Vbt Bicycle Vacations

A Weekend In Houston Or A Bicycle Vacation

A Weekend In Houston

Houston is a fantastic city to visit with numerous attractions to keep you occupied. Of those attractions, there are a few that are must sees. This article will briefly hit on the places that you must go if you have a free weekend in the city of Houston.

The first is the Space Center in Houston. This is the official visitor center for NASA. You probably recall the line from Apollo 13, "Houston we have a problem." Well this is where it all happened. Take a tour of mission control and experience simulators which will let you know what it is like to be an astronaut. Kids will love the space center and adults will become kids again.

After you finish with the space center, check out the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Explore the museums collection of dinosaurs, the planetarium and the butterfly center. Before you leave the museum, make sure to take in a film at the IMAX theater. The museum truly has something for everyone.

Now, if you are ready to get out into the open and explore nature, check out Hermann Park. This is the first public park in Houston and has a huge wooded area for visitors. You will find jogging trails, dog walk areas, a golf course and even an outdoor theater. While at the park, visit the Houston Zoological Gardens.

The last site that you should see before you go home is the Museum of Fine Arts. This is the first municipal art museum in the state of Texas. They have a huge variety of art ranging from African tribal art to Impressionists to Renaissance Art. They even have a wing of the museum with art from local students and Texas residents.

That is probably all that you will have time for. There are hundreds of other things to do in Houston but these are some of the highlights. So enjoy your weekend in Houston and I'm sure you will be back at a later date to explore the rest of the city.

Want to take a Bicycle Vacation?

Bicycle tours and touring bike tips

Pass on gas this summer and hop on your bike instead of into your car. Summer is the perfect time to head out on the open road and with the high price of gas; cycling is a great travel alternative and a great gas saving tip. Obviously, biking from place to place is not for everyone. From cycling enthusiasts with padded shorts to amateur cyclists with an interest, there are plenty of ways to hit the open road without paying a gasload. Why not turn your bike into your vacation vehicle and save money on gas? Touring bike tips

Never traveled by bike? No need to worry, there are multiple organizations that offer courses aimed at educating cyclists on how to travel by bike and other touring bike tips. Escape Adventures offers over 20 mountain bike tour adventures in 10 states and Canada and 13 road cycling tours in 11 states.

Also, Adventure Cycling offers introductory courses taught by trained and passionate instructors for both road bike and mountain bike travel. If you'd like to take a bicycle vacation in the company of more experienced riders, you can take a supported tour where the food is catered and your gear is carried. All you have to do is ride your bike along beautiful roads and paths - and past those gas stations.

Want to head out on the open road alone? Take advantage of the Cyclist's Yellow Pages (CYP), the top international guide to bicycle trips, gear and tour companies. It is prepared and updated annually by Adventure Cycling for the most current cycling information. There also are tons of cycling sites and forums out there. Here are just a few: The National Bicycle Tour Directors Association, which lists bike tours of three days or longer; Bike Forums, to participate in bicycling discussions and cycling blogs at Cycle-licious.

Would you like more information on bicycle vacations - try contacting your local bicycle group. A great place to find the group nearest you is www.thunderheadalliance.org/links.

Also, you can get tips on no-gas bike riding from the League of American Bicyclists. Last, who would know more about nearby riding opportunities than your local independent bicycle dealer? To track down dealers near you, go to the National Bicycle Dealers Association.

Worried about transporting a bike during your road trip?

Consider getting Bike In A Bag's new touring bike.

Just to point out the obvious, biking your way from place to place won't necessarily be cheaper or the best gas saving tip if you don't currently own a bike and the gear to go with it. On the up side, buying a bike and using it (even if you drive from town to town and use bikes to get around once you're there) will eliminate the need for post-vacation diet and crazed workout sessions. You might even come back looking and feeling better than you did when you left and plus you'll be saving the environment and saving gas money