Even if your kids are very well-behaved, planning weekend family getaways can be tough. After all, you don’t want your kids to be bored, and even the smartest kids are going to get restless and fidgety after being dragged through too many historical sites or local shops. If you are trying to find a great way to balance your need for some history and culture with your kids’ need for some fun, consider a trip to Houston, the perfect solution for a weekend family getaway dilemma.
One of the top destinations is the Space Center Houston. Kids and parents alike will enjoy seeing what life is like on a space station and trying their hand at landing a shuttle. After a tram tour of Johnson Space Center, where you can even catch a glimpse of Mission Control, kids can run off their extra energy at The Martian Matrix, a four-story play center.
The Children’s Museum of Houston, recently ranked the best children’s museum in the country by Parents magazine is an enormous 90,000 square foot palace for kids up to twelve. With interactive exhibits teaching about physics, exercise, computer science, robotics, the environment, and much more, kids will play the day away.
Another option is the Houston Museum of Natural Science, which will keep the kids entertained – and mom and dad, too! With fascinating fossils, a planetarium, huge butterfly collection, and top-notch IMAX theatre, kids will have so much fun, they won’t even realize they’re learning. The Health Museum is another great choice for kids and their parents. Everyone will enjoy walking through a huge model of the human body, using a computer to see what they will look like in thirty years, or learning about the other organisms who share your body in the 4-D theatre. If you want to expose your kids to the arts, you can also catch a show at the Express Children’s Theatre or Main Street Theatre or hear the Houston Symphony at one of their many family concerts.
If you like your weekend family getaways to include a little outdoor fun, Houston has that too. Consider a visit to Hermann Park, which includes miniature train rides, pedal boats, hiking trails, and plenty of space to play. Plus, it incorporates the Houston Zoo, Hermann Park Golf Course, Houston Garden Center, and the beautiful Japanese Garden. Buffalo Bayou, another top outdoor destination, offers even more hiking and biking plus canoes and kayaks. If you go at dusk, you can watch 250,000 bats fly out from under the Waugh Drive Bridge every evening.
With so many things to do, Houston offers the perfect solution for your weekend family getaways. The kids will have a blast, and you’ll be able to learn and take in some culture yourself.
The Woodlands is located just 30 miles north of Houston and features a wide choice of accommodations and over 460 shops, ranging from major department stores to specialty boutiques. With dozens of monthly events, fun for the whole family, and great activities for a romantic getaway, The Woodlands is a perfect option for your weekend family getaways. To start planning your trip or request your free visitor’s guide, visit The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.thewoodlandscvb.com.
