Destination: Galveston Island, Beaumont, Houston, The Woodlands

1. As restaurants transition to seated guests, the city of Galveston continues to encourage guests to take advantage of local eateries offering takeout and curbside pickup. The Galveston Take Out Trail online guide provides exclusive discounts and is instantly delivered to your mobile device via text and email.
2. Galveston’s beaches, including Stewart Beach, which was named one of the “10 Best Beaches for Families,” are also open to the public again, and summer is the perfect time to visit. At beaches along the seawall you can look to the sky for best practices as a plane towing a banner will be circulating overhead reminding people to stay six feet apart. (Imagine your tall friend lying in the sand. Stay that far apart.)
3. If you’re looking for something indoor to beat the sun and heat, Moody Gardens’ attractions, including its Aquarium and Rainforest pyramids and 3D and 4D theaters, began admitting visitors at the end of May.
4. With its dense forests, sandy beaches and shallow wetlands, Beaumont is overflowing with outdoor recreation. Enjoy local botanical gardens and city parks or find adventure in the many hiking & biking locales that abound in Southeast Texas, including Big Thicket National Preserve, where you can bird watch along 40 miles of hiking trails.
5. Beaumont also has not one, not two, but three new hotels to check out for your next visit: Avid Hotel Beaumont, Days Inn and Suites by Wyndham Beaumont West, and Home 2 Suites by Hilton Beaumont. The hotels add a combined 250+ rooms to the area.
6. In Houston, find “a new way to Hou” with virtual tours, curbside and delivery at restaurants, and pop-up markets that will help you stay safe all summer on the Visit Houston website. It’s there you can also find ways to help the dining and arts communities in the city. Check it out at www.visithoustontexas.com.
7. Most business travel is just starting to ramp up, but did you also have to cancel summer vacation plans? Houston has you covered with Summer Staycation Specials at area hotels like The Whitehall’s H-Town Local’s Stay & Play Experience or The Lancaster’s “Thank You to the Health Care Heroes,” which includes 20% off for all health care workers and first responders.
8. Still can’t make it to the Space City or Johnson Space Center in person this summer? NASA has you – and your kids – covered with its NASA at Home STEM resources for families. Keep the fun of learning alive even after school is out.
9. Take an art walk in The Woodlands, which is home to one of the most dynamic and growing outdoor art collections in the U.S. Go to visitthewoodlands.com/art to view maps for different types of art, from sculptures to mosaics and art benches you’ll be able to narrow down what type of art you’d like to venture out to view.
10. You’ll also have another chance to check out The Woodlands’ Waterway Arts Festival – the annual event has been rescheduled for October 17-18. The festival, which features hundreds of booths, is a fun way to support local art and artists. Can’t wait until October? Shop for works by 2020 festival artists online now at thewoodlandsartscouncil.org.

Photo credit: iStock.com/denistagneyjr