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Article Excerpt
City living, town style--what's the heart of your hometown experience? Whether it's the flavor of downtown, the culture, a walk under the shade of spreading oaks, or the nightlife, every town has its particular character--the people and places that make a spot on the map a hometown, one that welcomes the traveler, be they resident or visitor. A Texas town has the added distinction of being part of a rich crosscurrent of cultures, histories, and heritages
Opera and symphony, cheering on the hometown team, a host of fine cuisines from almost every corner of the earth, shopping bliss, art, and amazing history--all of these and more shape the mosaic of experience in Your Town, Texas.
PINEY WOODS
At the southern edge of the Sam Houston National Forest, Conroe enjoys a setting where recreational opportunities are a part of everyday life. Lake Conroe's 22,000 acres offer swimming areas, marinas, boat launches, and plenty of fishing. One gracious way to experience the lake is on the Southern Empress, a paddlewheel riverboat whose large decks, pressed tin ceilings, and elegant decor recall the Victorian era. Horseback riding and BMX racing are other options for the active in Conroe. All that outdoor activity can work up an appetite for zesty food, and Conroe provides just the thing, from Cajun to Mexican, with a little deli and gourmet in between. For the shopper, Conroe offers several distinct options: Portofino is an Old World Venetian wonderland, complete with gondola rides, waterfalls, and great stores; Conroe's revitalized downtown has specialty shops, books, antiquing, and strolling; for the bargain-minded, there's the Conroe Outlet Center. At the Crighton Theater, Conroe shows off its own bit of restored 1934 vaudeville architecture in a venue for theater, dance, music festivals, and symphony performances. Every month the Texas Arts Venue puts up a new exhibit, and it hosts music concerts on the first Tuesday of each month, locally known as the First Tuesday Storyteller Concert Series.
Begun as a planned community in 1974, The Woodlands has grown into a way of life all its own. Denizens of The Woodlands bicycle to work, shop, soak up culture, enjoy an evening out, and pass genial days, all in a storybook setting of towering trees, deep green shade, and sun-spotted byways. The 27,000 acres of forest shelters eight different neighborhoods, or villages, where housing ranges from apartments to palatial homes. For shopping, eating out, and entertainment, there's Town Center, plus smaller village centers. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion's outdoor amphitheater hosts live music, the Houston Ballet, and opera, and it serves as the summer home to the Houston Symphony. The Woodlands has six championship golf courses, including signature courses by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player, with a Fazio course to open in 2005, plus a public TPC. With hike and bike trails linking the many parks, swimming pools, playgrounds, skateboard parks, and basketball and tennis courts, these woods are brimming with life. For fishing or the quiet pleasures of rowing and sailing, there's Lake Woodlands. There's even a water park at The Woodlands Resort with a pool for adults, children's swim area, racing slide, waterfall, and diving cliffs.
Much of the year, life in Tyler is a bed of roses. In the spring, it's a bed of azaleas. Either way, Tyler's natural beauty colors life there strongly. In the fall, the town turns out for the Texas Rose Festival. Against the vivid surroundings of the Tyler Rose Garden (blooming with hundreds of roses, including antique varieties dating back to 1867) and the town itself, the Rose Queen is crowned, the Rose Parade makes a lively progress, and numerous other activities celebrate the town's floral glow. The festive atmosphere survives year round at the Rose Museum, where the 60-year history of the festival, the intricate art of the queen's gowns, parade floats, and interactive exhibits are fondly curated and changed quarterly. In the spring Tyler enjoys an azalea explosion, best experienced on the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail. Strolling the brick-paved streets of the Charnwood Historic District is another pleasantly genteel activity. A local hangout for art, gallery talks, and other special programs is the Tyler Museum of Art. Other Tyler pastimes include rounds of Victorian parlor games and murder mystery dinners at the restored 1878 Bonner-Whitaker McLendon House, flea market shopping at the Tyler Market Center, bumper boats at Fire Mountain Amusements, and cooling off in the spring-fed lake at...
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