COASTAL BIRDING TRAIL SITES—The area is excellent for birding, especially in the Seabrook area. McHale, Hes- ter, Robinson and Pine Gully parks offer great opportuni- ties to bird year-round.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/ wild/wildlife_trails/coastal/upper/clearlake.
GULF GREYHOUND PARK—See LA MARQUE. KEMAH BOARDWALK—See KEMAH.
LAKE—Clear Lake—At the mouth of Clear Creek, Armand and Taylor bayous in the Galveston Bay area, the lake offers boating and fishing for fresh- and saltwater species. Access from NASA Road 1 or F.M. 2094 between I-45 and Texas 146 southeast of Houston.
NASA/SPACE CENTER HOUSTON—Visit the headquar- ters of America’s manned space program. The official visitor center for NASA/JSC offers live shows and presen- tations, interactive exhibits, an IMAX® theater, behind- the-scenes tours of Johnson Space Center and more. 1601 NASA Parkway, 20 miles southeast of downtown Houston. 281/244-2100.
www.spacecenter.org.
SAN JACINTO MONUMENT & BATTLEFIELD, SYLVAN BEACH PARK, AND USS TEXAS BATTLESHIP—See LA PORTE.
SEABROOK PELICAN PATH—Tour the path of 6- to 8- foot artistically embellished pelican statues. See more at the Bay Area Houston Visitor Center. 866/611-4588.
BAY CITY POP. 17,770
Gator Country alligator theme park in Beaumont offers guests a hands-on experience.
opportunities, particularly at sunset. It is the only light- house on the Texas Coast that is staffed and operated 24 hours a day. It is privately owned but can be viewed from offshore waters. Off the Lydia Ann Channel just north of Aransas Pass at Texas 361. 361/758-2750.
www.lighthousefriends.com.
SEAMAN’S MEMORIAL AT HARBOR PARK—Honors shrimp industry founder and lost seaman Bill Minter. The park also is a popular fishing and boating site. Bigelow Street. 361/758-2750.
STEADMAN ISLAND—Texas 361 offers extensive views of wetlands and open water. Watch for waterfowl, shorebirds and American oystercatchers. Follow Texas 361, island is after second bridge in Aransas Bay. 361/758-2750.
BAY AREA HOUSTON POP. (Comb.) 139,984 (est.)
ALT. 15-32 MAP R-22/TT-17
BAY AREA HOUSTON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU INFORMATION CENTER: Discount tickets to Space Center Houston and Kemah Boardwalk all-day ride passes are available. 913 Meyer Road. 281/474-9700.
www.visitbayareahouston.com.
The area touches more than 35 miles of waterfront and includes communities in the southernmost portion of Houston. Sail from a marina in Nassau Bay. Browse the shops in the village of Seabrook and historic League City, or shop in Webster’s urban stores. Enjoy fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants in Seabrook’s Waterfront District overlooking Galveston Bay. Considered the Boating Capital of Texas, the focal point
is Clear Lake, a 2,000-acre inlet of Galveston Bay. ARMAND BAYOU NATURE CENTER—See PASADENA.
BAY AREA MUSEUM—Located in Clear Lake Park, the museum houses Lunar Rendezvous memorabilia and changing exhibits reflecting the history of the Bay Area. 5000 NASA Road 1. 281/326-5950.
BIG LEAGUE DREAMS—See LEAGUE CITY. 108 PHOTO: WILL VAN OVERBEEK/TXDOT ALT. 55 MAP S-20
MATAGORDA COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU: 201 Seventh St. 979/245-8333 or 877/878- 5386.
www.visitmatagordacounty.com.
Vacation homes, bed-and-breakfasts and hotels provide cozy accommodations. Enjoy beach and river activities, shop the historic downtown district or relax in one of the beautiful parks with a picnic. Play a round on the 18-hole, Gary Player-designed Rio Colorado Golf Course (979/244- 2955.
www.riocoloradogolfcourse.com). Goose and duck hunting are seasonal attractions.
www.visitbaycity.org.
BEACHES—Matagorda Beach stretches 55 miles along the Gulf of Mexico. Fish on the jetty walkway or pier, soak up the sun, walk along the beach, search for seashells and relax by the water’s edge. Permits—required for driving on the beach—can be purchased at the beach entrance or local stores. Matagorda County CVB: 979/245-8333. Sargent Beach is a coastal community 30 miles south
of Bay City. The Intercoastal Waterway winds its way through Sargent, providing access to the Gulf of Mexico and East Matagorda Bay. This beach offers a quiet alter- native. Matagorda County CVB: 979/245-8333.
LCRA MATAGORDA BAY NATURE PARK—This 1,600- acre park at the mouth of the Colorado River and Gulf of Mexico offers educational programs, kayaking trips, a natural science center, playground, picnic tables, a pier and jetties. RV sites are available. Overnight campers must register at the park. 6430 F.M. 2031. 800/776-5272 x4740.
www.lcra.org/parks/developed_parks/matagorda.html.
MATAGORDA COUNTY BIRDING NATURE CENTER— Spanning 35 acres on the Colorado River, the park includes an observation platform, trails, fishing piers, a wetlands area, pavilion and six gardens. Kayaking trips and educa- tional programs are available. Located 1.7 miles west of Bay City on Texas 35 next to LeTulle Park. 979/245-3336.
www.mcbnc.org.
MATAGORDA MUSEUM & CHILDREN’S MUSEUM— Exhibits include early clothing, Texas maps, furniture, paintings, century-old tools and late 17th-century music. The Children’s Museum features exhibits and activities. Admission charge. 2100 Avenue F. 979/245-7502.
www.matagordamuseum.com.
BAYTOWN POP. 74,608
ALT. 26 MAP Q-22/RR-18
BAYTOWN TOURISM OFFICE: 2401 Market St. 281/420-5343.
www.visitbaytown.com.
Steeped in history, Baytown shares its bay with the San Jacinto Monument and battlegrounds, which are just a ferry ride away. Catch the races, lounge at the vineyard or splash at the water park. Baytown is 26 miles east of Houston, 72 miles west of Beaumont and 42 miles north of Galveston—a perfect home-base for area travelers.
ART CENTER OF BAYTOWN—Discover art and culture firsthand. The center has exhibitions and artwork for sale. Free. 110 W. Texas Ave. 281/427-2222.
www.art-league-
of-baytown.org.
BAYTOWN HISTORICAL MUSEUM—In the old Goose Creek Post Office, the museum features Native American, Spanish, Mexican, Republic of Texas and Baytown exhibits and artifacts. Free. 220 W. Defee St. 281/427-8768.
www.baytownhistoricalmuseum.org.
BAYTOWN NATURE CENTER—On more than 450 acres, this is a prime spot to watch butterflies and is home to 200-plus species of birds. The center features fresh and saltwater wetlands, more than five miles of trails, and a children’s discovery center. It has kayak and canoe launching and fishing areas. 6213 Bayway Drive. 281/424-9198.
www.baytownnaturecenter.org.
EDDIE V. GRAY WETLANDS CENTER—Located on the banks of historic Goose Creek, this educational and recre- ational center includes science and computer labs and an exhibit area. It hosts many ongoing programs. Free. 1724 Market St. 281/420-7128.
LYNCHBURG FERRY—This historic ferry played a vital role in Texas’ fight for independence in 1836, and it is the oldest operating ferry in Texas. View the Fred Hartman Bridge while riding across the San Jacinto River to visit the Battleship Texas, the San Jacinto Monument and Monu- ment Inn. Free. 1001 S. Lynchburg. 281/424-3521.
MONT BELVIEU–BARBERS HILL MUSEUM—This museum depicts Barbers Hill as it might have been in the 1920s and 1930s. Displays feature photographs and artifacts from early settlers, the ranching days, and the oil industry. At the corner of F.M. 565 and F.M. 3180. 281/385-1706.
www.montbelvieu.net.
Over the Rainbow Bridge
THE RAINBOW BRIDGE crosses the Nueces River to connect Bridge City and Port Arthur. It is one of the most historic and steepest bridges in Texas. The bridge’s 176-foot clearance height resulted from a requirement that any U.S. Navy ship at that time (1938) could pass under. Today it is only one way—southbound.
PIRATE’S BAY WATER PARK—Features a lazy river, Flow- rider surfing machine and multiple water slides. 5300 East Road. 281/422-1150.
www.baytown.org/piratesbay.
PORTRAIT OF A WARRIOR MEMORIAL ART GALLERY— The gallery features portraits of fallen heroes from across America. Artist Ken Pridgeon originally painted portraits of Texas’ heroes who died while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Free. 308 W. Texas Ave. 832/514-1452.
www.portraitofawarrior.org.
REPUBLIC OF TEXAS PLAZA—The plaza features a statue of Ashbel Smith, an early settler; an outdoor living- history museum; and restored 1894 Wooster Common School No. 38. 5117 N. Main. 281/420-2099.
www.baytownhistory.org.
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