More and more people are getting wise to the fact that one of the best places to do some canoeing runs right through the center of Houston. Whenever we feel the need to get our hands on a canoe and do a little paddling on the water, we head straight for Buffalo Bayou, where we can commune with nature right in the middle of the city. There are stretches — particularly the areas running through River Oaks (go figure) — that are still wild and verdant, and on our trips down the waterway, we've been able to see great blue herons and take in the natural beauty of Houston that is so easy to overlook while navigating through the daily hustle and bustle of urban life. Put in at Sabine Street near downtown, paddle up to Shepherd at sunset and, from a view possible only on the water, watch the bats fly out.