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Are you looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Houston city life? Luckily, there are plenty of options available for day trips that will allow you to explore the beauty and diversity of the surrounding areas.

One of the top picks for a day trip from Houston is Galveston Island, located just 50 miles away from the city. This barrier island offers a range of activities, from relaxing on the beach to strolling along the Strand Historic District and its shops and restaurants. Don't miss the chance to visit the Moody Gardens, featuring a stunning aquarium, rainforest, and other amazing exhibits.

Another great option to escape the city's heat is to head to Lake Conroe, located about an hour north of Houston. This picturesque lake is perfect for swimming, fishing, and boating. You can also explore scenic parks and trails around the lake, such as the W.G. Jones State Forest.

If you're more interested in history and culture, consider heading to San Antonio, about three hours southwest of Houston. The Alamo, Spanish colonial architecture, and the famous Riverwalk make San Antonio an ideal destination for a day trip full of sightseeing and learning about Texas history.

Last but not least, nature lovers should not miss a visit to Brazos Bend State Park, located just an hour southwest of Houston. This wildlife preserve boasts over 5,000 acres of wetlands and forests, as well as an impressive population of alligators. It's a great spot for hiking, fishing, birdwatching, and more.

In conclusion, there are many fantastic day trips options from Houston that offer something for everyone, from relaxation to exploration and adventure. So pack your bags, hop in your car, and discover what the surrounding areas have to offer!

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After being selected by the Houston Texans with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud already had leadership on his mind.

Speaking to reporters, Stroud said he wanted to be a leader for the Texans both vocally and by example, continuing what he did for Ohio State football as its starting quarterback in 2021 and 2022. And he made it clear that he's used to being under the spotlight.

"That's something I think I bring to the table very well coming from a place like Ohio State where the quarterback is... other than LeBron (James), you're right under LeBron," Stroud said. "You're the leader of the whole state. I feel like I got good practice there."

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In two seasons as the Buckeyes' quarterback, Stroud was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist and a back-to-back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award winner, throwing for 8,123 passing yards, 85 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 69.3% of his pass attempts.

And after being the second quarterback off the board behind Alabama's Bryce Young, Stroud said his main goals with the Texans are to be a great leader and a great teammate.

"Like coach (DeMeco) Ryans said, adjust and adapt to the new scheme, to the plays, to new coaching," Stroud continued. "I honestly don't have a limit on how good I can play. I don't know what's going to happen. I know nothing is going to be given to me. Everything is going to be earned and that's just how I like it. It's how it's been my whole life. That's how it's going to continue to be. It's what is going to make me a great player."

Stroud was one of three Ohio State player to finish as first-round picks in the 2023 NFL draft along with offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (No. 6 Arizona Cardinals) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (No. 20 Seattle Seahawks).

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OUSTON -- On their first day in Houston, the Giants found themselves without their starting shortstop and center fielder. A good potential replacement just so happened to be at Minute Maid Park, but he was in the other dugout.H

Mauricio Dubón played both positions for the Giants before being traded last May. It was a disappointing move for a franchise that once thought Dubón could become a key piece in the lineup, and a player who grew up dreaming of wearing orange and black. But the May trade couldn't have worked out better for Dubón, and on Monday night he showed his old team how far he has come.

Dubón was in the middle of every Astros rally in a game the defending champs won 7-3. He scored their first run, tied it up with an RBI single in the fifth, and gave the Astros the lead with an RBI double in the seventh. Afterward, Dubón didn't hold back, telling reporters that his teammates knew "what it meant to me to beat these guys" and adding that in San Francisco he "was not treated the right way."

"You'd think I would probably get more playing time," he said when asked to elaborate. "With Dusty (Baker) here now, I'm in heaven."

Mauricio Dubón was fired up to get three hits against his former team. pic.twitter.com/E4p36X5vf9

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) May 2, 2023

The performance was the kind the Giants hoped for when they acquired Dubón from Milwaukee during a frenetic trade deadline in 2019. Three years later, with Dubón out of options and the coaching staff out of patience for his mental mistakes on the field, Dubón was sent to the Astros for Michael Papierski, who played just five games in San Francisco.

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In Houston, Dubón has become a World Series champion and a key swing piece for Baker. Dubón primarily played outfield last season, but when Jose Altuve got hurt during the World Baseball Classic, he became Houston's starting second baseman. He was atop their lineup Monday in a game he had long circled on his calendar, raising his average to .317 with three hits.

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Dubón's final hit proved to be the game-winner. His RBI double sparked a five-run seventh inning for the Astros.

Like we were saying... https://t.co/IbQG48aUnO pic.twitter.com/1Pr60h5W9L

— Houston Astros (@astros) May 2, 2023

"I knew I was going to have a big moment in the game," he said. "I didn't let the emotions get to me. I put a good swing and did what I've been doing the whole season, just hit the ball the other way."

The start was Dubon's 24th of the season at second base. After adding muscle in the offseason, he had a 20-game hitting streak in April to become a mainstay for Baker, and before Monday's game, the player who spent his teenage years in Sacramento said he feels at home in Houston.

"It's been fun, especially playing behind (Altuve) and having the best hitter in the league next to me," he said, pointing at Yordan Alvarez's locker. "I'm just trying to be more receptive to what they have to say, which has helped. The camaraderie these guys have is great. Everybody is pulling for each other and wanting to be successful, and that's been the neat part of this team."

Dubon spent parts of four seasons with the Giants, but he didn't always see eye-to-eye with Kapler, who grew frustrated with Dubón's mistakes on the bases. After watching Dubón destroy his current group, Kapler didn't seem particularly surprised.

"Obviously Mauricio is a great athlete and has always been a good contact hitter," he said. "He found a way to put some balls in play with authority and had himself a nice game and hurt us."

As he stood at his locker Monday afternoon, Dubón said he hasn't really followed his old team since being traded, with the exception of two friends. Dubón has known Logan Webb since they were both teenagers and formed a quick bond with Brandon Crawford, a player he grew up idolizing. He sent Webb a congratulatory text when he received a contract extension last month and sent Crawford a message over the weekend when he hit a 482-foot homer in Mexico City.

"Every time he has a good day or good play, I text him," Dubón said. "When he hit that home run, I texted him 'Damn, the balls are flying there.' Everybody asks me who is the one guy who has helped me the most in my career and it's been him. He's been very influential in the big leagues for me."

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Dubón said he wasn't looking forward to facing Webb on Wednesday, and he won't get to interact with Crawford on the bases as he hoped. The Giants put their shortstop on the IL on Monday with a right calf strain, but Crawford will be watching closely as Dubón takes on his former team this week. He said he's happy to see how much success Dubón is having in Houston.

"He's doing great," Crawford said. "I'm sure the Astros thought they were in a tough spot losing Altuve, but he's stepped up and done an awesome job."

Crawford paused and smiled.

"Hopefully we get him out," he added.

On their first night facing him, the Giants hardly did, and both Ross Stripling and Joc Pederson said afterward that Dubon nearly beat them singlehandedly. He thoroughly enjoyed it, too.

After the win, it was pointed out by an Astros reporter that the Giants could use a player like Dubón right now given the injuries to Crawford and Yastrzemski.

"Thank God they don't. Thank God they don't," he said. "I'm good here. I'm good here. It's been a family and I'm enjoying every moment."

Brunch by Jun

Anyone who watched chef Evelyn Garcia’s run to the Top Chef finals knows she isn’t scared of a challenge. Maybe that’s why J?n, the restaurant she opened in February with her business partner Henry Lu, will launch its eagerly anticipated brunch service on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14).

“We go all in,” Garcia tells CultureMap in response to a question about taking on the busiest brunch day of the year. Later, she adds, “Mother’s Day is going to be crazy, but we’re excited.”

Brunch fans will find quite a bit to be excited about, too. Garcia and Lu have created a menu that brings their culinary perspective to brunch classics. Think fried chicken with a General Tso’s glaze paired with a scallion waffle or a burger built around Malaysian beef rendan curry that’s topped with charred onions, crispy shallots, and Oaxaca cheese.

Instead of Benedicts and omelets, diners will find congee risotto with a soft egg, picadillo toast with a fried egg, and soft scramble toast with Chinese sausage and parmesan. A few favorites from the dinner menu will be carried over, such as heirloom grits with carne seca, the gem lettuce Caesar salad, and Gulf shrimp aguachile. Desserts will be the same for both lunch and dinner, which should please anyone who’s tried the cornbread with berries and Thai basil-key lime gelato.

“Our vision for the brunch menu is our flavors, which are very eclectic, bright, and bold, with comforting brunch dishes that people are used to seeing,” Garcia says. “We’ll have a burger and chicken and waffles, but with our flavors. Things that are comforting and people relate to when they’re going out for brunch.”

After its introduction on Mother’s Day, J?n plans to serve brunch every Saturday and Sunday. One service per month will be a drag brunch. Details on performers and timing are still being finalized.

In addition to brunch, J?n recently rolled out their Wine & Dine Series, a monthly dinner that will pair dishes with selections from a winery. The intimate environment allows attendees to interact with the winemakers on a more personal level than they could at a bigger restaurant.

Three months in, Garcia says she’s pleased with the restaurant’s reception. She’s not taking the success for granted, but she has noticed signs that J?n is finding an audience.

“I know we’re in the honeymoon phase of being a hot new restaurant,” she says. “We have a lot of regulars, which is amazing, and a lot of folks are bringing friends from out of town. We’re becoming a place people want to bring their friends and show off, which is really nice.”

HOUSTON -- Anthony DeSclafani took on the stopper role for the struggling Giants on Tuesday night, firing eight scoreless innings to help San Francisco snap its four-game losing streak with a 2-0 win over the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

DeSclafani allowed only three hits, walked none and struck out three in his longest and best outing of the season. The 33-year-old right-hander improved to 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA over six starts while helping to save the Giants’ bullpen, which had been taxed after a challenging two-game Mexico City Series over the weekend.

“DeSclafani was attacking everybody,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “It was first-pitch strike after first-pitch strike. Even when he wasn’t recording strikes, he was all around the zone. Incredibly efficient. Obviously gives us a chance to push that pitch count up into the 105-plus range. That’s always something we’re looking for from our starters. Just give us a chance to let you go. We needed that. It was big for the club. Big morale boost, for sure.”

DeSclafani’s pitch count stood at 91 through seven innings, but he jogged back out for the eighth and retired the first two batters he faced before giving up a two-out infield single to Yainer Diaz that deflected off his right foot. Kapler and head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner came out to check on DeSclafani, who didn’t even throw a warmup pitch before returning to the mound to face No. 9 hitter Jake Meyers.

“It was the best I’ve seen [in] his eyes,” Kapler said. “It was like, ‘Ready, I’m definitely taking that hitter.’ It’s more precautionary, but it was nice to see the conviction. Basically telling us, ‘I’ve got this.’”

“I just knew I really wanted to finish that inning,” DeSclafani said. “I didn’t want to end the game on that play. … I knew some guys weren’t feeling good today. It’s been a long road trip. I wanted to go deep for us.”

Meyers bounced DeSclafani’s 109th pitch past the latter’s outstretched glove, but it was hit right to second baseman Brett Wisely, who threw to first for the final out of the inning.

“He threw well tonight,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “He kept the ball down, kept the ball away, he was dotting the outside part of the plate with his slider. He didn't even break a sweat tonight.”

Closer Camilo Doval worked a 1-2-3 ninth to convert his fourth save and seal the Astros’ first shutout loss of the year, setting up a rubber match in Wednesday’s series finale at Minute Maid Park.

Joc Pederson and Blake Sabol both delivered RBI hits off Houston right-hander Hunter Brown to help back DeSclafani, who is reestablishing himself as one of the Giants’ top starters after missing the bulk of last season due to right ankle surgery.

Oddly enough, DeSclafani said he didn’t feel too great at the beginning of his outing, but he made an adjustment to shorten his arm action about halfway through the start, which he believes helped propel him to pitch deep in the game.

He ended up retiring 19 of the first 20 batters he faced and threw 70 of his 109 pitches for strikes, showcasing his ability to consistently fill up the zone and gain count leverage against opposing hitters. After issuing only three walks over 38 innings this year, DeSclafani now ranks second in the Majors in walk rate (0.71 BB/9), trailing only the Mariners’ George Kirby.

“It’s really, really impressive,” catcher Joey Bart said. “He’s all over the zone. I think he’s been like that every start, especially tonight, going through that lineup and attacking, attacking, attacking. He’s pitching with a lot of confidence. I think everyone can see that. It’s a blast when guys on the mound are coming out attacking, putting guys away, making good pitches and putting the pressure on them. It’s a lot easier to hit 2-0, 3-0, than it is 0-1, 0-2. The credit is to him. He’s been unreal for us this year, and it’s a lot of fun.”

DeSclafani leaned heavily on his breaking ball to stymie the Astros, who entered Tuesday with the fifth-worst batting average against sliders (.195) in the Majors. Forty-nine percent of his pitches were sliders, an offering that has held opposing hitters to a .191 average this year.

“The slider is a problem,” Bart said. “He’s pitching in on guys’ hands now. He’s really fearless. … I love the fire he’s bringing. I haven’t really seen this level of excitement and fire out of him that he’s bringing this year. I love it. I feed off it. Everyone feeds off it. Obviously he won us that game tonight.”

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Maria Guardado covers the Giants for MLB.com. She previously covered the Angels from 2017-18. Follow her on Twitter.