Travel, whether far from home or just down the road, it all about adventure and being open to new ideas and experiences.
“Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.” – Mae Jemison
I am lucky to have a bright, talented and wonderful niece who lives near me. When I first moved to Houston, it seemed like all my niece and I did was out to eat and shop. Frankly, I don’t like to shop. What I really wanted was to have more memorable experiences with her . I wanted these experiences to be interesting, educational and expose her to things she would not otherwise be exposed too! Travel, whether far from home or just down the road, it all about adventure and being open to new ideas and experiences. So, I started to do local travel (Houston area) adventures with her. The rules are (1) she doesn’t know what the adventure is before we get there. I tell her what she needs to wear, time, location and that is it. (2) She doesn’t have to like every adventure, but she does have to be brave and open to a new experience. So, here are my top 9 adventures if are looking for more memorable experiences with the teenagers in your life.
1. Top Golf (North Houston)
This is a fun activity for the entire family! Located in North Houston, this is a great place to play, eat and spend time together. You don’t have to worry about your golf game either. Top Golf is a golf game for ALL skill levels!
If you want to splurge and break your diet, try the injectable donut holes or the Silver Dollar Smores. Very tasty!
To learn more, go to https://topgolf.com/us/houston-north
2. Menil Collection
When my niece was getting ready to go to Paris, France, I remembered how important an art history class was for me in college. The class brought together history and art and gave me a different way to look at and appreciate art during my travels. So, we went to the Menil Collection (www.menil.org ), which houses the private art collection of founders John de Menil and Dominique de Menil. It contains a collection itself of approximately 17,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs and rare books. The building and grounds are incredible and offer an oasis in the heart of Houston. And the best part, access to the collection is free!
My niece and I spend several hours talking about various pieces in the collection- what did we like, why we thought the artist used particular materials and what the artist was trying to convey in order to prepare her for and appreciate her upcoming visit to the Louvre France. Even if you don’t live in Houston, many cities have museums and exhibition that are open to the public and free.
3. Zoo Scavenger Hunt
My boss did this as a teambuilding exercise and I thought it was a lot of fun. So, I took my niece and her friend on a scavenger hunt at the zoo. We divided them up into two team. Each team was given a list of animals and other things to find. I used the zoo map to come up with the items. Then, each team was required to take a selfie with one team member in it for each item to get the point. The group had to stick together, or they would be disqualified.
For example, the list included 5 points for giraffe feeding and 10 points for team riding on the carousal with bonus points if one team member is riding on the zebra. I gave them some money to help with the fees and then set them off on their adventure.
It is also a great way to support the work of the Houston zoo in being a leader in the global movement to save wildlife. Go to www.houstonzoo.org to plan your visit.
4. Houston Polo Club
My boss plays polo as a part of a Polo League. The traditional sport of polo is played at speed on a large grass field up to 300 yards long by 160 yards wide, the approximate area of nine American football fields. Each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts, which can be mixed teams of both men and women. It is fast and very interesting to watch. You might wonder why I took my teenage niece to a polo game. Well, she was talking about wanting a horse. She was also about to embark on a trip to England where Polo is the sport of kings. Now, I love animals. And if my niece met one of the royals on her travels to England I wanted her to have something to talk with them about. I know not likely to happen but better to be prepared, right! I also know that animals and horses take time, hard work and dedication. So, I conspired with my boss to bring my niece to a League game. Cassie and I watched the game and talked to another coworker of mine about what is involved in caring for a horse.
After the game, my boss took her to meet the horses and give them treats. On the ride home, we talked about the amount of time, energy and dedication it takes to own a horse – how involved one has to be to own a horse. You might be surprised to know that there are Polo Leagues throughout the United States. Games are generally open to the public usually for the price of admission. If you live in Houston, check out www.houstonpoloclub.com for Sunday Polo information, Leagues and learning to play.
5. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
I like to take my niece on adventures to places she might not otherwise visit. I like to vary the adventures. Sometimes, we have a more active adventure like TopGolf or the Zoo and sometimes it is meant to be more educational or related to the arts. When “Habsburg Splendor: Masterpieces from Vienna’s Imperial Collections” came to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts I wanted to go and see it. So, I decided to bring my niece with me. The show was amazing. There was armor, tapestries, antiquities, ceremonial costumes, portraits and . . . Old Master paintings in the history of art. The HMFA is a vibrant and engaging environment for teens! Teens can explore to gain valuable experiences of history and art in a lively and creative environment. Check out the current exhibits at the Museum https://www.mfah.org .
6. Painting with a Twist (Multiple Locations, Houston)
While evening class are for 18+ years old, you can do a day class for 5+ years old with an adult. So, this make a great adventure for teens to have fun and discover their inner creative artist. Painting with a Twist has several locations across Houston.
As they say on their website “we provide all painting supplies and artist instructions. No art experience is needed. Simply be ready to have a Twisted good time!”
7. Spindletop Restaurant (Downtown, Hyatt Regency)
For a special occasion adventure, there is no place better than Spindletop in the Hyatt Regency, Downtown Houston.
You can enjoy good food while the restaurant revolves 360 degrees providing full views of the impressive Houston cityscape. You will rotate once every 45 minutes so take your time and enjoy a leisurely dinner.
We took my two favorite teens and had a blast. Ride the Spindletop Express glass elevator all the way to the 34th floor and enjoy the views and fresh American seafood with a local Southwest flair. For more information, go to https://www.spindletophouston.com.
8. The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
Do you have an aspiring thespian in your family? Even if you don’t, there are lots of studies out there that the benefits of exposing young adults to the arts include: higher academic achievement, greater self confidence and self-presentation skills. It turns out the arts provide not only a medium for self expression, but also problem solving skills, perseverance, empathy and compassion. Wow! The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, located in the heart of downtown Houston, is the premier entertainment complex in the Houston Theater District. The Broadway season premiers all time favorites and Disney Productions like Aladdin, Beauty & the Best and Lion King. which are amazing productions for adults, teens and children of all ages. While some of the shows are on the expensive side, there are matinee productions which are more reasonably priced at the Center and at Theater Under the Stars. For more information go to http://www.thehobbycenter.org and https://www.tuts.com .
9. Handel’s Messiah, Houston Symphony
I know most teens don’t seek out classical music. My love of classical music developed later in life too, but I remember being exposed to it as a kid and teenager. I began to dabble in classical music in college. In my freshman year, I began to experience anxiety over tests and papers. A dorm-mate suggested embracing the richness of classical music to help refreshes and calm my mind. I found that classical music was diverse and inspired creativity. It also helped with my happiness levels.
Believe it or not, most newspapers will give you a comprehensive listing of concerts in your area. I find live performances are better to start the introduction. My niece and I attended the Houston Symphony's performance of Handel’s Messiah at Christmas time since it is one of my favorite Christmas time performances. The Houston Symphony does a fabulous concern every year in downtown Symphony Hall. How did I get my teenage niece to go? Well, remember there are rules for our adventures. Also, I tried to make it a special event to minimize any resistance. While my niece is still listening to Rock n’ Roll, I like to think I planted a seed that might develop into something more later in life. Give it a try! You may get some eye-rolling and resistance, but who knows what will happen!
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