5 Reasons You Need to Visit The Woodlands, TX
*This post is sponsored by Visit The Woodlands. All opinions are 100% my own.
The Woodlands has a special place in my heart and I was so happy to visit through the eyes of a tourist last week. The Woodlands is located about 30 miles north of Houston and is very close to the town I grew up in. I spent so much time there as a child and teenager that The Woodlands Mall practically raised me. While I was already familiar with many of The Woodlands highlights and geography, I was excited to discover some new spots and see how it has changed over the years.
The Woodlands is a very family-friendly destination, making it an ideal place to visit with the kids. All of the residents, business owners and workers that we encountered were extremely kind and personable, making our visit even more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun family getaway this summer, The Woodlands is a great spot to consider. Here’s why!
THE WOODLANDS WATERWAY
The Waterway is a must-see when visiting The Woodlands. In fact, most things you do will involve The Waterway somehow. The Waterway winds its way through acres of prime destinations in The Woodlands. Dozens of restaurants overlook The Waterway, with several spots offering live music and other entertainment options.
Swan Boat Rental at Riva Row Boathouse
One option along The Waterway is to rent a swan paddle boat (or other watercraft) from Riva Row Boathouse. Talk about a childhood dream come true for me! The swan boats were so cute and idyllic- just fantastic! My mother and I were easily able to paddle the boat without much exertion, while the kids enjoyed the view of The Waterway, ducks and turtles from the back seat. Other water recreation rentals available from Riva Row include kayaks, stand up paddle boards and water bikes. During the summer months, my recommendation is to go either early in the morning (first reservation available at 9:00 am) or last thing in the evening (last reservation available at 7:00 pm) to avoid the heat of the day and the Texas sun. Truly some awesome memories!
Restaurant Row & Rock the Row
You won’t want to miss what’s known as Restaurant Row at Hughes Landing. This row of restaurants overlook The Waterway and a boardwalk area and include options such as Del Frisco’s Grille, Truluck’s, The Blue Fish, Escalante’s Fine Tex-Mex & Tequila, Fogo de Chao and Local Pour, among others. It was such a delight to dine on the patios at Hughes Landing and watch the evening kayakers and ducks coming in for the night while listening to live music from the Rock the Row outdoor stage. Various local artists perform live at Rock the Row at Hughes Landing on Thursday evenings in June, July and August. Coolers, picnic baskets, blankets and chairs are permitted, so go prepared for an evening of live music fun. Dancing is highly recommended!
EXCEPTIONAL DINING
We had the absolute pleasure of enjoying several of The Woodland’s restaurants during our visit. There are literally dozens of dining options in The Woodlands, and the ones we ate at were all fantastic. Here are a few we enjoyed.
Escalante’s Fine Tex-Mex & Tequila
Located on Restaurant Row at Hughes Landing, the patio of Escalante’s Fine Tex-Mex & Tequila overlooks Lake Woodlands. We went just as the sun was setting and it was very scenic and beautiful! I highly recommend the shrimp ceviche and any of the enchiladas. And the margaritas are large and in charge- not to be missed! The kid’s menu also offered plenty of options that my kids loved. Tex-Mex on the water is my favorite!
MACARON by Patisse
No meal is complete without dessert in my book, so after our dinner at Escalante’s, we walked across the street and picked out the most exquisite and delicious macarons at MACARON by Patisse. These French macarons come in a wide range of flavors and combos from traditional chocolate and strawberry to more daring Fruity Pebbles and birthday cake. They were all so good! I especially loved the lavender white chocolate and my kids devoured the Fruity Pebbles while walking the boardwalk. Gluten free options are also available!
Peli Peli South African Kitchen
I admit that I was a little nervous to try Peli Peli South African Kitchen as I am not usually much of an adventurous eater. But everything on the menu sounded delightful and, you guys… IT WAS! I tried several “shebeen”- South African pub food- dishes and was so impressed. Of special note were the shrimp Mozambique and ribeye trinchado. My picky eater son even enjoyed the kid’s menu options. Win-win! Our first foray into South African cuisine was superb and with its convenient location at the outdoor market area of The Woodlands Mall, I know we’ll be back to Peli Peli every chance we get.
Shake Shack
Also located at The Woodlands Mall area, Shake Shack is always a must for our family. I love that this one is so conveniently located at the mall as an alternative to the traditional food court. And the way it is situated on the green turf courtyard is perfect for wrangling kids AND cheese fries! My kids aren’t always in the headspace to hit up a “fancy” restaurant after spinning on the carousel and playing tag on the green, so this Shake Shack is perfect for us.
THE WOODLANDS RESORT
While in The Woodlands, we stayed at The Woodlands Resort, a 350-acre, family-friendly vacation destination tucked into the woods and just a few miles from all the action in The Woodlands. The resort is truly an oasis in the forest, offering luxury accommodations, on-site dining options and tons of family fun.
Forest Oasis Waterpark
Unsurprisingly, we spent the vast majority of our time at The Woodlands Resort at the Forest Oasis Waterpark. The kids (and grown ups!) had a blast swimming in the multiple pools, splashing down the many waterslides, navigating the 1,005-foot long lazy river and dining poolside. While there are security guards and food servers filtering throughout the waterpark, there are no lifeguards on duty. But there are plenty of poolside lounge chairs and seating from which to observe the water, or just jump in yourself. It’s delightfully fun!
Accommodations
We were lucky enough to experience two types of rooms at The Woodlands Resort. Our first night at the resort, we were in a walk-out pool room. This room was a lot of fun and so convenient. Located on the first floor, a large sliding door opened onto our own patio overlooking the pool. Walk down the sidewalk and through the gate and- bam!- you’re ready to swim! It was so nice to be able to so quickly and easily run back to the room for extra sunscreen, pool toys or anything else we forgot in the room.
Our second night at the resort was spent in a third floor room overlooking the golf course and a small pond. This room was equally as nice as the walk-out pool room. What we gave up in location convenience to the pool, we made up for in peace and tranquility in this room.
On-Site Dining Options
Once we arrived at The Woodlands Resort after our day of fun out and about in The Woodlands, we ate almost all of our meals on the resort property. We were very impressed with the menu for the Cool Water Cafe, which serves items ranging from nachos and wings to salads and hot dogs for the kids poolside. And the drinks from the Cool Water Cafe are not to be missed either. Be sure to try The Oasis cocktail on a hot summer day! We ate lunches and dinners poolside from Cool Water Cafe during our stay.
For breakfast, we ventured across the resort to The Woodlands Dining Room. Located in the resort’s conference center building, The Woodlands Dining Room offers a full breakfast buffet along with a made-to-order omelet, pancake and waffle station. Fresh pastries and fruit are also available in abundance, as is the coffee and chocolate milk.
Other on-site dining options at The Woodlands Resort include Back Table Kitchen & Bar and in-room dining.
Activities for Kids
While The Woodlands Resort caters to all sorts of travelers, from destination golfers, businesspeople, couples and families, it is also extremely kid-friendly. The Forest Oasis Waterpark is probably the biggest draw for most kids, but there are also other children and family programming options to explore, such as daily arts and crafts time, nightly movies on the lawn, s’mores fire pits and on-site bike rentals to explore the grounds and surrounding wooded trails.
SHOPPING
There are many fabulous and upscale shopping centers in The Woodlands, but the two standouts are The Woodlands Mall and Market Street. We visited both during our stay in The Woodlands.
The Woodlands Mall
I grew up going to The Woodlands Mall and spent many a day there as a teenager. It was such a joy to go back and see what has remained the same and what has changed. And talk about changes! The Woodlands has done such a good job with improving and expanding The Woodlands Mall area over the years. There is now an entire outdoor shopping area that surrounds a turfed courtyard, perfect for taking a shopping break with the kids and grabbing a burger on the Shake Shack patio. The Woodlands Mall is home to many mall staples, such as Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Pottery Barn, but also a few unique stores such as Typo by Cotton:On (think quirky gifts, stationary and fun flair pens). The Woodlands Mall area is also full of fantastic restaurants such as P.F. Chang’s, Peli Peli South African Kitchen (do not miss this one!), Torchy’s Tacos, Brio and many more. We of course had to top off our mall experience with a spin on the iconic mall carousel, which is the same as when I was a little girl. Swoon!
Market Street
No, not the grocery store… This Market Street is an upscale, outdoor shopping center located just a couple miles from The Woodlands Mall. This shopping center concept features stores and restaurants such as Kendra Scott, Sur La Table, True Food Kitchen, Tommy Bahama’s and even a movie theatre surrounding a large turfed courtyard. And the courtyard is where it’s at! Pack the kids’ swimsuits because the Market Street courtyard features a fun splash pad as well as lawn games like cornhole. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
ALL THE TREES!
It’s called The Woodlands for a reason! The Woodlands is a unique town for many reasons, but a big one that stands out is the trees! When The Woodlands was designed and built, it’s clear that the goal was to leave as many tall pine and other native Texas trees as possible. The Woodlands is densely wooded, with even many gas stations and fast food restaurants nestled among groves of tall trees. There are also miles of walking and biking trails that meander through the forests and waterways. We brought a little bit of The Woodlands home with us and can’t wait to plant our own towering pine trees.
We truly loved our time in The Woodlands and at The Woodlands Resort. A quick 3.5 hour drive from the Frisco area, The Woodlands is the perfect place for a quick family getaway where everyone will have fun, whether that’s hitting the golf courses at The Woodlands Resort, splashing the day away at the Forest Oasis Waterpark, shopping till you drop or peddling a swan into the sunset. The Woodlands has it all!