Buddy & Bug Family Adventure Club

Adventures in Houston, the world, and beyond!

  • About
  • Blog
    • Set Ideas
  • Etsy Shop
  • Contact

Typhoon Texas gets winter makeover

November 25, 2016

It’s a place we normally go to during the summer, but Typhoon Texas-555 Katy Fort Bend Road-recently made a transformation from waterpark to Winterfest, complete with light displays, Santa photos, train and pony rides, a petting zoo, an ice-skating rink, live bands, a 4-D Christmas light show and fire pits for roasting s’mores. The wintry venue also serves up holiday fare such as hot chocolate and chocolate-covered apples.

Hours are from 6 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and from 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $24.95 for adults and $19.95 for children ages 3 to 12. Children ages 2 and younger are free. For information, call 832-426-7071, e-mail info@typhoontexas.com or visit www.typhoontexas.com.

20161125-img_7878

20161125-img_7907

20161125-img_7857

A large, lighted Christmas tree shines from the center of the park.

20161125-img_7940

A petting zoo (tons of cute baby goats!) and pony rides are included with admission.

20161125-img_7916

20161125-img_7861

Two trains regularly circle the park. Its the perfect amount of time to see all the lights with a little one.

20161125-img_7864

Santa and his elves greet and pose for photos.

20161125-img_7876

Texas touches can be seen throughout the park.

20161125_190942

Ice skate rentals are $5. The rink is in the back of the park, so be sure to bring cash or purchase a ticket with a credit card at the front ticket booth.

20161125-img_7910

Visitors are encouraged to take photos in the nativity display. The park also includes characters such as The Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, The Abominable Snowman and a treetop Angel, who will all pose for photos.

20161125_193710

I’ll admit, at first I was a little skeptical about a 4-D light show. This production, however, erased all my doubt. In it, a little boy flies on a magical rocking horse around the world (an allusion to Santa Claus as a child). The imagery of the various countries he visits is just fantastic. What I thought were particularly cool were the 4-D fish that swim in what is the waterpark’s wave pool during summer months. My son could not be convinced the fish were not real – they were so believable. The show starts at the “30” (ie. 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and so on), so be sure to schedule it in!

20161125-img_7885

Local bands play every weekend.

20161125-img_7881

20161125-img_7941

S’more kits are $5.99 for two s’mores. However, given how many marshmallows and fixings were included, we probably could have just bought one pack for our family of four.


Filed Under: Activity Guides {Houston}, Adventures, Houston HappeningsTagged: holiday, Katy, Texas, Typhoon Texas

Outdoor Summer Movie Guide {Houston 2016}

May 2, 2016

Photo credit: Ken Fountain
Photo credit: Ken Fountain

HOUSTON
Discovery Green at 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010 (directions)
June 4 at 8:30: Jurassic World
June 17 at 8:00: Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam {Bollywood}

Green Street at 1201 Fannin St. Houston, TX 77002 (directions)
June 24: at 9 p.m. Jerry McGuire
July 22: at 9 p.m. Pitch Perfect 2
August 26: at 9 p.m. 21 Jump Street,
September 16: at 8 p.m. Friday Night Lights

Market Square Park at 301 Milam St. Houston, TX 77002 (directions)
July 6: at 8:30 p.m. Rushmore

Miller Outdoor Theatre at 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030 (directions)
June 30: at 8:30 Star Wars, The Force Awakens
July 1: at 8:30 Jurassic World

KATY
LaCenterra Central Green at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd, Katy, TX 77494 (directions)
June 11: Paul Blart Mall Cop
June 18: Stardust
June 25: Shaun the Sheep
July 9: TBD
July 16: Batman
July 23: TBD
July 30: TBD
Aug. 20: TBD
Sept. 10: TBD
Sept. 17: TBD

SUGAR LAND
Sugar Land Town Square at 15958 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX 77479 (directions)
June 11: at 8:30 p.m. Inside Out
July 9: at 8:30 p.m. Woodlawn
Aug. 13: at 8:30 p.m. Zootopia
Sept. 10: at 8:30 p.m.Star Wars, the Force Awakens

TOMBALL
Tomball Depot at 201 South Elm, Tomball, TX 77375 (directions)
June 11: at 6 p.m.: Surf’s Up
July 9: at 6 p.m. Polar Express

The Showboat Drive In at 22422 FM 2920 Rd, Hockley, TX 77447 (directions)
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays gates open at 6:30 p.m., movies begin at 8 p.m.
Admission: adults $7, children (ages 3-12) $5, children under 2 free


Filed Under: Activity Guides {Houston}, AdventuresTagged: 2016, Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, summer movies, Tomball

Review: Local Table {Katy, TX}

April 21, 2016

20160421_120630

When we lived in the Energy Corridor, our family frequented the Memorial Drive location of Hungry’s Cafe and Bistro, the parent company of Local Table, Katy’s newest kid-friendly restaurant at 22756 Westheimer Pkwy in the Villagio Town Center. To say I have been anxiously awaiting its opening would be an understatement.

Katy does have many, many kid-friendly restaurants {which, if I’m honest, was a factor in us moving West}. What makes Local Table unique, though, is the fact it doesn’t feel like a kid restaurant. For starters, there is no playground or self-serve ice cream machine. There are, however, kid-sized farmhouse-style tables alongside the adult tables and upholstered booths as well as coloring menus on hand.

With an exposed brick entry, dark shelving and pendant lighting the restaurant gives off an a relaxed, urban vibe where families, couples and groups of girlfriends will all feel comfortable.

At lunch time, the service is pre-pay walk-up, which this mom appreciates. With two preschoolers, I find myself often needing to exit quickly without spending time waiting for the check.

The menu boasts an array of Mediterranean-inspired sandwiches, salads, pastas and gyros with designated vegetarian and gluten-friendly options. Kids’ meals are $6 and include an entree, side {fries or fruit}, a cookie and a drink. Adult meals start at $11.

I’ve been on the hunt for a good salad since we moved to Katy three years ago, and I think I finally found it in the Beef Tenderloin Fajita salad {$14}, a fresh mix of feta, avocado and tender beef and mildly spicy dressing.

20160421_120525

My mom, a vegetarian, ordered the Penna Rustica {$13} with portabello mushroom sauce, parmesan and basil. While she liked the dish, she said it could have used a little more seasoning. {It might be more flavorful if ordered with the optional grilled shrimp or jalapeno sausage}.

20160421_120530

For the kids, Buddy got the grilled cheese sandwich, which he devoured in mere minutes {notice he wouldn’t move his hands from it for the picture}.

20160421_120352

Bug got the crispy chicken fingers, which she exclaimed were, “Very tasty!”

20160421_120337

The meal was completed with free kid cookies delivered to our table by the very courteous and attentive waitstaff.

20160421_122129

Overall, I say Local Table is a local win and look forward to returning often with my kids {and for a date night or girls’ night to check out the pretty awesome-looking bar!}. A new local favorite for sure.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin


Filed Under: Adventures, Restaurant ReviewTagged: Houston, Katy, restaurant review

Meet Marianne

Marianne is a second-generation Houstonian, former newspaper editor and English teacher, freelance writer, photographer, Jesus follower and xillennial mom of two blogging adventures around the city, the state, the world and beyond. Read More…

Theme Design By Studio Mommy · Copyright © 2021