Hit the Road

Seize the bay with a whirlwind weekend getaway to Baytown

Imagine a trip that includes both high-octane excitement and peaceful hours spent in nature, one day sipping wine and another day landing the big catch, and even the chance to travel back in Texas history. It's all found in Baytown, located along several bays north of Galveston Bay and 25 miles east of Houston.

Whether you're in town on business or have brought the whole fam for a weekend away, this Gulf Coast spot is the perfect escape. Here are some ways you'll want to fill your days in Baytown.

In the path of history
These scenic waterways once witnessed the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, and now border the San Jacinto Monument. Kayak across its reflection or pause and reflect from the Baytown Nature Center, which sports the best view.

Even cooler: Visitors who use the Lynchburg ferry to travel from the San Jacinto Battleground to Baytown are traversing along the same path used by Nathaniel Lynch to assist colonists in their flight during the Runaway Scrape of 1836.

View from above
Baytown is home to the Fred Hartman Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Texas and one of only four in the state. Traveling over the bridge provides fascinating views of the refining industry in the area.

Start your engines
Enjoy a rush of adrenaline at Houston Raceway Park, which hosts legal street racing on "Fast Friday" nights.

You won't want to miss the "Super Bowl of street racing," TX2K, held this year March 15-19, 2023. Tickets are required and go almost faster than the cars.

On the hunt
Ever tried geocaching? Baytown has a terrific free version of this unique scavenger hunt that takes participants on an outdoor tour of 30 different area landmarks.

Download a passport online and collect points with each stop, then unscramble the final message and turn in your passport for prizes.

Dine around the world
Baytown is known for its diverse local restaurants. In the Downtown Arts District, visitors can sample real Mexican ice cream at Sabor of Mexico, dine on Asian fusion appetizers and sushi at Wazabi, and tuck in to Mexican-Asian meals at Bocanegra's Kitchen.

In Baytown, you can grab real Cuban cuisine at Cuban Cafe, tasty Tex-Mex at El Toro, delicious bubble teas at Tea City, and have a little fun with drinks on the outdoor patio of Dirty Daiquiri.

Where to stay
Baytown's I-10 and Garth Road corridor is rich in hotel accommodations for every sort of traveler, and many also include free breakfasts, WiFi, and parking.

The new Hyatt Regency Baytown – Houston, at 100 Convention Center Way, is opening July 2023. This elegant waterfront hotel offers a stunning view of the Fred Hartman Bridge and Houston Ship Channel, and features an on-site restaurant with an exposed kitchen, a chic open-concept lobby bar, and 18,000 square feet of versatile meeting space.

Learn more about Baytown here.

Photo courtesy of Visit Baytown

Baytown is just east of Houston and north of Galveston.

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Outside Ideas

New podcast provides on-the-ground news from Texas state parks

Better Outside podcast host Morgan O’Hanlon

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Podcast host Morgan O’Hanlon captures ambient sound from a river.

Outdoorsy Texans have a new way to keep track of conservation initiatives within Texas' parks. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will launch a new podcast, Better Outside, on May 21 on all major podcast platforms.

A press release promises that listeners will "travel the woods and waters of Texas through an array of awe-inspiring stories about conservation, recreation and the outdoors."

The podcast does mean "travel" in a literal sense, taking listeners out in the field to experience the environments firsthand. They'll have a knowledgeable guide in host Morgan O’Hanlon, who is a senior writer at Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, as well as TPWD executive director David Yoskowitz.

“People are at the core of conservation work in Texas,” said Yoskowitz in the release. “I’m excited for you to hear their voices straight from the field, so they can share why the work they do matters and the impact it makes.”

$David Yoskowitz and Morgan O\u2019Hanlon recording Better Outside podcast$ David Yoskowitz and Morgan O’Hanlon record in the studio as well as in the field.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Some examples of the work featured include creating a new trail across the state, touring an existing park, and restoring bighorn sheep (which were on the brink of being wiped out by 1900) in West Texas. Another episode in the Hill Country follows feral hog bounty hunters. Although well-informed listeners may already know about some of these subjects, the podcast specifically hopes to focus on hidden gems and expanding horizons.

“I love adventure sports and am excited to inspire people to try new, and sometimes scary, things,” said O’Hanlon. “In our episode on the Devils River, I took my non-outdoorsy mom on one of the state’s most feared paddling trips. You’ll hear straight from her about the challenges I put her through — and why she would do it again.”

Better Outside isn't TPWD’s first podcast. It was Under the Texas Sky, which launched in 2019 and followed similar themes, with a notable focus on culture. Some episodes followed the Indigenous history of Texas parks, cowboy poets, and chefs who are involved in sustainable farming and cooking. Under the Texas Sky stopped being made when its host, longtime Passport to Texas radio host Cecilia Nasti, retired.

The new podcast is sponsored by the Austin-based Whole Earth Provision Co., which originally opened in 1970 as a real-life manifestation of the Whole Earth Catalog, and is now a cross between a camping, home goods, and outdoorsy gift store. It operates six locations in total in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas.

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