5 Affordable Weekend Getaways Near Houston

Exchange your boring Saturday and Sunday routine for an affordable fun-packed weekend getaway in Houston. You can head south of downtown for a romantic beachfront outing or kick back and relax surrounded by the rich tapestry of nature found in the pineywoods due north o town. Some of the best places to escape city life for a few hours on the weekend are only a few minutes drive outside the city limits.

Instead of fighting your way through miles of bumper to bumper city traffic to get the next big event, take a respite in one of these enchanting waterfront communities.

• Freeport
• Galveston
• Kemah
• Lake Conroe
• Lake Livingston

It takes less than an hour to traverse most of these cities. We’ll take you on a quick tour of them. Then you can choose from incredibly intimate Freeport to wild and crazy water sporting adventures on Lake Conroe.

Freeport

Freeport sits 70 minutes from Houston and in less time than that you can be in the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It’s home to some of the best kept secrets in Texas.

They hold fishing tournaments for anglers of every age.
The area has almost three miles of fun filled natural beach that’s accessible to the public.
The local community of Surfside was cited in a poll in Gulfscapes magazine as “ the Best Gulf Coast beach town”.


This Gulf Coast hamlet is the ideal place when you want to get away for the weekend and bring along your RV, a boat or camp on the Texas beach. You can have a great time without having to drive for hours and an Gulf front view for free!

Kemah

The entire city may only be 1.8 square miles, but it is home to the best little boardwalk in Texas. The waterfront community is mostly marinas, boatdocks and acres of fun-filled waterfront attractions. Visitors don’t have to ever worry about fighting boredom on the boardwalk with hours upon hours of fabulous fun just a few steps away.

Here’s a short list of the many exciting attractions in Houston you can visit along the Kemah Boardwalk.

• Wooden Rollercoaster-Boardwalk Bullet
• 65 foot Century ferris wheel
• Aquarium restaurant
• Boardwalk observation tower
• Drop Zone-140 ft free fall ride

If you’re not into fishing, but love seafood, Kemah has something for you too. People come from all over the state to their seafood markets to get the best prices and fresh off the boat, fish, crabs and oysters by the sack full.

Galveston, Texas

Galveston Island is one of the best known cities on the Gulf Coast. It's reputation for fun began back in the 1800’s when Jean Lafitte the pirate had his headquarters on the island. Today, the city is way more than just a pirates paradise. Current attractions include:

• Moody Gardens
• Schlitterbahn
• Galveston Pier
• 4 to 7 day Caribbean Cruises
• Bay, Beach and Deep Water Fishing charters

It is also where you can find a beach bungalow for the weekend or a 5 star hotel. The island is 27 miles (43.5 km) long and no more than 3 miles (4.8 km) wide at its widest point. If you want to get away and have loads of fun on the weekend, travel the short drive to the island.

Lake Livingston

The backdrop of this small Texas town are the towering trees in the piney forest of East Texas. It’s located a little more than an hours drive north of Houston and makes a great place for a weekend trip or a vacation year around.

Lake Livingston lays claim to the bragging rights that the 39 mile lake is the 2nd largest in Texas. The area is ideal for Houston nature lovers getaways. It's full of wildlife. Every kind of two and four legged creature, known to exist in the state roams around the area.

• Big Foot
• Red Fox
• White-tailed Deer
• Coyote
• Bobcat
• Nine-banded Armadillo

The areas’ attractions include some of the best parks in the state, Livingston State Park, Big Thicket National Preserve near Woodville, and the Sam Houston National Forest.

Lake Conroe

Next time you and your sweetie want to do something different for a change, try a weekend getaway that’s only a short drive down I-45 from Houston. If you make Lake Conroe your destination you can experience some of the finest food and fun north of the city. The communities in and around Lake Conroe have superior golf and tennis courses as well as top notch water amenities like:

• Marinas
• Boat launches
• Kayak and canoe rentals

Not too keen on the outdoor life? Don’t let the small town look fool you. Conroe has shopping galore, plenty of entertainment venues plus well maintained cabin and condo rentals that will make your getaway feel like you're at home.

These action-packed weekend getaways in Houston are for couples, families or groups. You can have a no-frills trip or make it a 5 star weekend. The choice is yours.

Get more details about vacation spots, festivals and upcoming Houston events in your neighborhood by going to the right sidebar and joining the I heart Midtownlive crew.

References:

• Freeport.tx.us
• Galveston.com
• Kemahboardwalk.com
• Conroevisistorandconventionsbuerau.net
• Lake Livingston.com
• https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hef03

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Weekend Getaways For Houston Couples - Texas Beaches

Lots of  Houston couples are enjoying romantic getaways close to home,  by flocking to the beach resorts, hotels and vacation rentals along the Texas Gulf Coast. During the off-season from September to February more people are skipping-out on the expensive cruises to balmy tropical destinations in favor of Texas beaches. They are ideal places to have a fast and frugal escape away from city life.

It’s a pleasant surprise to some newcomers to discover that year around Texas beaches have a reasonable mix of sunny days, sandy beaches and the sound of the surf.

Even on the coldest days ( 49.7 F/9.8 C) the weather is temperate and nights slightly cooler which can translate into smaller crowds and cost savings for lovers taking a break from the big city for a weekend or all week long.

What’s To Do On Texas Beaches

There is so much to do along the 370-plus miles of Texas beach front that determining where to start is the biggest challenge you will face on weekend getaways. Galveston Island, Kemah and Clear Lake are the beaches closest to Houston. They offer a wide range of diversions that are affordable and fun things to do including:

Lone Star Flight Museum
Kemah Boardwalk
Seaport Museum
Galveston Historic District
Clear Lake Marina
Yacht cruises

                                            Family-friendly Houston Attractions

If your plan includes bringing the whole darn family along, have non fear,  there are enough family-friendly attractions in Texas to fill every moment of your Galveston Island weekend getaway with jubilant activities.
 
 Moody Gardens
Schlitterbahn water park
 Boat tours of Galveston's  harbor

Why not plan your trip to the island during the off-season. That's when the local attractions aren't nearly as busy and the city is decked out in a variety of other themes. Mardi Gras and Dickens on The Strand are two must-visit events on the historic island.

Daytrips: The Gulf Coast's  Top 5  Recreational Activities

Some husbands prefer to take their wives and family for a drive a little further down the Texas coast,  to South Padre, Corpus Christi and Freeport. They are the perfect places for couples to just hang out near the water or delve into the Gulf Coast's  top 5  recreational activities:

Deep sea fishing
Scuba diving
Birding
Shelling

There are plenty of local companies waiting to assist visitors in having a good time in the sun. Even those without sea leggs who want to take advantage of the excellent sport fishing from the piers, jetties and beach fronts.

Members of glam and haute crowd can find plenty of shops where they can browse, barter and buy anything their heart desires.

                               What To Pack For Texas Getaways

Houston couples can expect some of the same kind of weather they have at home. Days filled with lots of time to get in a little sunning and cuddling weather after dark. Visitors not familiar with the temperatures should include their favorite beach gear and for good measures a few of the items below.

Lightweight  jacket
Sweater
Rain gear

On the rare occasions when Gulf Coast is threatened by tropical storms, thunder storms or hurricanes you may want to avoid them. Otherwise be prepared to romp on some of the best water front real estate in the world.

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