Making The Most Out of Houston

EXPERIENCE HOUSTON:

Social Distance Edition

by SOFIA GONZALEZ

As Houstonians, even though we live in the nation’s fourth most populated city, it’s hard not to feel isolated, alone and uninspired during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, there are still many ways to enjoy all of the life, arts and culture our city has to offer while making sure to wear a mask, use social distancing and taking other COVID-19 precautions.

1 Catch a flick at the drive-in movie theater

For all movie lovers, many drive-in theaters are still offering their services. At The DriveIn at Sawyer Yards, guests can watch the night’s featured film from their cars through an FM station as it’s projected onto an almost 100-foot “screen” along silos. Food and drinks are also available through a contactless pickup system. A few of the classics hitting the screen soon are Jurassic Park, 10 Things I Hate About You and The Sandlot.

2 Watch the bats at the Waugh Bat Bridge

Another one of Houston’s many parks is Buffalo Bayou, a.k.a. home of the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony. Bat-lovers, or anyone interested in catching a glimpse of these interesting creatures, can visit the park’s bat observation deck right around sunset to see Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from under the bridge.

3 Spend a day mural hopping

Anyone itching for inspiration during these times can utilize Houston’s incredible public art scene by making a day out of going from mural to mural. Using the website houstonmuralmap. com, those wanting to visit or photograph these vibrant pieces of work can finally get directions to all their favorite murals. The website explains exactly how many murals are in a certain area and where each is located. Take a drive around the city spotting murals with the perfect playlist (check out page 8 for Coog Radio’s music recommendations).

4 Take a walk around Discovery Green

Located in the heart of downtown, Discovery Green is an urban park perfect for going on a nice evening stroll while taking in some iconic Houston sights. The green space is also home to some amazing pieces of public art.

5 Ride a bike through town

There’s almost no better way to clear your head, get some exercise and see the city all at the same time than taking advantage of one of Houston’s many bike trails. Try checking out Buffalo Bayou’s Hike and Bike Trail Trail, Memorial Park and White Oak Bayou Greenway.

6 Virtually visit the Houston Zoo

For all of its guests that are staying indoors, the Houston Zoo hosts weekly Facebook live streams every Wednesday to give an inside look into what everyone’s favorite creatures are up to.

7 Learn something new on a virtual museum tour

The Museum of Fine Arts and the Houston Museum of Natural Science offer free virtual options for their exhibitions. Through the Museum of Fine Arts website, art lovers can view collections and selected exhibitions, online film screenings, art-making activities, recorded lectures and artist talks all through the safety of their screen. The Houston Museum of Natural Science offers virtual tours for two exhibitions: Wearable Art Plains Indian Clothing and Accessories from the Gordon Smith Collection and Google Cultural Institute Collections.

Photo By Another Believer - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15028650