Grace Woodlands

Explore the origins of earth and man at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where more than a dozen permanent exhibits explore the worlds of astronomy, space science, Native Americans, chemistry, energy, paleontology, and Texas wildlife. There are also several displays of dinosaur skeletons, natural gems, and other attractions that will keep you occupied for hours. Special sections of the museum include the Wortham IMAX Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium, and the George Observatory.

Explore the remnants of the Old Market Square at La Carafe, where they have a reasonably priced wine bar where anyone can enjoy a mellow atmosphere, a nice wine selection, and good company with interesting people. The dim lights are coupled with arguably the best jukebox in town, ringing tunes from jazz and oldies to the cool sounds of Bob Marley. The bar takes as much space as the area for customers, but that doesn’t stop those wanting to come in and relax a bit, even if it means cozying up to a stranger on a crowded Saturday night.

Reconnect with nature today at Armand Bayou Nature Center, one of the largest urban wilderness preserves where you can learn, explore, respect, and help protect nature and its vital local ecosystems. Armand Bayou offers 2500 acres of natural wetlands forest, prairie, and marsh habitats and is home to over 370 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. They also feature hiking trails, exhibits, bat hikes, birding, a historic farm, a bison viewing platform, and Nature Photography.