Houston to Montgomery Road Trip Guide
Introduction
Houston is the metro hub of Southeastern Texas. It has the largest population of any city in Texas and has the fourth-largest population of any city in the US. With that large population comes an abundance of great things to do for the whole family. One of the key attractions in the area is the NASA Johnson Space Center which acts as mission control for US space flights as well as the training center for the astronauts which man them. Tours of Johnson Space Center are conducted through Space Center Houston. The tours cover the mission control and training center complexes as well as exhibits covering the Apollo/Gemini era, the Space Shuttle, the Mars Mission, and the International Space Station. There is also a look at the Space X/Falcon 9 rockets which is coming soon. Other great family-friendly activities in Houston include the Children's Museum of Houston, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor SplashTown, and Buffalo Bayou which offers all sorts of outdoor activities and tours near the city.
Eastlake RV Resort is a great place to stay while in Houston. It's located on the Northeast side of the city with easy access to I-10. They have nice paved sites and all the amenities you'll need for an enjoyable stay in Houston.
The trip to Montgomery is a flat, easy trip across the south. Simply take I-10 east which will take you to Mobile, AL. From Mobile, take I-65 up to Montgomery.
Point of Interest
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center
Located in Orange, TX, Just south of I-10 a few miles east of Beaumont, TX is the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. This beautiful facility is just over 250 acres along the Adams Bayou. This park includes several buildings and greenhouses which house indoor gardens, a theater and other exhibits that are designed to teach visitors about the sustainable design and construction practices they used on-site. There is also a broad range of outdoor gardens including a children's garden to enjoy as well. One interesting indoor exhibit is the epiphyte house. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants but are not parasitic. There are many common varieties that grow in the south, Spanish Moss being one of the most obvious.
Outdoors there are several trails that wind throughout the park. With it's proximity to the bayou and the coastal waters of the gulf, the bird watching here is outstanding. So good, in fact, that they often hold bird watching and bird photography events in the park.
Oak Leaf Park Campground is located just off of I-10 a couple of miles west of Orange. If you want to stay overnight in the area, this a great place to stop.
Cash and Carry Farmer's Market
The Cash & Carry Farmers Market in Lake Charles, LA is a great place to stop and pick up fresh supplies for your trip. This outstanding farmers market is open on Tuesdays from 4 – 6 pm in the historic Cash and Carry building just south of I-10 in downtown Lake Charles. Here you'll find local farm products like fresh free-range chicken eggs, fruits, vegetables, raw honey, and grass-fed beef. They also have many home-baked products and live music to entertain you s you shop. This is a great market located indoors so it's open rain or shine.
Twelve Oaks RV Park is a good place to set up camp for the night. It's located on the northeast side of town and provides a great basecamp to visit the market and the other attractions in the area.
Cajun Country Swamp Tour
Cajun Country Swamp Tours provides swamp eco-tours in the Breaux Bridge area of Louisiana. As you drive I-10 you'll pass over large areas of swamp and bayou which are key to the lifestyle of the residents in this area. The best way to get down and really experience this environment is to hop on one of the tours offered here.
Cajun Country Swamp Tours offers two different two hours tours. One covers the basin backwaters and the other covers the Atchafalaya River. These are two different regions within the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp’s 800,000+ acres. Each tour is guided by a knowledgable local guide onboard an open crawfish skiff. These boats can carry up to 24 people and have a shallow hull which allows you to get into the interesting parts of the swamp. In those areas, you'll see alligators, egrets, herons, cypress trees, nutria, otter and other inhabitants of the swamp.
A great place to stay in the area is the Lafayette KOA Holiday. This park is located right off of I-10 is only about 30 minutes from the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Welcome Center where one of the tours begins.
Taranto's Crawfish Po'Boys and Seafood
When visiting the gulf coast there are three local foods which you have to try. Crawfish, Po'boys and local seafood. Taranto's, located in Biloxi, Mississippi, is one of the best places where you can sample all three. This highly rated restaurant is a family-friendly down-home casual place where the food is the focus. This is exactly the type of environment to enjoy a huge steaming heap of freshly boiled crawfish, a Po'boy stuffed with shrimp, or other great fresh local seafood. In addition to the great food and atmosphere, they also have first-rate service and prices that are hard to beat.
For an overnight in the area, try the Cajun RV Park. This outstanding 130 site RV park has great amenities and is located right across the street from the beach. It makes for a great base camp while visiting the local beaches and attractions located here in Biloxi.
Summary
Located in the south-central part of Alabama, Montgomery is the capital city of the state and in many regards the capital of the civil rights movement in the US. As a major city in the deep south, Montgomery played a big role in the civil rights movements and there are several excellent museums and landmarks in the city dealing with those events. One of the best museums to explore that time in American history is the Rosa Parks Library and Museum. This museum is dedicated to teaching visitors about the actions of Rosa Parks in 1955 which led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, also known as the “National Lynching Memorial” has two sites, the memorial site and a museum. The two sites are less than a mile apart and you can walk between them or take the provided shuttle service. This museum and memorial is the only one of its type in the US dedicated to the memory of African and African American people who perished or suffered from torture or other persecution over the last 300 years.
General Alabama history is covered in excellent detail at the Alabama State Archives and History Museum. This outstanding facility covers Alabama history from early American times to the present day. They have thousands of artifacts spread over a broad range of exhibits that tell the story of how Alabama developed over the past 300 years.
Whenever visiting a new area or town, it's always a good idea to sample the local food. There are two great choices here. Martin's Restaurant is a highly rated family-friendly place where you can get down-home southern classics like fried catfish, BBQ pork ribs, fried chicken and country fried steak. With a simple homey atmosphere and great service, Martin's is hard to beat if you are looking for a down-home southern dining experience. Cahawba House is another great choice. It's a bit more upscale and they take a more creative approach to their food, but it is still excellent southern cuisine and the service is awesome too.
The Woods RV Park located on the southwest side of town is a good place to stay while in the area. It is conveniently located off I-65 just a few minutes from downtown.
