Katy, TX Outdoor Activities

Once you enter the Tropical Storm, everything goes dark. You blindly whip around inside the watery tunnel before being unexpectedly plunged into a pool of water—and you probably want to do it again. The Tropical Storm is one of eight water slides at Splashway Waterpark, a seasonal outdoor playground that boasts water-fueled attractions for toddlers, older kids, and adults. Sometimes the rides relax, as when visitors drift down the lazy river on waterproof water beds, but sometimes they raise pulses instead, as on the nearly straight drop of Pirate's Plunge.

From May to September visitors can enjoy the park's attractions, which were designed to entertain families with kids of any age. When energy wanes, an onsite café piles plates with all-American fare such as burgers and hot dogs. The truly exhausted can turn in for the night at the park's RV and tent camp.

Since its asphalt cooled in 1968, Texas World Speedway has hosted races big and small, gaining renown as “the world’s fastest speedway” in 1973 when Mario Andretti set his closed-course speed record there. The racing mecca continues to expand its repertoire with a performance driving school, which couples classroom learning with on-road experience, as well as through a work-drive program that lets young racers exchange a day of toil for everyday practice on the track. Frequent visitors can reap the rewards of the speedway‘s membership program, which grants holders access to benefits such as gear, discounts, exclusive events, and secret handshakes that produce motor oil.

At sunrise over Lake Conroe, beams of morning light scatter sparkling reflections off the water's placid surface. In the distance, a slight whine, audible only to the gulls and morning sunbathers, signals the end of a sleepy night and the beginning of an exciting day of water sports. The sound belongs to a Yamaha Waverunner VX110 Deluxe, just one of Fun Rentals' fleet of wave-taming watercraft. In addition to the zippy waverunners, their sturdy pontoons form a leisurely flotilla, welcoming guests in search of a calm trip along the lake's azure waves or a place to peaceful place to practice making aircraft carrier noises with their mouths. From the headquarters along one of the lake's private beaches, staffers also entices shore-bound guests with space for picnics and sunbathing.

Buffalo Bayou Shuttle Service transports runners, surfers, cyclists, and adventurers toting rented kayaks and canoes to nearby trails and beaches for guided tours and lessons or DIY excitement. Experienced guides lead history-packed kayak tours such as the Houston Skyline Tour, which floats past panoramic views of towering skyscrapers, or the Adventures Tour, which increases heart rates with rushing rapids and an elevation drop more thrilling than jumping down the laundry chute at grandma's house. During all-day surfing lessons, students hop aboard shuttles from downtown Houston to Surfside Beach, where instructors teach nascent surfers to stand up and surf the waves. Bayou Shuttle Service also offers overnight surf trips, where pupils can sit beside campfires under the stars and tell scary stories about crab ghosts.