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Best Frisbee Golf Course

Rice University disc golf course

Discriminating disc golf players laud Rice University's object course for having the best variety of surfaces and air clearance. A combination of streets, gravel and lawn, the 18-hole course includes wide expanses where players can really open up and let fly, as well as tight corridors and hazards. The front nine ends at Valhalla, the Rice grad student bar, perfect for chugging cheap beer and upping (or lowering) the level of difficulty. The bar's bulletin board has a course map with par information and scorecards. Keep your wits: Public safety officers have been known to harass off-campus guests, so play friendly.

Best Frisbee Golf Course

Rice University disc golf course

Discriminating disc golf players laud Rice University's object course for having the best variety of surfaces and air clearance. A combination of streets, gravel and lawn, the 18-hole course includes wide expanses where players can really open up and let fly, as well as tight corridors and hazards. The front nine ends at Valhalla, the Rice grad student bar, perfect for chugging cheap beer and upping (or lowering) the level of difficulty. The bar's bulletin board has a course map with par information and scorecards. Keep your wits: Public safety officers have been known to harass off-campus guests, so play friendly.

Best Ice Rink

Aerodrome

Boy, it's not easy picking the best ice rink in Houston. There are just so many...But even without hordes of competitors, the Aerodrome in Sugar Land stands out. It's the practice home of the Houston Aeros, so obviously the rink has to be in top shape. And the connection with the team makes the Aerodrome the best place to go for Aeros and hockey gear (if you ever need a mini-Zamboni with the team's logo, you're in luck). There's also a wide selection of all the stuff you need to be a serious figure skater -- from skirts to scrunchies to crash pads. The public skating sessions are plentiful, and at night the music can range from jazz to country. Even if this were Boston, the Aerodrome would still be a serious contender for top rink.

Best Ice Rink

Aerodrome

Boy, it's not easy picking the best ice rink in Houston. There are just so many...But even without hordes of competitors, the Aerodrome in Sugar Land stands out. It's the practice home of the Houston Aeros, so obviously the rink has to be in top shape. And the connection with the team makes the Aerodrome the best place to go for Aeros and hockey gear (if you ever need a mini-Zamboni with the team's logo, you're in luck). There's also a wide selection of all the stuff you need to be a serious figure skater -- from skirts to scrunchies to crash pads. The public skating sessions are plentiful, and at night the music can range from jazz to country. Even if this were Boston, the Aerodrome would still be a serious contender for top rink.

Best Comet

Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes has been a regular winner in our Best Comet category since the WNBA came into existence in 1997, and for good reason. Swoopes was the league's first superstar, and she's never done anything but carry that title with class. She came back from both a debilitating ACL injury and a pregnancy, which ain't no walk in the park either. She was the first woman to have a sneaker named after her; she now has four different sneaks, including the new Air Tuned Swoopes. A two-time MVP, the 32-year-old forward is no longer in her prime as a player, but as a children's author, as the head of the Sheryl Swoopes Foundation for Youth, and as a budding sports broadcaster, she's still at the top of her game.

Best Comet

Sheryl Swoopes

Sheryl Swoopes has been a regular winner in our Best Comet category since the WNBA came into existence in 1997, and for good reason. Swoopes was the league's first superstar, and she's never done anything but carry that title with class. She came back from both a debilitating ACL injury and a pregnancy, which ain't no walk in the park either. She was the first woman to have a sneaker named after her; she now has four different sneaks, including the new Air Tuned Swoopes. A two-time MVP, the 32-year-old forward is no longer in her prime as a player, but as a children's author, as the head of the Sheryl Swoopes Foundation for Youth, and as a budding sports broadcaster, she's still at the top of her game.

Best Park

Donovan Park

Donovan Park should be called Donovan Land. The sprawling wooden kid-world could make even the most unimaginative tyke imagine he's the ruler of a vast kingdom. Turrets, bridges and secret compartments link the more typical playground accessories: slides, jungle gyms, climbing nets, swings and the like. The park is surrounded by trees and grassy hills; shaded areas with benches will please parents. But they won't be so happy when it's time to collect the children. There are many hiding places at the playground, and it's no easy task to talk the little kings and queens down.

Best Park

Donovan Park

Donovan Park should be called Donovan Land. The sprawling wooden kid-world could make even the most unimaginative tyke imagine he's the ruler of a vast kingdom. Turrets, bridges and secret compartments link the more typical playground accessories: slides, jungle gyms, climbing nets, swings and the like. The park is surrounded by trees and grassy hills; shaded areas with benches will please parents. But they won't be so happy when it's time to collect the children. There are many hiding places at the playground, and it's no easy task to talk the little kings and queens down.

Best Bird-Watching

High Island

Each spring, avid birders from around the globe make a pilgrimage to High Island to see one of the most famed birding spots in the world. And Houstonians are lucky enough to have it (almost) in our backyard. Located about 80 miles from the city on the Gulf Coast, High Island serves as a rest stop for the exhausted neotropical birds that fly across the Gulf of Mexico each spring. If you visit then, you may be lucky enough to spot a hooded warbler, a red-eyed vireo or a red-breasted grosbeak (they're much prettier than they sound). Sanctuaries are maintained by the Houston Audubon Society, and several grandstands have been erected for easy birding. Although March through May is peak visiting season, there's almost always a feathered friend to spot in the lush foliage.

Best Bird-Watching

High Island

Each spring, avid birders from around the globe make a pilgrimage to High Island to see one of the most famed birding spots in the world. And Houstonians are lucky enough to have it (almost) in our backyard. Located about 80 miles from the city on the Gulf Coast, High Island serves as a rest stop for the exhausted neotropical birds that fly across the Gulf of Mexico each spring. If you visit then, you may be lucky enough to spot a hooded warbler, a red-eyed vireo or a red-breasted grosbeak (they're much prettier than they sound). Sanctuaries are maintained by the Houston Audubon Society, and several grandstands have been erected for easy birding. Although March through May is peak visiting season, there's almost always a feathered friend to spot in the lush foliage.

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