Museum · 36 min northwest
Space Center Houston
Space museum and visitor center by NASA's Johnson Space Center with exhibits, The Moonwalkers show and NASA tram tours.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (parking extra)
Day Trippin' › Texas › From Galveston
Day trips from Galveston
From Galveston, the Strand, the Pleasure Pier and the Seawall are minutes away, Moody Gardens and East Beach about 10, Galveston Island State Park under 20, Kemah Boardwalk about half an hour, Space Center Houston under 40, and Houston's museums under an hour. The best day trips from Galveston, by drive time.
31 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Galveston
- Space Center Houston 36 min northwest
- Armand Bayou Nature Center 38 min northwest
- Hermann Park 54 min northwest
- Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge 1 hr 18 min southwest
- Brazos Bend State Park 1 hr 21 min west
- Lake Houston Wilderness Park 1 hr 27 min north
- Sam Houston Memorial Museum 1 hr 54 min northwest
- Lake Livingston State Park 2 hr 2 min north
- Sea Rim State Park 2 hr 3 min northeast
- Big Thicket National Preserve 2 hr 7 min northeast
Within an hour from Galveston 10 spots
Wildlife refuge · 38 min northwest
Armand Bayou Nature Center
Nonprofit preserve in Pasadena with 5 miles of walking trails, a boardwalk loop, a bison viewing platform and kayak and pontoon tours on the bayou.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (kids 3 and under free)
Family fun · 54 min northwest
Hermann Park
Houston's big central park with pedal boats on McGovern Lake, a park railroad, carousel, splash pads, the Japanese Garden and McGovern Centennial Gardens.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free (rides extra)
Bike trail · 51 min northwest
Buffalo Bayou Park
Houston bayou park with trails for walking and biking, the historic Cistern, kayak and bike rentals and the Johnny Steele Dog Park.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free (Cistern and rentals extra)
Museum · 53 min northwest
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Four floors of natural science exhibits in the Museum District, plus the Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and a giant-screen theater.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (free Tuesdays 5 to 8)
Zoo · 54 min northwest
Houston Zoo
Big zoo in Houston's Hermann Park.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
Zoo · 51 min northwest
Downtown Aquarium Houston
Downtown aquarium complex with more than 400 species, Stingray Reef, Sumatran tigers, a Shark Voyage train ride and an aquarium restaurant.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (restaurant and outdoor area free)
Family fun · 31 min northwest
Kemah Boardwalk
Waterfront boardwalk with rides like the Boardwalk Bullet coaster, a Ferris wheel and double-decker carousel, Stingray Reef and restaurants.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free (rides and parking extra)
1 to 2 hours from Galveston 9 spots
State park · 1 hr 21 min west
Brazos Bend State Park
Lakes and moss-draped forest where alligators are common, with 37 miles of hiking and biking trails and the George Observatory.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Museum · 1 hr 54 min northwest
Sam Houston Memorial Museum
A 15-acre complex in Huntsville once owned by Sam Houston, with a museum, two homes where his family lived and the Republic of Texas Presidential Library.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (veterans and kids 5 and under free)
Wildlife refuge · 1 hr 18 min southwest
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
Coastal prairie and marsh refuge with an auto tour at Big Slough for wintering waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (best November to April)
- Free
Bike trail · 1 hr 27 min north
Lake Houston Wilderness Park
Large wooded city park in New Caney with about 20 miles of hiking and biking trails, 13 miles of horse trails and camping.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Park entrance fee (per person, ages 13-64)
State park · 1 hr 41 min northwest
Stephen F. Austin State Park
Shady park on the Brazos River about 50 minutes west of Houston, with five miles of hiking and biking trails near historic San Felipe.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
State park · 1 hr 53 min northeast
Village Creek State Park
Forest park where you can paddle the Village Creek Paddling Trail or hike and bike eight miles of trails through sandy uplands and swamps.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
State park · 1 hr 56 min northwest
Huntsville State Park
Pine forest park around 210-acre Lake Raven with a swim area, kayak rentals, 21 miles of hiking and biking trails and access to the Lone Star Hiking Trail.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Trail · 1 hr 17 min northwest
Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center
Free county nature park in Humble along Spring Creek with swamps, forest and creek beaches, about 8 miles of accessible trails, a nature center, a pioneer homestead and an Akokisa village.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
2 to 3 hours from Galveston 7 spots
National park · 2 hr 7 min northeast
Big Thicket National Preserve
Free national preserve near Kountze spanning nine ecosystems, from longleaf pine forest to cypress-lined bayous, with over 30 miles of trails and paddling routes.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
State park · 2 hr 2 min north
Lake Livingston State Park
Park on Lake Livingston with lake swimming, hiking and mountain biking trails.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Beach · 2 hr 3 min northeast
Sea Rim State Park
Remote park with nearly 2 miles of Gulf beach, the Gambusia boardwalk through 4,000 acres of marsh and paddling trails from 1.8 to 9.6 miles.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Wildlife refuge · 2 hr 14 min northeast
Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge
Coastal marsh refuge in Chambers County, formerly Anahuac NWR, with the 2.64-mile paved Shoveler Pond loop and boardwalk for alligators, spoonbills and winter waterfowl.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (best fall and winter)
- Free
Bike trail · 2 hr 37 min west
Park Road 1C (Bastrop to Buescher)
A hilly 12-mile park road through the Lost Pines between Bastrop and Buescher state parks, good for road biking or a slow drive.
- 1-2 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round; cooler months best for biking
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
State park · 2 hr 44 min north
Martin Dies Jr. State Park
Park on B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir with about 14 miles of paddling trails on the Neches and Angelina rivers and sloughs, plus trails for walking and biking.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
State park · 2 hr 46 min west
Bastrop State Park
A park in the Lost Pines forest with 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps cabins and buildings. You can see the forest regrowing after recent fires.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; pool open seasonally
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Get a day trip idea every Friday
Three ideas for the weekend, one each for Washington, Oregon and Arizona, with a link to plan the day. Free. Unsubscribe any time.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 77550 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.