Bay Area Houston has a lot to offer visitors, from nightlife to lazy days on the water, to all the active watersports you’d ever want. But beyond city delights and splashy fun, take advantage of the adventurers’ playground of parks and trails surrounding the area’s magnificent shoreline.

More Than a Trail System

Seabrook features over 10 miles of trails for biking or walking that connect the city’s parks. You could make a day of exploring the trails, which are a favorite for spotting birds, turtles, and other wildlife. Try a trail run before dawn and race the sun as its first fingers of light creep into the sky. You’ll hear the sounds of birds cooing and chirping while they rise from their slumber as the sky turns from gray to pink to brilliant blue.

While the birds along the trail are often too elusive for a selfie, Seabrook has you covered. Pose for a picture with one of the giant pelican sculptures that dot the Pelican Path. The pelicans are designed by different artists and stand over six feet, each showcasing its own personality. From Seymore Seabrook to Uncle Sam, their vivid colors and cartoon smiles bring the paths to life. These pelican sentries can be found throughout the Seabrook Trails system. Finding all of them can make a fun day for the whole family.

The trails are more than a destination; they lead to fun! Head to Pine Gully Park, nestled on the banks of the bay. Its playground provides salt-scented swing rides and slides with a sea view. The whole family can enjoy the park by taking the path that winds through lush vegetation and over wooden bridges accompanied by the soundtrack of waves lapping and seabirds chatting.

If you’d prefer to shoot some hoops or practice some skate tricks, you could start at Meador Park. This 21-acre park has all the amenities you could think of in an outdoor park: BBQ pits, sand volleyball courts, baseball diamonds, bathrooms, and even a lighted pavilion. And that’s before you get to the hiking and biking trails that take a loop around the entire park, allowing you to enjoy its excellent location.

Fun Around Every Turn

Bay Area Houston offers a range of dry-land activities to get your heart pounding. League City Mountain Bike Trail feels like entering an other-worldly jungle with lush greenery pushing close to the narrow trail. It rides like an old-fashioned roller coaster, complete with slow, anticipation-building inclines followed by swift drops and sharp turns. The exhilaration of catching air over a jump is just as real as the near-miss feeling that you may land in the creek.

The trail system was designed for fun and offers routes for different levels of biking experience, beginning in Countryside Park. League City is also a favorite location for geocaching; channel your inner detective to locate hidden treasures. This is an awesome way to explore nature for the goal-oriented, and it’s also a way for you to put your own stamp on the treasure hunt by leaving something unique for the next sleuth to find!

Let’s Get Wild

Egrets and herons abound at Nassau Bay Wildlife Peninsula, but if birds and butterflies are too tame for you, keep your eyes peeled for more! You can sometimes see an alligator minding his own business along the way. As with all wildlife, you should admire this scaly low-rider from a distance. During an alligator sighting, give them at least 30 feet of space. If you get a chance to see the sunset over the water at the end of the day, you won’t be disappointed—pinks, purples, and tangerines paint the sky and are mirrored back in the bay’s glassy water.

Clear Creek Nature Center Loop is a relatively short low-challenge trail compared to others in the Bay Area. If you can find an hour in your schedule, you won’t want to miss it. The trail is paved, so it is suitable for walking or riding, and it offers frequent views of the creek as it winds through spaces shaded with gnarled tree canopies to areas filled with wetland plants and animals.

You Can’t Compete with these Views (Or Can You?)

With all of these trails in beautiful surroundings, it’s no surprise that the Houston Bay area is a magnet for events year-round. The Seabrook Lucky Trail in March is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. In August, League City’s Clear Creek Paddle Race invites seafarers in kayaks, canoes, and SUPs to test their mettle in this fun water race. In September, the Kemah Toughest 10K is the first of The Bridge Series, a series of three races over three different bridges in the Gulf Coast Area. In October, athletes can pick their passion with the Bike Around the Bay or the Kemah Triathlon. Whether you’re a competitor or a spectator, a trip that coincides with these events will add the excitement and camaraderie of competition to an already amazing outdoor adventure.