Preschooler-friendly activities in Bayport/La Porte/Houston/IAH areas with LUGGAGE CH

[anonmom]

Sailing on Jade from Bayport in January. Returning Sunday morning, 8 am. Flying out from IAH @ 3:30 pm. I realize there might be fog and we might need all that time to dock, disembark, get back to IAH.

 

But, assuming we arrive on schedule, we will have about 5 hours to kill, and we will have a reasonable amount of luggage with us (probably 1 large checked bag and 2 carry on rollaboards).

 

It will be me (39 at the time), my partner (31), and daughter (almost 5).

 

We would want something that is pretty much on the way from Bayport cruise terminal to IAH, si that we can take one Uber from the port to the attraction and then another from the attraction to IAH. Bayport, Kemah, La Porte, Clear Lake, Downtown Houston, Humble, etc. would all be fine.

 

The one thing we need is someplace to stow our bags. We like anything to do with nature, walking trails, parks, playgrounds, museums, science, culture, theater, fine dining, live sports, etc. No interest in shopping.

 

I know NCL has "excursions" that bring you to the space center or on a city tour, but the price is too high for what you get, IMO.

 

Thanks!

[Starry Eyes]

Opinions vary, but with luggage and child, it sounds like more trouble than it is worth, especially if all those place you have read about are just "fine", not a must see or must do.

Why not just enjoy a more leisurely morning with breakfast on the ship. Plan to be one of the last ones off, then go through luggage claim, custom and immigration then Uber all the way to iah. Check in, have lunch, browse airport shops and it will be time to fly.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Starry Eyes

[ssb]

I don't know about luggage but

 

Children's Museum Houston in Museum District

 

Children's Museum Galveston in Moody Mansion Museum

[anonmom]

Opinions vary, but with luggage and child, it sounds like more trouble than it is worth, especially if all those place you have read about are just "fine", not a must see or must do.

Why not just enjoy a more leisurely morning with breakfast on the ship. Plan to be one of the last ones off, then go through luggage claim, custom and immigration then Uber all the way to iah. Check in, have lunch, browse airport shops and it will be time to fly.

 

This was my original plan, but when I posted to ask what the longest we could stay in our cabins/on the ship was, people said that we would probably have to be out of our rooms by 8:30 and off the ship by 10 am!

[anonmom]

I don't know about luggage but

 

Children's Museum Houston in Museum District

 

Children's Museum Galveston in Moody Mansion Museum

 

I was thinking about the children's museum in Houston, but I can't find any information on whether they can store larger items like luggage. Their website only mentions stroller parking and lockers. I'm guessing the lockers won't be big enough for suitcases, but would love to hear from anyone who has visited and seen the actual storage available.

 

We definitely do not want to go all the way down to Galveston.

[Starry Eyes]

This was my original plan, but when I posted to ask what the longest we could stay in our cabins/on the ship was, people said that we would probably have to be out of our rooms by 8:30 and off the ship by 10 am!

 

Yes, if ship is timely and disembarkation progresses as quickly as cruiseline hopes, you vacate room at about 8:30 as courtesy to your steward, then go to breakfast, hang out on pool deck or wherever. Get off with last of the passengers at about 9:30-10 am or so. The claim luggage, wait in line for customs and immigration, leaving terminal building about 10:30-11 am. Call uber, and head to iah, arriving at 11:30-12 or so. Check in and get rid of checked luggage. Go thru security. Sit down and have lunch, browse shops. Maybe find child play area or art display or something as some airports have them. Or maybe go airline club if you qualify. Go to gate. Fly. Not an exciting day, but in big picture, it is not all that much time to kill....I have had longer layovers than that.

 

There is lots to do in the Houston area, but the luggage strikes me as a substantial hassle. With so many security concerns, one rarely sees luggage lockers in the states anymore. Maybe you'll find a locker, but I doubt it. You could go to a hotel and ask porters to keep luggage for you...might work...won't know til you ask. Or you could take uber to a car rental location, pick up a one way rental car, stow luggage in trunk, then drive to museum or mall or park or whatever, then drive north and drop car at iah. That is what I'd do if i had an evening flight. For an afternoon flight, I'd just have as leisurely a morning as possible and kill some time at airport along with loads of others killing time at airport.

[NMLady]

Because of the luggage I second the suggestion to get to a car rental place and rent a car so you have a trunk for your luggage and can then drive to your chosen destination.

 

Or, if you have a leisurely morning aboard ship so you are last off about 10am, then after immigration & customs, take taxi or the ship transfer to airport, by the time you get there, check in and go through security, it won't really be that long of a wait until boarding time for your flight.

Edited October 25, 2015 by NMLady

[anonmom]

The problem is that we really only have an extra 2.5 hours, so not long enough to make a car rental worth it.

 

IAH does not really have anything like the kids museum area at ORD. We fly through there a couple of times/year and with longer layovers we do just pay for a United club pass. But we are flying Delta on this trip, and they do not have a club with for-fee access at IAH; you must actually be an international passenger to use the KLM/Air France clubs.

 

Maybe we're best off just finding a playground/park near IAH? I would like a place where my daughter could use up a little energy outside at least instead of just wandering around the airport for 3-4 hours.

[PenguinLife]

The problem is there really is not much near IAH except airport motels, freeways, and commercial buildings, much the same can be said about the area around the bayport terminal, all heavy industry and commercial stuff, and is much the same for most of the drive from the port to IAH, its just not exactly the most scenic part of Houston. About the only thing I can think of along the way between those two points is the Battleship Texas and the San Jacinto battlefield historic site (across the road from each other). Again the problem would be lack of place to store luggage. (as a trivial side point my grandfather served about the battleship Texas in the 1920's)