Mission Bend, TX Indoor Activities

From its first days as a converted parking garage to its time as a host for Quentin Tarantino's five-day movie marathons, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has ushered film-lovers of all breeds into its atypical auditoriums. The theaters subvert the industry standard by offering locally brewed beer and fine wines, a rotating menu of handcrafted snacks and desserts, and an advertisement-free experience. A long table stretches in front of every row of seats, enabling waiters to unobtrusively pick up written food orders throughout the night.

Both first-run blockbusters and classics are projected onto the silver screen in crisp 35-millimeter or digital format. Meanwhile, surround sound submerges audiences in the cinematic landscape, whether they're seated in one of the intimate theaters reserved for indie screenings or the more expansive spaces afforded to Hollywood epics.

The staff and an enormous shepherd's crook enforce a strict no-talking, no-texting policy—with a few notable exceptions. For example, fan-centric Quote-Along and Sing-Along nights encourage guests to shout their favorite lines, and appearances by actors, directors, and other film celebrities append in-depth discussions onto the show. These exclusive events have helped build Alamo Drafthouse's reputation among cinephiles across the country, leading to nods from Entertainment Weekly, which called it “one of America's most fanatically unique moviegoing experiences,” and Wired, which opined that it "might just be the coolest movie theater in the world."

Emerald Bowl is a super-clean facility on Boone Road boasting a full bar and snack bar. From gorging on grub to pin knocking, this deluxe package will appease partygoers of all ages. If you're still scraping vanilla frosting off the ceiling fan from last year's soiree, hosting an event someplace other than your home is a way to celebrate sans time-consuming clean-up. Call ahead to schedule your shindig. Invite additional guests for $6 a person.

This performance is ideal for anyone who's nostalgic for the days when they slept under the stars and sipped from a flask of fresh-squeezed tumbleweed juice. Exposure to the sweet hymns of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra stokes wizend mustaches back to life and cures the itching and burning of severe rashes.

The high-flying acrobats of Cirque du Soleil set their microscopes on the insect world with Ovo, a family-friendly circus spectacle that exposes the beauty of the lowest levels of our ecosphere. Like the lost Disney adaptation of Kafka’s Metamorphosis, the show bridges the gap between humans and their minuscular counterparts with the help of whimsical costumes and set designs. As the first act begins, a monolithic egg lands in the midst of a bustling insect community, raising a commotion among the many-legged residents. Ants and crickets creep across the stage’s webby backdrop, extending their antennae for a peek at the mysterious object. By the time a gawky blue insect arrives onstage and a ladybug sets his heart aflutter, audiences are cocooned to their seats in awe of the stylized habitat. Creature-themed stunts and dance routines fill the show’s nine acts, which include a juggling firefly, a trapeze troupe of scarabs, and a pair of Spanish butterflies engaged in a rousing thumb-wrestling bout.

The leaders of Eight Friends Out fashion themselves equal parts matchmakers and event planners, helping Houston singles meet and commingle through fun, safe events. Annual and semiannual memberships grant members admission to a variety of themed speed-dating events, such as Italian brunches, Indian dinners, and martini nights, which are hosted at a variety of venues. Events typically are arranged by age group, as the staff recognizes that most people prefer to date within five years of their own age. Eight Friends Out's team is proud of its track record, estimating an average of about three marriages per year in its nearly 20-year history.

At ComedySportz, the spontaneity of improv humor marries the competitiveness of athletics in three weekly shows that churn out laughs for roughly 100 minutes each. During a match, two opposing teams of comics square off as a referee presides. The teams launch into sketches and routines fueled by audience suggestions, much like on the TV shows Whose Line Is It Anyway? and World News with Diane Sawyer. Since random, casual outbursts are so integral to the show, no two performances are the same, and many fans check the lineup to see when their favorite funnypeople take the stage next.