When you mention beaches near Houston, everyone's first thought typically trends toward Galveston. However, Galveston's many beaches are not the only ones close enough for a day trip, and while we've trekked down there plenty of times, it's definitely not the end-all-be-all. In fact, one of our favorite spots is the quiet town of Surfside where the beach is clean and full of sand (not seaweed).

The Noah's Ark Pool in the Quillian Center (a facility operated by First Methodist Houston) is the perfect combination of a pool and splash pad with shallow water for toddlers to easily stand in, as well as several slides and many water features. You see, my son loves the water. He will let waves crash over him with reckless abandon at the beach, he lives for days spent in the backyard at his water table and he's out the door and running to the splash pad before the car is even fully in park. What he does not love, however, is swimming in pools where he can't touch the bottom.  All of this means we spend a lot of time at splash pads, because he's able to experience a healthy dose of water play without worrying about if he can touch the bottom or not, and it's why we love going to Noah's Ark.

While tequila and margaritas may have become staples for Cinco de Mayo parties everywhere, this hasn't always been the case. In fact, May 5 actually has a lot of rich cultural heritage, dating all the way back to 1862 when the Mexican Army proved victorious over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Over the years, the day has become a great source of Mexican pride... and also a good excuse for people to get together and fiesta. 

Whether it's a morning spent exploring the holiday's history at the Children's Museum or diving into a Mexican feast and enjoying live music at one of this year's kid-friendly celebrations, we challenge you to bring back some of that cultural awareness this year... and have some good, old-fashioned family fun in the process.