Harvest Green - What a Day for a Day Trip

July 12, 2021

There’s still a lot of summer left to go, which means there is plenty of time to explore our great state. If you don’t have time for a long vacation, may we suggest a series of day trips? The Houston area (which includes Harvest Green) is perfectly placed to get you to some amazing places in three hours or less! Here are some of our residents’ favorite places to spend a day.

The chance to explore the final frontier is only 30 minutes away at Space Center Houston. The official visitor center of NASA Johnson Space Center features more than 400 space artifacts, permanent and traveling exhibits, exhibits and experiences and theaters. There’s so much to see and do, you really need a full day to see it all. If you get hungry, the center’s Food Lab and Grounds Control and The Local Grind have menu options even the pickiest astronauts will love.

Pack up the sand toys and head to the beach for a day of fun in the sun. Galveston Island is approximately an hour southeast of Houston along the Gulf Coast of Mexico. The shoreline runs 32 miles, which means families have a lot of beaches to choose from, but Sewall Urban Park is a favorite. Home of the nation’s longest continuous sidewalk, the park is convenient to beachside restaurants, the attractions of the Pleasure Pieramusement park and, of course, sand and sea. If the beach is not your scene, head over to Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, Texas Seaport Museum or take a boat tour.

Worth a day trip all by itself, Moody Gardens is located in Galveston. While most people know all about the glass pyramid housing the aquarium and the rainforest, they don’t realize that the amusement center hosts an annual Palm Beach experience. Featuring white sand beaches, a lazy river, splash pad, wave pool and more, it’s an amazing way to stay cool during Texas’ hot summer days.

Texas is dotted with quaint towns but how many of them house an ice cream factory? Brenham is an hour and 10 minutes away and what people think of when they think Texas small town. It is also home of Texan’s favorite sweet treat, Blue Bell Ice Cream. At the factory, you can see how the ice cream is made, learn about the brand’s history and even get a taste or two. Brenham is also home to gorgeous Texas wildflowers. In the spring, there are bluebonnets galore but, in the summer, you are sure to see Indian paintbrush, blue-eyed grass and blanket flower. Make sure the kids get a ride on the antique carousel in Fireman’s Park.

Where does one even start when it comes to a day trip to Austin? Located two-and-a-half hours from Houston, Austin wallows in music, street art, parks, museums and restaurants. Zilker Park is probably the best place to spend the day. Bring a swimsuit and make a splash in Barton Springs Pool, let budding paleontologists dig into the Dino Pit at the free Austin Nature and Science Center or take in a show at Zilker Hillside Theater. Just outside Austin, you’ll discover hiking trails, lakes to kayak on, roads to cycle on and places to float your boat.

You might have to get an early start, but it will be worth it when you get to your destination. Among the many things to see and do are the beautiful River Walk, Natural Bridge Caverns and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Sea World San Antonio is the largest of all the Sea World parks, spanning 250 miles worth of sea animals, amusement park rides and zoo environments. If your family loves to be scared, the creepy Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours might just be up your alley.

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