Surroundings, Houston

(Near Houston)

Anahuac is one of the oldest settlements in Texas. The Mexican government declared the town the capital of Texas in 1830. It is also the area where the Texans first began their revolt against the Mexican government in their fight for independence from Mexico. Historic markers are prevalent throughout the area.

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge covers an area of 34,000 acres of coastal marsh and grassland. The area is home to a variety of waterfowl, alligators, and smaller animals.

Bay City, Texas

(Near Houston)

Bay City (pop 19,000) is just 41 kilometers (25 miles) from the Gulf of Mexico, and approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Houston. The town's industry centers around farming, ranching, oil, and nuclear energy. Boating and water sports on the river are popular activities.

Address

Bay City Chamber of Commerce
Box 768
Bay City, TX 77404-0768
United States

Phone 1 (979) 245-8333

Fax 1 (979) 245-1622

http://www.baycity.org

Baytown, Texas

(Near Houston)

Baytown (pop. 69,000) is located just east of Houston. Oil refineries, petrochemicals, and synthetic rubber make up the backbone of the town's economy. The town has a number of attractions for visitors, including the Houston Raceway Park and a number of historical sites.

Baytown - Royal Purple Raceway (formerly Houston Raceway Park)

The complex is a 440 acre drag racing park.

Address

Royal Purple Raceway
Box 1345
Baytown, TX 77520
United States

Phone 1 (281) 383-7223

Fax 1 (281) 383-3777

http://www.royalpurpleraceway.com

Baytown Historical Museum

The museum features a collection of artifacts related to the history of the town and pioneer life.

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	Closed
Close		14:00	14:00	14:00	14:00	14:00

Brazosport Area, Texas

The Brazosport Area consists of eleven cities located at the mouth of the Brazos River. The communities are Angleton, Brazoria, Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Lake Jackson, Oyster Creek, Quintana Beach, Richwood, Surfside Beach, and West Columbia. The area offers a number of historical sites and old plantations, beaches and water sports, as well as camping, golfing, antique shops, and regular tourist amenities.

Address

Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce
420 Highway 332 West
Brazosport, TX 77531
United States

Phone 1 (979) 265-2505

Fax 1 (979) 265-4246

http://www.brazosport.org

Brenham, Texas

(Near Houston)

More than 120 historic sites and markers, many from the Texas Revolution, can be seen in Brenham.

Address

Washington County Chamber of Commerce
314 South Austin Street
Brenham, TX 77833
United States

Phone 1 (979) 836-3695

Fax 1 (979) 836-2540

http://www.brenhamtexas.com

Washington

(Near Houston)

Settled in 1834, the town is more commonly referred to as Washington-on-the-Brazos or Old Washington. The town was the location of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence and drafting of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas.

Address

Washington County Chamber of Commerce
314 South Austin Street
Brenham, TX 77833
United States

Phone 1 (979) 836-3695

Fax 1 (979) 836-2540

http://www.brenhamtexas.com

Brenham - Antique Carousel

Housed in a 16 sided building in Firemen's Park, this C.W. Parker Carousel with Herschell-Spillman Horses was built sometime between 1895 and 1906.

Tips

The cost per hour - $1.00 per rider with a $25.00 minimum charge.

Brenham Heritage Museum

Housed in a 1915 Federal Building, the Brenham Heritage Museum features permanent and changing exhibits related to the history of the area.

Columbus, Texas

(Near Houston)

The town was originally settled in 1823 but was intentionally burned to the ground in 1836 in an attempted to deter the Mexican forces during the Texas Revolution. The town was rebuilt and many of those buildings still stand.

Address

Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau
425 Spring Street
Columbus, TX 78934
United States

Phone 1 (979) 732-5135

Fax 1 (979) 732-5881

http://columbustexas.org

Columbus - Kyle Preston Shatto Wildlife Museum

The Kyle Preston Shatto Wildlife Museum displays exotic wildlife from around the world.

Tips

Open the first and third Thursday of each month 10am to 2pm (excluding July & August).

Columbus - Stafford Opera House

The Stafford Opera House was built in 1886 at the request of Robert Stafford, a local cattle rancher. Tours are open to the public.

Conroe, Texas

(Near Houston)

Located on the southern edge of Sam Houston National Forest, Conroe offers a wealth of recreational opportunities. Hiking, birding, golfing, and camping are possible in the area.

Conroe - Heritage Museum of Montgomery County

The museum features permanent and changing exhibits related to the history of the area. Among the permanent collections is a tribute to Charles B Stewart who designed the Texas Lone Star flag and the state seal.

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	Closed	9:00	9:00	9:00	9:00	Closed
Close			16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00

Cost

Adult	$ 1.00
Child	$ .50

All values are in United States Dollars

Tips

Admission cost is a suggested donation.

Humble, Texas

(Near Houston)

Humble (pop. 12,500) is located just north of Houston. It became a boom town in 1905 with the discovery of oil the previous year. Several years later, while drilling for oil, artesian water was discovered and became a major resource for the area.

Address

Humble Area Chamber of Commerce
110 West Main Street
Humble, TX 77338
United States

Phone 1 (281) 446-2128

Fax 1 (281) 446-7483

http://www.humbleareachamber.org

Humble - Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens features exotic and native plants spread over 214 acres.

Address

Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
22306 Aldine Westfield Road
Humble, TX 77338-1071
United States

Phone 1 (281) 443-8731

Fax 1 (281) 443-6078

http://www.hcp4.net/mercer/

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00
Close	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00

Always closed on:

Christmas - Christian (December 25)

Katy, Texas

(Near Houston)

Katy (pop. 12,000) is located just west of Houston. The town is a rice farming area and has one of the largest gas fields in the state. Birding and hunting are both popular in the region.

Address

Katy Area Chamber of Commerce
23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd Suite B206
Katy, TX 77494
United States

Phone 1 (281) 391-5289

Fax 1 (281) 391-7423

http://www.katychamber.com

Katy - Forbidden Gardens (closed)

ATTRACTION IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.

The Forbidden Gardens are actually a recreation of the Forbidden City and the tomb of the first emperor of China, Emperor Qin. This is an outdoor exhibit on 40 acres which tries to educate people on Chinese history.

Kountze - Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas

(Near Houston)

Big Thicket is a maze of swamps, rivers, and dense forests covering 86,000 acres. A variety of walks and trails are available throughout the park. Canoeing is another popular means of exploring the area around the Neches River.

Address

Big Thicket National Preserve
Big Thicket Information Station, 2912 Farm Road 420
Kountze, TX 77625
United States

Phone 1 (409) 951-6700

Fax 1 (409) 951-6718

http://www.nps.gov/bith/

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00	8:00
Close	16:30	16:30	16:30	16:30	16:30	16:30	16:30

La Porte, Texas

(Near Houston)

La Porte (pop. 33,200) is a deep water port on upper Galveston Bay. The town also has a number of bayshore resorts, and the second oldest yacht club in the United States.

Address

La Porte - Bayshore Chamber of Commerce
Box 996
La Porte, TX 77572-0996
United States

Phone 1 (281) 471-1123

Fax 1 (281) 471-1710

San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park

(Near Houston)

On April 21st 1836 General Sam Houston inflicted a decisive defeat on the Mexican army at San Jacinto and thus brought the Texan fight for independence to a successful conclusion. The scene of the battle, 20 mi. east of Houston, is marked by the San Jacinto Monument, a 570 ft column. From the platform at the top there are magnificent views. The Museum of Texas History on the ground floor of the monument traces the development of Texas from the early Indian cultures by way of the Spanish and Mexican periods to the present time. Also to be found in the State Park is the battleship "USS Texas", built before the First World War and flagship of the Normandy invasion fleet of 1944.

La Porte - Battleship Texas State Historic Site

The Battleship Texas was a World War I battleship, which is now a museum.

Address

Battleship Texas State Historic Site
3527 Battleground Road
La Porte, TX 77571-9773
United States

Phone 1 (281) 479-2431

Fax 1 (281) 479-5618

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/battleship_texas/

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00
Close	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00	17:00

Always closed on:

Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November )
Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)

Cost

Adult	$ 10.00
Group discounts	$ 5.00
Child 12 & under	FREE

All values are in United States Dollars

Tips

Children 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult when boarding the Battleship TEXAS.

Disabled

Full facilities for persons with disabilities.

Facilities

Gift shop
Restaurant or food service

Lake Jackson - Brazosport Museum of Natural Science, Texas

(Near Houston)

The Brazosport Museum of Natural Science offers a number of displays on exploration and preservation of natural history.

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	10:00	14:00
Close		16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	16:00	17:00

Schulenburg, Texas

(Near Houston)

The town was established in 1873 with the arrival of the GH&SA Railroad. The town has a German-Czech heritage, with many restaurants offering these types of food.

Address

Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce
101-B Kessler Avenue
Schulenburg, TX 78956
United States

Phone 1 (979) 743-4514

Fax 1 (979) 743-4839

http://www.schulenburgchamber.org

Schulenburg - Historical Museum

The museum offers displays on the life of the early settlers.

Spring, Texas

(Near Houston)

Spring (pop. 33,000), settled in 1840, has a strong German heritage.

Spring - Historical Museum

The museum features historical documents, photos and other artifacts related tot he history of the area.

Texas City, Texas

(Near Houston)

Texas City (pop. 41,000), twin city to La Marque, is a port and industrial center. Boating and water sports are popular in the area.

Address

The Texas City - La Marque Chamber of Commerce
8419 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway
Texas City, TX 77592-1717
United States

Phone 1 (409) 935-1408

Fax 1 (409) 935-5186

http://www.texascitychamber.com

Texas City - Davison House

The Frank B. Davidson House is an 1897 Victorian home containing period furnishings and archives.

Tomball - Community Museum Center

Tomball Museum Center consists of 12 historical structures, including a Victorian house, farmhouse, church, doctor's office, farm building, schoolhouse, and corncrib. The buildings are furnished with period furnishings or related equipment, most dating to the mid to late 1800's.

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	10:00	Closed	Closed	14:00
Close				14:00			16:00

Always closed on:

New Year's Day (January 1)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)

Cost

Admission Cost	$ 3.00

All values are in United States Dollars

Guides

Guided tour included with admission.

Wallisville - Heritage Park, Texas

(Near Houston)

The Heritage Park offers displays on the Spanish Mission Nuestra Senora de la Luz and Presidio San Agustin de Ahumada during the years 1756 to 1771.

West Columbia - Columbia Historical Museum, Texas

(Near Houston)

The museum offers exhibits on the history of the town and area, as well as the history of the Victorian era in the region and the oil fields.

Hours

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	10:00	10:00	10:00	Closed
Close				14:00	14:00	14:00

Tips

Tours available by appointment.

Houston - Surroundings

Related Attractions