Home to more than 300 species of birds, the Baytown Nature Center is a 450-acre (182-hectare) peninsula surrounded by three bays. Not just for bird-watching and appreciating nature, the center also has other outdoor recreational activities including fishing and a children’s playground built around a nature theme. Another attraction is the butterfly garden which features a colorful medley of flowers and native plants carefully placed to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Be prepared to walk or bike when you visit since vehicle movement is restricted here to protect the natural habitat of the wildlife. Open 365 days except during extreme weather conditions, the gates open to the public 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset. Admission costs USD3 for adults and children above 12 years.
Owned by Aaron Corsi and Alex Vassilakidis, 8th Wonder Brewery is a specialty Brewery specializing in vegan style of beer. Some of their specials include Intellectuale, Dome Faux'm, Hopston, Alternate Universe, and lots more. The place offers beer flights and has a taproom which organizes tours everyday. The place doesn't serve food but you are most welcome to get anything you like, also there are food trucks available in the vicinity. They are also famous for hosting events almost every week.
Yellow Rose Distilling is a whiskey distillery run by neighbors, Troy Smith and Ryan Baird. Their product line includes blended, rye, single malt, maple finished rye, American, bourbon and an 'Outlaw' Bourbon whiskey. Their Outlaw Bourbon has won a Best in Class award, while the Straight Rye whiskey has won a Double Gold at various competitions. The distillery conducts tours on Fridays and Saturdays. You can bring your own board games and snacks and enjoy the food with a cocktail served at the taproom. At the end of the tour, you can taste four of their whiskeys and a vodka. Post the tour, you can head back to the taproom for more craft cocktails. The drinks will taste much better once you have heard the spirits with which they are made.
Children's Museum of Houston opened in 1984 and is devoted to teaching through interactive play. Galleries here cover subjects like history, culture, fine and performing arts, technology, science, and geography. Here, children can navigate an exciting multi-obstacle course, learn all about cyberspace, create a molecule model, and even learn to code. Adults are welcome to take a break in the Teacher and Family Resource Center where extra teaching materials are available to boost those creative juices. While Fiddle Sticks offers exciting books and toys for the little ones, Fresh Cafe is the place to grab some nutritious snacks during your visit to the museum.
Just four miles east of downtown, you will find one of the nation's top seaports. A tour of the port offers an opportunity to view ocean freighters, ships and barges as they maneuver up and down the 50-mile channel that leads to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The port opened in 1914 with President Woodrow Wilson throwing the switch and firing the cannon. You will learn about this history and much more by taking the free 90-minute boat tour aboard the 90-passenger Sam Houston. Points of interest will include ships, geese and pollution control facilities. You are welcome to ask questions during the tour. The Port Authority holds a wealth of information. Before leaving, be sure and take one last look at the turning basin from the observation deck. It is a sight to behold. The tour is free, but reservations are required. All adults are required to have photo ID, and oversized bags or purses are not allowed. Please check the website for the tour schedule.
Spread over 1,620 acres (655 hectares) in Houston, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is one of the main centers for spaceflight in the United States. Home to NASA's Astronaut Corps, it functioned as Mission Control during the Gemini and Apollo space shuttle programs. It was also the primary flight control center for all following manned space missions, including Apollo 11 which put the first man on the moon. The Lunar Receiving Center at JSC is where they store most of the samples from moon missions and astronaut training takes place at JSC as well. At the forefront of technological and space discovery, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center continues to push the boundaries of scientific achievement, as it has for over half a century.