Friendswood, TX Outdoor Activities

Becoming a stock car racer requires commitment and hard work, but at MSR Houston, all you have to do to ride in a stock car is open its door. Alternatively, visitors can hop aboard 9 HP Honda go-karts, rounding the 0.7-mile karting track’s 17 turns and zooming down its quarter-mile straightaway at top speeds of more than 45 mph. These drives follow a precedent set by professionals; the 383-acre center is a sanctioned test site for the Izod Indy Car Series, Firestone Indy Lights, and Formula 2000, among many others.

Tanya Gorguraki and Chris Chung bring more than four decades of combined diving experience to the classes at Dive Zone Scuba, a wealth of expertise that help the facility earned a five-star rating from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). The diving duo conducts confined water pool sessions in a heated Olympic-sized indoor pool, allowing students to focus on learning proper dive techniques in a controlled environment away from the ocean’s inconstant currents and heckling fish. Each of their courses equips students with certification in a particular area of diving proficiency, unlocking underwater avenues related to open water diving, rescue, or specialty skills.

As founder and lead trainer of Elite Sporthorse, Stephanie Tropia heads a decorated team that specializes in equestrian sales, breeding, boarding, and lessons. Horse and rider alike feel the wind in their manes while training in the 85'x200' lighted indoor arena or the 125'x225' outdoor arena, or while picking out dinner on the large, grass riding field. Trainers customize lessons to each individual rider no matter his or her level of expertise, and teach students to foster a trusting relationship with their horses. As a result of its pedagogical prowess, Elite Sporthorse has produced a number of accomplished riders who have competed in "AA" competitions and defeated police horses in staring competitions.

Since its inaugural meeting more than 60 years ago, the League City Lions Club has upheld its mission of promoting peace and understanding with volunteer community services. Special events such as carnivals, music festivals, and cook-offs allow the Lions to raise money and resources for local charities such as Leader Dogs for the Blind, Perry YMCA, and the Butler Longhorn Museum. Like the superathlete who singlehandedly powers America's electrical generators, the Lions happily accept volunteers, ever increasing their group of supporters who desire to better their community.

The Pearland Town Center Mall morphs into a communitywide celebration of food, arts, and entertainment during Pear Fair 2012. Kicking off the festivities at noon, a summer fashion show sends models strutting down the catwalk sporting warm-weather wares. At 2 p.m., Pearland Idol finalists attempt to win over the hearts of ears by belting out tunes, and at 6 p.m., Modulation Band seizes the spotlight with a lively mix of jazz and blues as audience members try to capture their favorite notes in empty soda bottles. An eclectic spread of refreshments keeps toes tappin' throughout the festival, specifically from inside the Flavors of Pearland food garden, where tasty treats from more than 40 vendors dance across tongues and reduce conversations to a chorus of "yum”s.

David Bullard, Davis Graham, and Gary Stahlhebar manage Texas Dive Center's new facilities with an eye toward equipping divers with everything they need, whether it's education or equipment. The team teaches PADI introductory and certification courses to get the uninitiated diving, and they provide DAN classes to educate rescue divers and equip recreational divers with the skills to keep themselves safe underwater.

In addition to educational classes held in their onsite pool or on open-water excursions, Texas Dive Center joins the ranks of fewer than 50 U.S. dive shops to earn the title of ScubaPro Platinum dealer. They sell top-of-the-line ScubaPro equipment, held to the manufacturer's very stringent standards in terms of stock quality and regular maintenance such as cleaning, functionality checks, and nightly tucks in.