Nearby Attractions

Highlights of our community include:

 

Lakes Edge Boat House: In Hughes' Landing, where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards for Lake Woodlands.
Recreation: 151 community parks, 220 miles of paved hike and bike trails and 63 lakes and ponds, including the 200-acre Lake Woodlands.

Texas TreeVentures: For the really adventurous, an aerial climbing experience.

The Woodlands Children's Museum: Where the kids learn, play and discover.

 

For details about shopping, restaurants and live events, go to visitthewoodlands.com, where you also can request a visitor's guide.

Jones State Forest: 15 miles of hiking trails plus ponds and picnic areas

George Mitchell Nature Preserve: an 1,800-acre preserve that can be accessed at the Flintridge Drive Trailhead and other locations

Spring Creek Nature Trail: 14 miles of natural trails along Spring Creek

Texas TreeVentures: an aerial course for the truly adventurous

 

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center: a 155-acre nonprofit urban nature sanctuary in Memorial Park

Hermann Park: home to Houston Zoo, Japanese Garden, McGovern Centennial Garden, Miller Outdoor Theater, miniature train ride and more

Houston Botanic Garden: 132 acres of horticultural displays, natural ecosystems and ADA-compliant walking trails

 

Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens: 393 acres, including more than 60 acres of maintained gardens in Humble

Armand Bayou Nature Center: home to more than 370 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians in 2,500 acres of natural wetlands forest, prairie and marsh habitats; midway between Houston and Galveston

The John Fairey Garden in Hempstead: more than 3,000 plants, including many endangered and rare plants from Mexico, North America and Asia

Huntsville State Park: great for camping, hiking, fishing, swimming

The Houston Museum District, 3 miles south of downtown, is home to 18 museums, including the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Holocaust Museum Houston, Children’s Museum Houston, the Menil Collection and the large campus of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Also included, the 100-year-old Houston Zoo, home to 6,000 animals. More museums.

Houston’s Theater District in the heart of downtown is home to nine professional performing arts organizations. The major venues include Jones Hall, home of the Houston Symphony; the Wortham Center, home to Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet; the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, where you’ll enjoy musical theater and touring Broadway shows; and the Alley Theatre, home to a nationally recognized performing arts company.

Houston has a pro team for you. The Rockets (NBA), Astros (MLB), Dynamo (MLS) and Dash (NWSL) all play downtown in modern stadiums. The NFL Texans play eight miles south of downtown in NRG Stadium, which is home to the 90-year-old Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo each February and March.

 

Space Center Houston: If you're fascinated by space exploration, don't miss the Space City's space museum.

Houston Zoo: Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! And that's just the beginning. The 55-acre zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals. New in 2023 will be a Galapagos Island exhibit featuring a Humboldt penguin habitat.

Skyspace: Artist James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany at Rice University is the most unique way to view sunrise or sunset.

Lone Star Flight Museum: See historic aircraft and explore aviation history at Ellington Airport.

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens: The River Oaks estate of Houston philanthropist and collector Ima Hogg (1882–1975) is the house museum for MFAH's collection of early American decorative arts and paintings. The gardens are stunning during spring when the azaleas are blooming.

Reinzi: The MFAH house museum for European decorative arts.

 

George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum: The 41st president's life and presidency are detailed in his museum on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station.

Crighton Theatre: The historic theater in downtown Conroe is home to musicals and plays presented by  Stage-Right Productions. Productions in 2022 include "Grease" and "The Dinner Party." The theater also hosts concerts. 

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, which is devoted to preserving self-taught art, encompasses four uniquely Houston attractions:

1.  Art Car Parade: More than 250 entries participated in the 35th anniversary event in 2022. The parade has been described as Houston's largest free event.

2. Beer Can House: Ripley's Believe It or Not estimated that 50,000 beer cans cover the home of the late John Milkovisch.

3. The Orange Show: Houston postman Jeff McKissack created The Orange Show in honor of his favorite fruit. Working for a quarter century and using found objects, he transformed an East End lot "into an architectural maze of walkways, balconies, arenas and exhibits decorated with mosaics and brightly painted iron figures." (Not handicapped accessible.)

4. Smither Park: The walls, tables, benches and sidewalks in this small park are adorned with elaborate mosaics created by more than 300 people from recycled and found material.

 

National Museum of Funeral History: America’s largest collection of historical funeral service items includes caskets, coffins and hearses. Learn about the funerals of presidents, popes, celebrities and different cultures.  

Cistern in Buffalo Bayou Park: It's other-worldly and underground. The former city water reservoir near downtown Houston is  open for tours and light and music shows.

Houston Ship Channel boat tours: The free 90-minute educational tour aboard the M/V Sam Houston explores Port Houston and the Houston Ship Channel.

San Jacinto Monument: The memorial at the final battleground of Texas' war for independence is  taller than the Washington Monument.

Round Top Antiques Shows: It's called Antiques Week, but what started as a three-day show 50 years ago now stretches across 2 1/2  weeks twice a year. The "show" features 4,000 vendors from around the country -- and many from overseas -- setting up shop in tents, barns, dance halls and fields for 11 miles along State Highway 237 near Round Top. 

Yes, Galveston is home to beaches, birding, seafood and fishing. But its history is what makes it special. From 19th-century mansions to the tall ship Elissa, here are 15 historic sites not to be missed.

 

Top attractions for families include the rainforest pyramid and aquarium at Moody Gardens and the Schlitterbahn Waterpark. 

 

Not to be missed: the 18-minute free ferry ride to the Bolivar Peninsula. If the boarding line for cars is long, park in the free lot and walk aboard the next ferry. If you're lucky, you'll spot frolicking dolphins in addition to seagulls, pelicans and ocean-going vessels in the Houston Ship Channel.

 

You can also board a cruise to Mexico or the Western Caribbean.

For day trip ideas, see the list created by the Welcome Committee.

 

Residents can enjoy educational, fitness and cultural opportunities at Lone Star College-Montgomery, a two-year community college just a short walk from Windsor Hills. Several universities also offer classes on the campus.

 

Major universities (and their sports teams) in the region:

The University of Houston (multiple campuses)

Rice University (Houston)

Texas Southern University (Houston)

Houston Baptist University (Houston)

University of St. Thomas (Houston)

Sam Houston State University (Huntsville)

Texas A&M University (College Station)

Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View)