Southside Espresso

Go on a discovery tour at the Children's Museum of Houston, which has a 5-star rating on social network sites, was voted Ultimate Kid-Friendly Attraction in a Houston Chronicle readers' poll, and tied for the number one spot as the nation's best children's museum in Child Magazine. The Children's Museum was built specifically for youngsters so that the kids can learn while having fun with tons of interactive and bilingual exhibits. Check out the EcoStation, which will teach kids to understand how our actions impact the environment and what we can do about it. Stop by FlowWorks, which unleashes the power of water for children to explore and research the concept of energy flow, and try out The Invention Convention, where gadgets and gizmos galore are laid out for kids to connect, create and construct anything their heart desires.

Lace up your running shoes and prepare to join The Chevron Houston Marathon festival that supports many charities, including CanCare, Texas Children's Hospital, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. As the largest single-day sporting event in the city, all runners get a chance to participate in the course map that runs together with a half marathon and a 5K race, where thousands of runners and spectators get to enjoy the fun signage, clocks, bottled water, Gatorade, aid stations, and exhilarating entertainment.

Escape from the hustle and bustle of city life at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, where you can enjoy five miles of nature trails winding through native prairie, savanna, wetland, woodland, riparian habitats, and have ample opportunities for exciting wildlife sightings. Explore The Nature Center building, which features a Nature Shop filled with items for nature lovers of all ages, an interactive Discovery Room, Educational Exhibits, hands-on activities, live ambassador animals, biofacts, and a weekly botany display.

What began as a hobby has bloomed into one of Houston's most popular tourist attractions, The Beer Can House. Over 18 years, the house disappeared under 50,000 flattened beer cans of different varieties for practical and decorative reasons. The can motif was only one aspect of the now-iconic visionary art environment. The yard is filled with plants and flowers that hang from the trees, occupy ceramic vessels, and grow in raised beds. As the neighborhood has changed, the property remains a time capsule of Houston’s vernacular architecture from the early 20th century, with a surprise around every corner.