Are you looking to make it a long weekend? Hit the beach! This itinerary was crafted for active water babies looking to indulge in all the Gulf has to offer from succulent seafood to watersports. Pack your swimsuit and get ready for a wet and wild time in three of Houston’s splashiest cities – Beaumont, Baytown, and Galveston.
With our new triple threat itineraries, we’ll show you three places to visit, three things to do, and three places to eat in three days. Perfect for a long weekend, the Houston area is diverse, with 14 cities within just a few hours of each other, making it easy to explore. Why not plan a road trip around Southeast Texas?
Beat the Heat in Beaumont
Go: Cattail Marsh
A wastewater treatment plant turned wildlife refuge; Cattail Marsh is one of the city’s best green reprieves. Walk or bike the wetland boardwalks, find your zen with early morning yoga (free a few weekends a month), or give birding a try, one of the area’s fastest-growing hobbies.
Photo Credit: Jessica Serna
Do: Kayak the Big Thicket
Kayak or canoe the backwaters of the bayou through this preserved national forest that feels far removed from stereotypical Texas. There are a number of paddle trails and marked loops to DIY, but you can also go with a guide or opt for an airboat ride if you’d prefer a swamp safari.
Eat: Seafood at Reel Cajun
Experience the native cuisine with Cajun favorites. Get your hands dirty at a crawfish boil or try barbecued crabs, fried catfish, crab legs, or the seasonal fresh catch along with local delicacies like boudin balls, fried alligator, Gulf oysters, and gumbo.
Sea Baytown (1 Hour)
Go: Get Hands-on at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center
Part museum, part outdoor facility, the Wetlands Education Center is full of inhabitants from the local bays and estuaries. The place to get up close and personal with marine life, you can feed gators, admire butterflies and bees, hold reptiles, and borrow fishing gear and recreational equipment.
Can you tell that's a fake leaf?!
Do: Try Geocaching
Geocaching is a real-world GPS treasure hunt that’ll have you searching for trinkets hidden in plain sight while simultaneously exploring the city’s best attractions. To get in on the city-wide scavenger hunt, follow Baytown GeoTour’s series of clues to win prizes.
Eat: Sushi at Wazabi
Not your standard sushi by any stretch of the imagination, Wazabi abides by the principle of omakase, which simply translates to “trust the chef.” With ingredients like blue cheese and coconuts in rolls, they take their creative license seriously. The artful presentation of eel, miso, and spicy mustard sauces is as photogenic as it is tasty and best paired with the fan-favorite deep-fried tuna nachos.
Gallivant Around Galveston (1 Hour)
Go: Explore Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier
The city’s whimsical esplanade was renovated in 2012 to feature midway games, souvenir shops, and carnival rides. The iron shark roller coaster, Ferris Wheel, and Texas Flyer will have you screaming in delight as you soar over the water and get a bird’s eye view of the boardwalk. Indulge in fare food like funnel cakes and turkey legs, hit up the nostalgic ice cream and candy shops, and enjoy dining with a view along the iconic waterfront.
Do: Flyboarding at Extreme Watersports
One of the fastest-growing new water sports, flyboarding, has riders hovering 30 feet above the water. It takes a bit of physics to make it work as a jet pack connected to a long hose is attached to a jet ski for power. Air is forced through a nozzle, which generates pressure, enabling you to elevate above the waterline, creating the sensation of flying. It’s easy to pick up and a cool way to see Galveston from above and below the water.
Eat: Enjoy a Dinner Cruise on the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat
Held the second Saturday of every month, a replica 1800s paddlewheel sets sail down the Offatts Bayou. An idyllic setting to end a perfect long weekend, enjoy a dinner buffet, dancing, and cocktails under the big Texas sky. Cheers to sunset views, new adventures, and memories that’ll last a lifetime.
Pro Tip: The ship departs from Moody Gardens, which is also home to an aquarium with penguin and otter encounters, a ropes course, zipline, 3D theater, rainforest, golf course, waterpark, and beach. Plan your visit accordingly to maximize your experience.
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