Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Children's Museum of Houston (cmhouston.org) is open year-round with special events held each month, including exhibits and shows during January. Spanning 90,000 square feet, the museum offers interactive exhibits, hands-on galleries and activities. Though all ages are welcome, the museum targets children from birth through 12 years of age. Attractions include a three-story climbing structure and EcoStation, an outdoor and indoor environmental exhibit that features a native plant garden, pond, woodland area and a research pavilion. Special January events include Lunar New Year, featuring activities such as Tot Spot ball games, trivia games, chalk drawings and craft projects like caterpillar and bead patterns.
Visit the Woodlands Ice Rink (thewoodlandscvb.com/woodlandsicerink), located at the corner of Lake Robbins and Six Pines Drive at the Woodlands Mall, on the northern outskirts of Houston. The ice rink is open from the end of November until the middle of January. Take lessons from qualified instructors or rent ice skates to improve your skating skills. Stop by the cafe for some coffee or hot chocolate during breaks. Beginners and kids age 5 and under can enjoy the separate kid's ice rink. Inquire about any special discounts or coupons for January; the official website may have ready-to-print coupons for discounted admission prices.
The Martin Luther King Jr. or MLK Grande Parade (mlkgrandeparade.org) is held annually in Houston during the middle of January. This televised event honors the empowerment of education and is the third-largest parade in the United States after the Rose Parade and the Macy's Day Parade. Attracting about 300,000 spectators each year, the 18th annual parade in 2010 consisted of 10 parade floats and 22 marching bands. The route extends 2.5 miles with a duration of two and a half hours. Watch the parade from where it begins at I/B Allen Parkway. The route then proceeds east on I/B Allen Parkway, northbound to Brazos and west on Allen Parkway to end at Taft.
Take a ride at the Woodlands Waterway Trolley (thewoodlandscvb.com/trolley) to view well-known landmarks throughout the Woodlands Mall, about half an hour from Houston. The trolley stops at various attractions surrounding the mall including Woodlands Ice Rink and Winter Wonderland, Town Green Park, Waterway Square, Woodloch Forest and the Woodlands Mall. The free trolley operates from the end of November through mid January from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.