This place is a great time! The owner is very friendly and it's a very laid back environment…read more Shrimp fishing is an interesting activity that is very rewarding when you get it right. They have grills outside that you are allowed to grill anything you want on. We didn't catch many shrimp, but the owner was gracious enough to give us way more than we caught to grill up. We also brought our own hot dogs and drinks and had a blast. This place is very similar to the urban shrimp fishing spots in Taiwan that I would frequent whenever I used to visit as a kid. I will definitely be back! Looking forward to the next time.

So this place is located and what looks like a warehouse parking lot. This is in the back. There…read moreare a lot of free parking areas when we came. Once we got in staff greeted us and instructions were kind of unclear so I had to reiterate a few times or prob more information. Or maybe I was really excited and I just didn't let them talk. I'm not sure.. We have to sign a waiver. And we had an hour to go fishing for shrimp. Besides shrimps, there are crab and crawfish in the makeshift pond. In case we were to catch anything they did have a grill outfront and had some spices and sauces for us to use on them. There is a bathroom on site. The pond area is indoors however there is no AC . We spend an hour fishing. We had a few close calls, but sadly did not catch anything. Their staff did offer us something afterwards but we were unable to take the offer as we had a prior commitment right after this. This was a nice experience, but you do have to understand that this is for experience not for a meal . And we went into this place knowing that. . Fishing for shrimp is very difficult. And , like fishing, you need a lot of patience.

This is Houston's version of the amazing race! It's a lot of fun as you get to travel through…read moredowntown in search of clues. Along the way there are challenges you must accomplish to take your required pictures. The clues teach you about Houston and you get to see areas of downtown you might not normally visited. Teams are encouraged to dress in costume and it's a blast to see all these people running around the streets of downtown.

I've run this half marathon just about every year since I moved to Houston, and it's a great race…read more The race occurs every year on the Sunday before Halloween and provides a great warm up option for the Chevron/Aramaco race that occurs in mid-January, known to be the largest sporting event in Houston. The course is pretty flat, making a short loop around downtown before heading out along Allen Parkway and through Memorial Park and back, with only the few rolling hills near Buffalo Bayou park to slow you down. Half marathon runners get the chance to pass through the new Memorial Park tunnels which is a lot of fun. The race also offers a 10K option but these runners turn around at the end of Allen Parkway, missing Memorial Park and the tunnels. This race is also nice as the price is fairly low and includes free race day photos. Score! Having done the race several times, I will say that personally, I feel like I like it a little less since UTHealth has taken over as sponsor. The packet pickup now occurs at their Bellaire clinic and promotes a number of their health screening services. Don't get me wrong, I am all about preventive screening and public health, however I really enjoy packet pick ups as an avenue to check out running vendors to score some fun apparel and accessories. This is no longer offered with UTHealth. It feels very much like an advertising event for their health services. This year too their race day website went down for several hours the night before the race, when everyone wants to review the participant guide. They also promote live tracking, which I signed up to receive notification alerts at significant milestones, however there were no time clocks displayed on the course itself. Most runners have a sports watch or tracking app, however this was a little disappointing. Overall, I'm definitely going to continue to run this race but am a little disappointed with the new race sponsor.

I had a great time diving with Ultra Dive. We dove Oil rig 393B. This was a spectacular,…read moreexciting, bio diverse dive. Because of the shelter offered by the rig there were things to see from top to bottom. Captain Al and his dive master were friendly and courteous. I will dive with Ultra Dive next time I am in town.

Nice boat, knowledgeable and friendly captain, great service while communicating with Carolyn…read moreduring the booking process. We should have listened to Captain Al when he said "take your seasick tablets when you feel you need it", shame on us. After more than 400 dives we thought we were immune to sea sickness, we were wrong. Will book Ultra Dive again in the coming spring, this time we will be taking some Bonine, as the Gulf can be unpredictable.

This was my sixth time running this race and it's one of my favorites!…read more This race is exceptionally well-organized. The communication is clear, the expo is well thought out and both the start and finish lines are models of how large races should be managed. (I will note that this year they changed how you do bib pick up and that wasn't communicated clearly the day I went to the expo. Rather than going to a booth that corresponded to your bib #, you checked in with someone with a tablet and they told you which booth to go to. There were no signs directing people to the tablet folks the day I was there, so most of us just walked up to the booths corresponding to our numbers where the people had no idea what we were there for. They need to improve that next year, but I'm not going to knock them for it) There is always so much support on the course...even though it was cold this year, still a lot of people out there and that makes a huge difference when you're running. Water stations were great, signage on the course was phenomenal and you get a lot of encouragement the last two miles. Getting your finisher shirt and hot food from HEB after the race was a breeze. The finisher shirts are okay but I will say when they had Under Armour finisher shirts, those were excellent. I've already signed up for the 2020 race and I'm looking forward to it.

This was my first year to enter this run. Before it, the longest sanctioned run that I participated…read morein was a 5 miler about 30 years ago and it was at a small town spring festival with about 250 participants. Boy, is this one different!!! Registration opens the day after the event for the next year and I signed up in January of 2018. Also by registering that early the cost to do so is the lowest and increases later. Beginning last summer, the run committee starts sending out emails reminding you of your registration and to start preparing which is helpful in case you forgot. The first aspect of this run for me was the packet pick up on the Friday and Saturday before the run. The pick up is at the GRB and requires you or your proxy (limited to one) to come down and pick up your packet that contains your all important bib, run day instruction sheet, a pre run tee shirt and your large and clear gear check bag (which I decided not to use). That part I knew from emails sent from the committee and my experience went very smoothly as it was well organized. I went at noonish on Friday and experienced no delays. Also the Expo was fun to go through and see all of the vendors and their wares. The volunteers were all super friendly and said thanks many times for entering. This warm attitude was again demonstrated many, many times by the volunteers until I left the building to go home after the run was over the next day. That single trait impressed me the most. It gave such a small town feel to such a big town event. The organizers recommend that all runners be at the GRB by 5:30 a.m. the morning of the run. I arrived at 6:30 a.m. and still had plenty of time since I do very little stretching or warmups. While the GRB was full with people there was enough room to walk around, stretch and get some water or Gatorade. The lines for the many Port A Cans inside were long but moved quickly. The run begins at 7:01 a.m. and staggers the start because of the estimated 26,000+ runners. Remember that both marathoners and half marathoners are included in that total and run about the first 8 miles together before they split off. At the start line, runners are segregated into corrals (A,B,C and D) depending on how fast they expect to run. When registering you pick your corral depending on your expected speed. I know that the A and possibly B corrals require proof to be admitted. The D corral is the slowest group and the corral I was a proud member of. Like I said, the run began at 7:01 a.m. with the A corral. It was 7:48 a.m. when I finally crossed the starting line. I expected that and why I was in no hurry to arrive earlier to the GRB that morning or even leave the GRB to walk to my corral staging area when I did at 7:10 a.m. It was cold outside and the warmth of the GRB was appreciated! Remember your time begins when YOU cross the start line so if you need to go to the bathroom one last time do it before you cross the start (there are Port A Cans besides the corrals in the staging areas). The course was flat and well marked. Every mile and every 5k has a banner on the side of the road to help you know your location. After the run is over you can look online at your 5,10,15, 20k splits and finish time as the chip in your bib helps record them. I cannot say enough about how much the people of Houston support this event. All of the people cheering you on and calling you by your first name (which is on your bib), the musical acts and the funny signs were incredible. I would have loved to stop and talk to these people, take pictures of the signs, etc. but I didn't have time...lol! Also, there were plenty of drink stations and Port A Cans along the route. After the finish line, the finisher medals were handed out and then you proceed to pick up your finisher tee shirt. HEB was serving a free hot breakfast and I considered eating but the line was long and moving slowly. I estimated at least a 15 minute wait and left. After running 13.1 miles, I didn't want to stand in a line that long. In fact, with a total experience of an event that ran so smoothly from beginning to end the breakfast was the only snafu that I witnessed. In my review, I refer to this as a run not a race. That's because I wasn't racing anyone! But I did meet my goal....by 7 seconds. This was a great experience and I was proud to be a part of it.

There are so many destinations along Buffalo Bayou - parks, hillside views, bridges, art…read moreinstallations, flower gardens, monuments, little nooks and bends - that I love equally and truly enjoy. Points along the Bayou that beg anyone to stop, stretch, and take in the scenery. But Allen's Landing is probably one of my favorite spots - and the most historically significant. Allen's Landing is the officially recognized birthplace of the city of Houston, where brothers August Chapman and John Kirby Allen - the Allen Brothers - stepped off the murky bayou waters and claimed the land. "Houston's Plymouth Rock," some compare. It officially became the original Port of Houston, and present day, it's a city park and site of the Texas Dragon Boat Festival, Buffalo Bayou Regatta, and Buffalo Bayou Partnership Building (located in the historic Sunset Coffee Building). Anyone remember the awesome Yelp photo gallery event hosted in that building? Yeah, that was a special moment for me. :) For visitors, there are a few paid parking lots and metered parking along the way (free after 6pm). And with the sun setting around 8pm this season, we most recently took advantage of that with a small picnic along Allen's Landing - food, wine, candles, the view, the people watching. I heart Houston.

This is a water-access part of the Buffalo Bayou. I have come here for two different occasions: the…read moreTexas Dragon Boat Festival and a pontoon tour of the Bayou. The space itself is neat and well-kept. It is a pretty view of the bayou, though sometimes you can get a waft of that fishy bayou smell. I was there on Saturday, 5/4/19 for the Texas Dragon Boat Festival (see pictures attached). This is a unique and fun outdoor Houston experience, where company-sponsored teams compete against each other while racing in carved dragon boats. There is a stage set up for dancers and performances through the day, and there are several vendors around as well. This is an annual Houston event that I would recommend. Be sure to bring sunscreen! As far as the pontoon boat tour went, we had a lot of fun. It was a little chillier on the water, so bring a jacket depending on what time of year you go. We learned a lot about the city of Houston's history as a port city.

And another great race put on by RAS! Man, these guys know what they're doing and they do it well!…read moreIf you want a well-run race (see what I did there?) with yummy food, free beer, ice cream (because ice cream and beer before 9:00 am on the Fourth of July just screams 'Merica!), and amazing volunteers, then this is your race! I think I've written this review before. Oh yeah. For the other RAS races I've done! Easy to find, and tons of parking, and plenty of porta potties with NO line? Ok, this is starting out on the right foot! There wasn't a huge crowd, but there was enough people there to make it fun and interesting. The official photographer was walking around taking candids, which was fun. Usually I only see the photographer(s) on the course, and the end. The race went off right on time and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. The race warns you that it's not for the unprepared, as y'all know what the Fourth is like down here...hot and humid at 7 am! But this morning was overcast, with a breeze and it really felt great out there! I know we won't get that lucky every year, but I will take it when I can get it! The race is 5 miles, and pretty much an out and back, but the route is slightly different, so although you're seeing some of the same things twice, it's not exactly the same. There's plenty of water stations with water, Gatorade and cold towels, but it's not a bad idea to bring your own hydration! There's not a lot of spectators out, but there were a few, and that's always fun. The course is flat and fast, and there were people who passed us at the 1 mile mark. So yeah. It's fast if that's your thing. If not, there's plenty of slower runners, or run/walkers, or just walkers, too. Right before the end they were handing out little American flags so you could hold up your flag when you crossed the finish line! So cool! They announce your name too, which is always a thrill! The after party is just as fun, with plenty of goodies and showers, and cold water and soda and sausage on a stick. Which I didn't think sounded good, but man that protein after 5 miles was awesome! They also had free after race stretching/massages....so nice! No medals for this one though, but still worth 5-stars! If you want to celebrate your freedom with a run and some beer, then come on down next year on July 4th and join me! I'll be there!

After having a negative experience with a swim school, I decided to give Aqua-Tots a try. I walked…read morein and asked staff a specific question. Is there an additional price for a child with a disability (mind you, I left my son in the car due to what we had just experienced at the previous swim school). No further questions were asked by the staff, she simply answered not and proceeded to show me the price list. She went straight to individual lessons. My son is 6 years old and autistic with no physical or cognitive disabilities. The media has spiked with autistic children drownings, and it is terrifying as a parent. It's been very hard and challenging simply trying to find a place if feel like he isn't judged or treated differently.

Great school with a friendly staff. The coaches are very attentive and work well with my child…read more They have an excellent bilingual instructor not sure if there's more than one but the one that teaches mine is nice.