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Best Scenic View

Westpark Drive railroad bridge

In a city not especially known for its scenery, Houston can still surprise you. Heading west on Westpark, just past the Fox 26 studios and with the Houston Chronicle compound looming a little further down the way, look to the northwest and you'll be dazzled by a postcard-perfect view of Uptown, an aesthetically pleasing jumble of condominiums, hotels and office buildings dominated by the Williams Tower and a couple of high-rise construction projects. Turn your head 180 degrees and you'll see Greenway Plaza and Lakewood Church; 90 degrees more and it's the glass towers of the Med Center poking above the lawns of West U. Turn one more time and you'll see railroad tracks, an electrical substation and a pair of huge water storage tanks — the stark, utilitarian beauty of infrastructure that's all too easily taken for granted.

Best Place to Ride Go-Karts

Speedy's Fast Track

Photo by Tony Harrison via CC

This mega-party-place has your standard go-karts, your "superkarts," your two-seaters and your wicked F1 model, which tops out at approximately 30 mph. Whenever we ride in one of those bad boys, we feel like Mario Andretti. Sometimes we like to mix it up and fit in a trip to the arcade, or to the vast laser tag and mini golf courses. This place has it all – and there's plenty of great party packages and other discounts to choose from. The kids will love it, and so will you.

Best Bike Trail

Memorial Park

Photo by Bill Jacobus via CC

Memorial Park offers some of Houston's best mountain bike trails. Seven miles of color-coded dirt trails snake around the southwest quadrant of the park, from the easy green to the challenging blue and brown trails. For road cyclists, the paved Memorial Park Trail runs from the 610 Loop east through the park. A future section of greenway will connect the trail to Buffalo Bayou Park and downtown. But who needs to leave Memorial Park? The mile-long Picnic Loop is good for as many laps as you need.

Best Play-by-Play Announcer

Jeremy Branham, Houston Dynamo

Photo by Marco Torres

In a city with some pretty well-established, exceptional play-by-play voices across the major sports, the one whose sound registers as clearly "big league" from the first word you hear is, ironically, the voice for the most niche of the "big league" teams in town — that of Houston Dynamo play-by-play announcer Jeremy Branham. The 2017 season marked Branham's second of describing not just Dynamo action, but any soccer assignment of any type, and that fact may best encapsulate why Branham is so good — you'd never know it when listening to him that the Dynamo is his first soccer announcing gig. Big league baseball, football and basketball play-by-play guys generally hone their skills at lower levels of their sports first. Branham has been able to convey that same level of knowledge and passion, comparatively, on the fly. In addition to his Dynamo duties, Branham handles radio play-by-play for various University of Houston sports, sideline duties for the Cougar football team and U of H studio shows on ROOT Sports. Enjoy Branham while he's still doing these assignments in Houston, because his sound and work ethic will undoubtedly take him to bigger assignments down the road.

Best Sports Franchise

Houston Astros

Photo by Jack Gorman

They say it's always darkest before the dawn, and if that's the case, then the 2013 season for the Houston Astros was the darkest shade of black known to baseball-loving mankind. During that season, the Astros won 51 games, far and away the worst year in franchise history. Well, from those ashes a phoenix has risen, and in 2017, the Astros won their 51st game on June 24, a solid two weeks before the All-Star Break. Now, ask any baseball experts which MLB team is best positioned for long-term success, and the Houston Astros are on their short list. The Astros have a core nucleus of young franchise players in their twenties — Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers, to name a few — and a payroll that allows them flexibility going forward in locking up some of those pieces to long-term deals. Since the Houston Rockets won the 1995 NBA title, the city has been in a championship drought — but of all the local teams, the Astros have the best chance to break it.

Best Sports Role Model

Wade Smith

Photo by Christopher Brown via CC

Originally from the Dallas area, former Houston Texans offensive lineman Wade Smith decided to make Houston his permanent home during his four seasons (2010-2013) as the team's starting left guard. The big winner in Smith's decision to settle in Houston after his 12-season run in the National Football League ended: the hundreds of kids whom Smith has helped become more proficient in reading. Through his Wade Smith Foundation, Smith continues to convey his lifelong passion for reading by launching initiatives targeting child literacy, most notably the release of two children's books addressing literacy and bullying, and events like July's "Smitty's Day at the Park," where Smith and several of his former NFL teammates conducted a free football camp at Levy Park for kids grades K-6. The only condition kids needed to fulfill for attending the camp? They had to read one book and answer questions about it on their registration form. The participation of former teammates and NFL alums in Smith-related events, everything from the day at Levy Park to a July roast of Smith, which also raised money for his foundation, is a sure sign of peer respect for not only an NFL career well played, but Smith's service to others during and after his playing days.

Best Health and Fitness Enterprise

Life Time Athletic

Photo by Vic via CC

Life Time is unrivaled when it comes to the flashy amenities and fitness perks that come with a membership. It's the kind of fitness club where, if you do it right, you can turn indoor rock climbing into a weekly workout. Where you can learn squash or racquetball just because. Where yoga, pilates and cycling group classes are easily accessible. The top-notch cardio and weights floor is open 24/7. Afterward, cool off in the pool or get sweaty in the sauna. The spa and cafe are open to anyone.

Best Picnic Spot

Miller Outdoor Theatre

You don't have to see a performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre to enjoy a picnic on the hill in Hermann Park, but if you're going there anyway, why not? It's one of the best date-night spots in the city, and all you need is a blanket, a cooler and some refreshments for a memorable evening. Throw in some alcohol and a little Shakespeare, and it might rank as one of your best nights of the year.

Best Of Houston®

2017 Best of Houston

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