A sunset cruise departing from the Pier 6 marina (photo by Sabrina Miskelly)
Step aboard a 43-foot power catamaran and enjoy a coastal cruise along Galveston Bay, Clear Lake and Kemah every other Wednesday evening; the $150 per person cost includes two craft cocktails and chef-curated appetizers before the hour-long excursion. There’s an early cruise (cocktails at 5:30pm; departure at 6:15pm) and a late cruise (cocktails at 7:15pm; departure at 8pm). The yacht conveniently docks at the Pier 6 marina, and guests are invited to stay for dinner and hang on the decked-out, two-story covered patio.
Optionally, boaters can extend their night further, booking a stay at the Pier 6 Bungalows, renovated and owned by restaurateur Raz Halili. And the restaurant can coordinate other private yacht charters and dock parties, too.
The power catamaran docked at Pier 6 (photo by Kimberly Park)
Pier 6's patio (photo by Kirsten Gilliam)
Pier 6's patio (photo by Kirsten Gilliam)
Oysters on the half shell (photo by Becca Wright)
Cocktails (photo by Kimberly Park)
All week, visitors to the Arboretum are invited to watch the goats happily chomping away in areas where it is unsafe for humans or heavy machinery to operate. The grazing area is accessible to the public from either entrance and is between a quarter- and half-mile mile walk, depending on which trails you take to get there.
“This eco-friendly alternative to commercial mowing and herbicides is working,” says Debbie Markey, Executive Director of the Arboretum. “And it doesn’t hurt that they are a big draw for the public, especially families with young children.”
Looking at Rent-A-Ruminant co-owner Kyle Carr’s photos of the goats in action, it’s easy to see why these ravenous ruminants are so much fun to observe. Visitors to the Arboretum are welcome to view the goats at work but the staff asks that guests do not touch, engage with, or feed the animals, for the safety of both the animals and people.
Carr and his wife Carolyn operate a ranch in Brownwood, Texas, and have close to 250 goats in their herd, half of whom travel across the state to provide natural mowing services. (We’re told each goat has a name but are unable to confirm that!) This will be the fifth time the goats have visited the Houston Arboretum, which serves over 600,000 visitors annually and is one of the first nature education facilities for children in the state.
- Here’s Where to Chill Out for National Ice Cream Month ›
- Just in Time for Summer Fun, Arboretum ‘Nature Playscape’ Now Open ›