Worth's history is inextricably tied to the cattle industry. It's a city where old meets new, and where a modern downtown sits side-by-side with the historic stockyards.]()
20 of 48![Franklin Mountains State Park encompasses 24,000 acres of Chihuahuan desert wilderness in West Texas, just outside of El Paso. The park's 135 miles of multi-use trails attract mountain bikers from around the state and country.]()
21 of 48![Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the second of two national parks in the state, contains the highest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak at 8,749 feet.]()
22 of 48![Hamilton Pool, a swimming hole set in a grotto with a 45-foot waterfall cascading down, seems too beautiful to be real. The natural pool, located just outside of Austin, was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed.]()
23 of 48![Just south of Houston, Kemah Boardwalk features themed restaurants, carnival rides, street performers, midway games, dancing fountains and a stingray petting reef, perfect for a night out with the family.]()
24 of 48![Downtown Dallas has arguably the most beautiful skyline in Texas, and it's a city known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and amazing shopping. Dallas has more shopping centers per capita than any other U.S. city, and is home to America's oldest: Highland Park Village.]()
25 of 48![Plenty of Texans might not know about Lost Maples State Natural Area, famous for its stand of Uvalde bigtooth maples, which put on a colorful show in October and November.]()
26 of 48![Texas' rising star in the tourist world is the hispter-centric town of Marfa, a former railroad water stop established in 1881. Its most famous attraction? An art installation in the form of a Prada store on the side of an empty Texas road.]()
27 of 48![The city of San Antonio is famous for its old Spanish missions, and Mission Concepcion, a stone church from 1755, is one of the most beautiful.]()
28 of 48![If you've ever fancied trying sand boarding, you can do so at Monahans Sandhills State Park, where dunes as high as 70 feet dominate the landscape 40 miles outside of Odessa.]()
29 of 48![South Padre Island, a small resort town on the Texas Gulf Coast, is known for its water sports, spring break antics and miles of beautiful beaches along the Padre Island National Seashore.]()
30 of 48![Early American pioneers heading west once had to deal with the sizable Pecos River Canyon in their way. Today, the Pecos River Scenic Overlook offers drivers traveling along Interstate 90 excellent views of the river below.]()
31 of 48![Historic Route 66, the Mother Road, passes through the Texas Panhandle and communities like Amarillo, Adrian, Vega and McLean. Drivers navigating the famous American road can stop for a meal at the MidPoint Cafe at the halfway mark of Route 66.]()
32 of 48![The grounds of San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site (on the large bay east of what is now Houston) witnessed the battle that brought Texas independence from Mexico. The battle is memorialized with a 570-foot-tall monument that holds an observation floor at the top.]()
33 of 48![Each year, Dallas hosts the Texas State Fair, and visitors are greeted by the 55-foot-tall Big Tex statue, a Texas icon. After the beloved statue burned down in an electrical fire in 2012, a new Big Tex made his first appearance in 2013.]()
34 of 48![Santa Elena Canyon is one of the most popular overnight rafting trips into Big Bend National Park. At its deepest point, the cliff walls to either side rise 1,500 feet out of the water.]()
35 of 48![One of Houston's more unusual attractions, the David Adickes SculptrWorx Studio houses dozens of the artist's giant head sculptures, many of them the likenesses of U.S. presidents or the Beatles.]()
36 of 48![Austin may be the Live Music Capital of the World, but the city's most famous residents aren't blues legends or country crooners. Each evening from March to October, visitors line up along Congress Avenue Bridge to see the resident bats - one of the largest urban colonies in the country - take flight.]()
37 of 48![One of the most interesting ways to walk the beaches of South Padre is in the saddle. The Island Equestrian Center takes visitors out on morning, afternoon and sunset rides to see the scenery and do some birdwatching.]()
38 of 48![Port Isabel is a beach community just across the causeway from South Padre Island. With an average annual temperature of 80 degrees, it's a popular winter escape for Texans from further north.]()
39 of 48![Located in Downtown Austin, the Texas State Capitol Building is 308 feet tall, making it one of the few state capitols to be taller than the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Built from Texas pink granite, the massive rotunda-topped statehouse offers free guided tours throughout the week.]()
40 of 48![Anyone who's watched iFriday Night Lights/iwill know that Texas and football go hand in hand. Each fall, the state hosts two of football's biggest teams and longtime rivals. One half of that rivalry is Texas Aamp;M of College Station. Aggie football games are famous for their corp of cadets marching band performances during halftime.]()
41 of 48![The other half of the rivalry, the University of Texas Longhorns, call Austin home, and on game days, the capital city transforms into a sea of burnt orange.]()
42 of 48![The University of Texas finds its mascot in one of Texas's most recognizable animals, the Texas Longhorn. Their characteristic horns can sometimes extend 7 feet from tip to tip. You'll see them grazing in fields if you drive the right roads.]()
43 of 48![To see one of the most beautiful sights in Dallas, you'll have to go indoors. Set inside the Chapel of Thanksgiving in Thanksgiving Square is a spiral stained glass window known as the Glory Window. It's one of the world's largest horizontally mounted stained glass pieces.]()
44 of 48![The Grand Canyon of Texas, Palo Duro Canyon State Park attracts hikers from around the country to its beautiful rock formations and stunning views.]()
45 of 48![The 750-foot Tower of the Americas rises up over Downtown San Antonio, and the Charter House Restaurant at the top offers a meal with the best view in town.]()
46 of 48![Texas produces more wind power than any other state in the country, and when you drive through the West Texas plains, you'll see wind farms with rows upon rows of giant white turbines.]()
47 of 48![Located on the shores of White Rock Lake, the Dallas Arboretum is the perfect place to escape the big city for some fresh air and flower peeping.]()
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