Outdoor Recreation in Houston and Galveston

Memorial Park (6501 Memorial Dr. 713/845-1000. www.houstontx.gov/parks/memorialpark.html) is located near the intersection of I-10 and the West Loop (I-610). One of the city's nicest parks, Memorial has facilities for tennis, hiking, biking, picnicking, and mountain biking, as well as one of the city's premier golf courses. The park's 2.93 mi Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail (also referred to as the Memorial Park Loop), a gravel and packed-earth trail, is where Houston's fit go to run—and see and be seen.

Buffalo Bayou/Eleanor Tinsley Park (713/845-1000. www.houstontx.gov/parks/ourparks.html) is a scenic, hilly swatch of parkland running along the bayou; it connects downtown to River Oaks. Running and walking trails run through the park, and it's a great place to escape the rush of the city without actually leaving town. To see some unusual urban wildlife, head to the park's Waugh Bridge Bat Observation Deck, at the corner of Waugh Dr. and Allen Parkway, where thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats depart at each night at dusk to hunt for insects.

Boat Tours

In spring and summer, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership (1113 Vine St., Suite 200, Downtown. 713/752-0314. www.buffalobayou.org) operates Second Saturday Buffalo Bayou Boat Cruises, scenic 30 minute trips along the bayou from Sabine to Bagby. Look for herons, turtles, and the occasional alligator sunning on the bayou's banks.