Traveling to Houston, Texas whether for vacation or for business there are lots of different things to do and see. One of the most popular destinations in Houston, Texas is the NASA Johnson Space Center.

The Space Center is open from Monday-Friday 10 am – 5 pm and on weekends from 10 am – 7 pm. During the summer and holidays the hours are extended. If you are wondering about a particular time of the year when you are planning a vacation then you should check the events schedule to find out the operation hours. The Space Center is located about 25 miles from downtown Houston at 1601 NASA Parkway.

Entrance price is $18.95 for adults and children four-11 are $14.95. Seniors cost $17.95 and parking is $5. If you buy your tickets online then you will receive a special discount that you won’t receive if you buy at the gate. The best time of the year to go really depends on what you are looking for. If you like crowds then holidays and the summer are great times to go to the Space Center. But, if you like it when there are not a lot of crowds then the weekdays and winter months are better times to visit.

The audio astronaut tour at the Space exhibit is exceptional and is a great way to tour the center. As you are listening to the tour you may recognize the voices of past astronauts like John Glenn. The point of the space tour is to learn more about the history of space exploration and how the dream became a reality. There are audio tours available in English and Spanish as well as specialized tours for children. Learning the space history as you are touring the center is really incredible and makes the experience much better.

There are many attractions and exhibits including the Space Center Theatre, Blast Off Theatre, NASA Tour, the Astronaut Gallery, and Feel of Space, Starship Gallery, and the Kids Space Place . There really is something for everyone at the Space Center in Houston . There are many education programs as well. These include school visits, teacher programs, day camps, distance learning, space school, scout camp ins and education outreach.

When you are in Houston to visit the Space Center there are many places you can choose to stay. There are hotels, condos, and more for rent in Houston as well as in the surrounding areas that will allow you easy access to the Space Center as well as other destinations in and around Houston .

Students attending Texas Public Schools have many choices. They literally have a plethora of magnet programs to choose from. Depending on their grade level, they can choose to attend a school that focuses on providing the 3 Rs with a slant; the Arts, Science, Technology and Foreign Language are all examples of the different types of Texas Schools kids and their parents can choose from.

But what is a magnet school, anyway? A magnet school is a one that, while meeting the educational needs of its students by following state standards, also offers students the chance to study in a unique way. In the beginning, magnet schools were begun with the intent of ending racial segregation. Kids of all economic backgrounds could attend any school they wanted to. In some school systems, like the one that serves many Texas Schools, additional magnet programs have been developed at facilities in locations that parents may have found less than desirable without the magnet option being in place. Instituting magnet programs in Texas Schools has both attracted voluntary enrollment and achieved the desired racial balance.

What are your options? Well, there are magnet programs all throughout the Texas Schools educational system. All students – elementary, middle, and high school – can choose to attend a magnet program. Some Texas Schools programs “feed” into one another; elementary Texas Schools students who attend a performing arts magnet, for example, can continue on to a performing arts middle and high school. Many parents want to ensure their child’s academic success, and that is where the Texas Schools magnet program truly shines. Say your child is really interested in computers. I don’t mean they just like to play computer games. This kid understands all the latest technology, gets excited about tech news, and may have even taken the family PC apart. Well, the little tyke needs to attend a Science and Technology magnet program at one of the Texas Schools! The choice of programs that Texas Schools offer is truly staggering. Following is a sample of some choices in Texas Schools located in Dallas and Houston:

DALLAS HOUSTON K-5 Visual Arts (grades 4-5) Fine; Creative; and Performing Arts Leadership (grades 4-5) Leadership; Communication 6-8 Arts (grades 7-8) Fine; Performing Arts Environmental Science Math & Science; Tech & Spanish Career Exploratory Architecture & Graphic Design Law Languages; Physical Development 9-12 Health Professions Meteorology & Space Sciences Education & Social Services Leadership Academy Business & Management International Studies

Why should you choose a Texas Schools magnet for your child? I confess that I never knew until it was time for my own children to enroll in school. For our family, sending the kids to a magnet school was a better option than attending our “neighborhood school”. Our children attend a Performing Arts magnet; this choice reflecting my desire to give the kids some early exposure to the arts, since I studied music through college. For my husband, this was a chance to give his children a chance that he never had – exposure to an arts education.

So go ahead, Texas Schools parents, and give magnet schools a try!