Things To Do On A Date In Houston

Houston combines the heat of the tropics with the Southern style of the U.S. and offers much more fun for a date than dinner and a movie. The largest city in Texas features a sprawling metropolitan landscape that fuses urban streets with majestic parklands and ecologically diverse bayous. If you're looking for a date to remember, try a bicycle ride for two--or if you're looking for a more daring adventure, sign up for a drag race competition at Houston Raceway Park.

Going Tandem

Riding a tandem bike takes teamwork, balance and an ability to laugh at yourself--the stuff that makes for any great relationship. Try your hand at this relationship building activity by visiting The House of Tandems, a bicycle business with a fleet of tandem bikes in a variety of styles located in The Woodlands suburb of Houston. Rent a bike for a day and cycle locally; The Woodlands has 110 parks and 160 miles of bike trails.

If you prefer to ride back in the city in the more popular Memorial Park, you can take the bike with you, but a pickup truck would be necessary. Otherwise, you'd have to install a special bike rack for your tandem, which might be worthwhile if you want to own it. Bike rentals are $75 a day, but if you buy it outright they will deduct the rental price from the total price of the bike.

Boardwalk Amusements

At Kemah Boardwalk, located roughly 30 miles from the Houston's municipal center, leisurely stroll holding your sweetheart's hand while admiring the beauty of Galveston Bay. But that's far from all there is to do. Kemah Boardwalk has a full amusement park with a Ferris wheel, a rocking climbing wall, roller coaster rides and a slew of games where you can win a prize for your date. At Kemah there's even a 70-foot-long, open-deck speedboat called The Beast that carries upward of 140 passengers on day and night cruises. So with so much to do, make a day of it and don't worry--there are plenty of restaurants on the boardwalk where you can replenish your energy and enjoy quiet time together.

Water Sports

If you're not into 70-foot speedboats, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the water back in the city. Rent a canoe or kayak from REI or ACK Canoesport and paddle your way along Buffalo Bayou, which includes sights such as Hogg Bird Sanctuary and River Oaks Country Club. Swim in Memorial Park's giant 33-meter pool that is complete with a slide. Or if you and your date aren't into getting wet at all, rent a miniature remote-controlled boat at Discovery Green for a laugh.

Bull Riding

"Urban Cowboy," starring John Travolta, made mechanical bull riding one of the coolest and sought-after activities nationwide in the early 1980s. While the fad has died, bull riding is still a pretty serious sport in Houston. It is one of the biggest draws at the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. And for that reason, you can still find a mechanical bull or two around town. On Thursday nights, the Whiskey River nightclub hosts a men's bull riding contest and a Ladies' Sexy Bull Riding Contest. If you want to impress your date, remember to keep your free hand in the air at all times, and hold on for your life.

Drag Racing

While bull riding is a high-energy contact sport, it lasts only a couple of minutes max. Drag racing ups the ante and your adrenalin with fast cars and the thrill of the chase. At Houston Raceway Park, amateur racers are welcome to sign up by buying a race ticket on the day of a scheduled racing event. If your car meets the requirements of the race and you have a valid driver's license, seat belt, long pants, shoes, socks and a shirt with sleeves on, you're in. And as long as your car doesn't run faster than 13.99 seconds, your date can ride with you--if she dares.