Local Attractions

Our house was being painted, and the fumes were starting to give us headaches and upset stomachs. We needed a place to stay for the night so we wouldn't feel worse, so we checked into this hotel, because it was five minutes away and took dogs.

Our room was very large for a chain hotel. We had three beds (one was a pull-out couch) and even that couch was comfortable. The TV worked and got 39 channels. The hotel is only two months old, so the room had no signs of wear. I liked the shower head, because it wasn't wimpy and actually had force, unlike mine at home.

The best part of the stay was the heated indoor pool. We had it to ourselves, and it was a very nice pool. There was even an attached hot tub, which was a fun surprise. The pool room had large windows, so we enjoyed looking out and seeing if we recognized any local places.

The one complaint was some noise from people on the floor above. It seemed strange that in an almost empty hotel (we aren't a big tourist area, being 30 minutes outside Houston) that they would put everybody near each other on one end of the hotel. The people did settle down in time for us to get a good night's sleep though, so all's well that ends well.

This is one of the best Tex-Mex restaurants in the Nasa area and there are a lot of them to choose from! My family and I have been eating here for years and likely will for many more.

The decor is appropriately Mexican and they take great pride in decorating seasonally. To add to the atmosphere, a small group of musicians wonder from table to table during peak times. If it's your birthday, you'll get serenaded and get to wear the Birthday Sombrero.

The food is top notch. Chips and salsa are given to you practically the second you sit down and it's hard not to eat the entire basket. All tortillas are made fresh and you can even watch their machine work if you have a good table. The rice is unique to this restaurant in a very good way - it's simply delicious. Portions are generous. Fajitas are a special treat for two that's brought on a steaming plate to your table.

The one minor complaint is that many of the waiters speak English poorly or with a thick accent. It never hurts to point to your menu choice, just in case. Generally though, it's not an issue, and waiters are attentive and accurate in almost all cases.

We've found this to be one of the Tex-Mex restaurants with the most consistent food quality and service. While they aren't the cheapest around, it's usually worth the extra few dollars for the better experience. I give it my hardiest recommendation.

Zio's is one of the best local Italian places around. They have the most consistent food quality and excellent service. A great place for families too - the kid's menu comes on a slide in a Viewmaster!

They have a great menu item that's essentially "Make your own Pasta Dish." You choose from four different pastas and sauces for many combinations. I personally like the penne in meat sauce. Another unique thing is their pizza selection. They have one of the more extensive lists of different pizzas, and it's arguably their specialty.

I have to rave for a minute about their Tirimisu dessert. It is by far the best I've ever had, and one of the few alcohol-free ones I've seen at local restaurants. Make it a point to save enough room to want a dessert just to experience this rare treat.

This is definitely the place to come if you're tired of chain Italian restaurants. By far the best independent Italian restaurant in the area, Zio's makes a great night out for the whole family.

I've eaten at several Rainforest Cafes, and I always come away with the same opinion. The theme and decor are cute and fun, the service is fine, but the food is just plain lousy! It's like they put all their effort into the decor, ran out of energy to find good recipes for food, and figured that the mechanical animals and bright decor would dull not only our taste buds but also our brains when we saw how we were being hideously overcharged. The only saving grace is the volcano - an awesome desert of brownie, ice cream, and whipped cream. Thirteen of us ordered three and still didn't finish it all - and we were mainly a group of teenage boys! If it was possible, I'd skip the meal and just go straight for the desert. Have fun in the jungle - if you don't gag to death first!

Food wise, Enzo's is excellent. I really like the buttered garlic bread that they bring to your table at the beginning of the meal. It's absolutely delicious. Their spaghetti with meat sauce is also superb. The sauce is one of the best I have ever had.The last time we ate here, there were some uncomplimentary comments made about the cleanliness of the restaurant. However, the issues that our group noticed were not issues that we had regularly seen, and should not be the sole deterrent from eating here.Service is prompt and courteous, but nothing out of the ordinary. It's what you would expect and receive at any restaurant. As it doesn't affect your enjoyment of the meal in any substantial way, this is just fine.Overall, Enzo's is a good place to eat, but not many people do. It's in a small place, in a poor location. However, if you're looking for someplace new to try, ignore the, at times, seemingly empty parking lot, because Enzo's food more than makes up for it.

The Kemah Boardwalk has become increasingly popular over the years with local families and tourists. It used to be old and dying quickly, but new life was put in by the city of Kemah. Now there is live entertainment, restaurants, and carnival games and rides.

There is frequently live entertainment on the Boardwalk, ranging from local to junior-high bands. All acts are very talented and attract large crowds of curious visitors. During the summer, fireworks and laser shows occur every Friday night, which makes Friday nights very crowded with young families.

Food on the Boardwalk is outstanding. There are many high-quality seafood restaurants, both chain and local. The most popular is the Aquarium, so if you intend to eat there, reservations are a must. Don't expect to get a cheap meal out of the Boardwalk atmosphere--all restaurants are full-service sit-down seafood meals.

Besides the food and entertainment, carnival games and rides are all over. The rides are traditional (Merry-Go-Round and Ferris Wheel) and extremely popular for young children. The games are also traditional (Flip the Frog, Knock down these Bottles) and are generally not to difficult to win. Stuffed animals are the prizes for all games.

The one drawback of the Boardwalk is that you can experience everything in one visit. It isn't that large of an area at all. Therefore, most kids get bored by the time they leave junior high, and it's up to their little siblings to keep the Boardwalk alive.