Small child activities near area beaches - PA, CC, Rockport :) (Houston: to rent, houses)

[Indigoblue]

Besides going to the beaches and the Corpus aquarium, is there anything else we should check out that the 2 to 8 year old crowd would enjoy seeing/doing? Thank you!

PS. How pervasive should we expect the seaweed to be at the north end of Port Aransas? I keep hearing terrible stories of stinky seaweed ruining vacations o.0 How often do they shovel it up this time of year? Does it vary from diff areas of Port A to others?

PPS. Do Rockport and Corpus beaches have seaweed lying around too?

Thanks!!

[Marlow]

The museum of science and history can be fun for little kids. They have a small hands-on area that my daughter used to love. There's a place called FunTrackers in Flour Bluff that has race tracks divided up by age, paddle boats, miniature golf and an arcade and that can be fun in the evening when it's cooled off some.

[gabetx]

Originally Posted by Indigoblue

Besides going to the beaches and the Corpus aquarium, is there anything else we should check out that the 2 to 8 year old crowd would enjoy seeing/doing? Thank you!

PS. How pervasive should we expect the seaweed to be at the north end of Port Aransas? I keep hearing terrible stories of stinky seaweed ruining vacations o.0 How often do they shovel it up this time of year? Does it vary from diff areas of Port A to others?

PPS. Do Rockport and Corpus beaches have seaweed lying around too?

Thanks!!

If your kids are interested in it, the Corpus Christi Hooks, (the AA affiliate of the Houston Astros), provide a fun and great atmosphere for families and has several things for children to do in those age groups to keep them entertained. Also, tickets are cheap starting at 5 dollars for GA. I think children under 3 or 4 get in free.

Cole Park is a fun and safe area for the family, (during the day), and has a huge playground and is right next to the bay in the downtown area. I remember when I was a child I would always beg my parents to take me . As a matter of a fact, the whole bay front downtown would be great to take the family. I would either recommend it in the morning or evening hours, after 4:00 to avoid the heat, although the sea breeze does take the edge off of it.

Also, with your concerns about the seaweed, it is usually seasonal that the seaweed appears, and right now the beaches are clear of it. So there shouldn't be any worries there.

[Indigoblue]

Thank you for all the ideas so far!!

When IS seaweed season? Thanks

[SOM]

The seaweed has not been too bad this year. Usually clears up by August or so.

Most kids love the beach, and they don't get tired of it. Just watch out for sunburns.

Not a lot of great kid stuff....the museums, aquarium, sometimes the Harbor Playhouse has a kid-friendly show. Take 'em to see the skaters in Cole Park along Ocean Drive, walk out on the pier. The Padre Island National Seashore has a little museum and nature tours. Go to the Hans Suter Bird Santuary on Ennis Joslin Road. Some of the book stores and libraries have story telling. The Botanical Garden has some nice nature trails and an *amazing* Orchid house. The Aransas Wildlife Refuge (a bit of a drive) is a big hit with my kids.

I will say, when it's the heat of summer, stick with the beach (who cares how hot it is at the beach?) and the Aquarium. The outdoor nature trails and stuff can get pretty miserable.

[CptnRn]

Rockport is on the bay rather then the gulf, so it does not have the seaweed problem. But it has a relatively small beach area, which they do make ever effort to keep clean and nice for visitors.

[loves2read]

could anyone recommend a specific area of the beach/national seashore where there would be houses to rent--that would have good beach
I am not that enamoured of beaches on Padre Island anyway--prefer FL panhandle or around Naples but
we are considering driving vs flying for vacation and Gulf Shore or FL is just too far with a child under 2 in the car...