Bay Ridge - League City, TX

Originally founded by the Butlers, Cowarts, and Perkinses in the 1870s, the area became known as Clear Creek/Butlers Ranch until it was bought by J.C. League, becoming League City.

The Butler Longhorn Museum and Heritage Park, documents the history of League City itself as well as the once nearly extinct Longhorn bloodline. To tell this story, the museum uses amenities such as a vintage movie theater, complete with popcorn. It also hosts an art gallery to showcase local artists such as Richard G. Eastman and Kelly Halbach.

West Bay Common School Children's Museum makes its home in an actual one-room school built in 1898. While free to visit, it only charges $4 for children to take part in its award-winning Hands-on-History program, which puts children in an active roleplaying activity. During the program, the schoolmarm delivers a pen and ink lesson, and math, spelling and history lessons. Children also get to experience reading at the recitation bench, slate lessons and a spelling bee.

When in Bay Ridge, you have to try one of the local favorites, Red River Bar-B-Que & Grill. With down-home comfort foods, such as mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese, and specials nearly every day of the week, such as its Tuesday all-you-can-eat pork ribs, this joint never fails to please.

Don't miss out on the local south-of-the-border cuisine at Senor Sombreros Mexican Grill. This small eatery provides quality food and service at a reasonable price, and once you have take a bite of its cheesy enchiladas or tres leches cake, you can't fail to understand why locals consistently award it with nearly all five-star reviews.

Locals find plenty more dining options to choose from, including Kelley's Country Cooking and Szechuan, a Chinese restaurant, just a short drive down League City's downtown Main Street.

The pickings remain slim in regards to bar and nightclub options in the Bay Ridge/League City area, with only Molly's Pub falling in the vicinity. If you take just a short drive up to Webster, however, you run into several noteworthy watering holes. Scout Bar, for example, has great live, loud-and-proud, rock and roll music, two bars and a separate room for the DJ and dance floor. Alternatively, go country at the Big Texas Dance Hall & Saloon, where cowboy hats make for acceptable club wear and live country music inspires boot-tapping line dances.

Most residents use their own vehicles for their daily commutes, which are made that much easier with convenient access to I-45, Nassau Bypass and Highway 96. Locals use the Bay Area Park and Ride as the closest Metro station that services the Bay Ridge area.

You probably can't hail a cab on the street in Bay Ridge, but it does have three cab services that you can call, including Polarbear Taxi, Totally Texas Limosine and Houston Affordable Limos. Locals also make use of the active Uber options available.

This scenic, small-town area encourages you to park your car in any of the ample free parking areas. Take advantage of the trails that wind through the area as you bike and walk through this community. However, since the streets don't have dedicated bike lanes, use caution when out on the road.

League City, which surrounds Bay Ridge, has lots of places to play for both adults and kids. The grownups can work on their golf handicap at either Beacon Lakes, which has 18 holes, or Magnolia Creek, which has 27 holes. Those who live in the South Shore Harbour subdivision, can challenge themselves on its private 27-hole championship golf course.

With over 600 acres making up more than a dozen free, public parks in the area, there are plenty of places to let the little ones run and play. Some of those parks include Bayridge Park, Big League Dreams Sports and Skate Park, Challenger 7 Park, Heritage Park, and the League City Municipal Pool. Exemplifying the area's inviting accommodations, Heritage Park, located in the historic district, has a children's playground, convenient restrooms, picnic areas, a fishing pond, canoeing, kayaking, hiking trails, bike paths, leashed-pet friendly policies and the Butler's Longhorn Museum.

Explore the winding hiking and biking trails in the area, such as the Texas Trails Network, which links Countryside Park, Rustic Oaks Park, and the Ned and Fay Dudney Nature Center. The Clear Creek Paddle Trail links Lynn Gripon Park and Walter Hall Park, and it ends at Heritage Park. Most of the parks and trails have pet-friendly policies for leashed animals, but Nassua Bay Dog Park distinguishes itself for providing a space for unleashed companions.

Many events take place in the community, including the Bay Area Blue Grass Concerts, which take place every third Saturday of every month at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, and the Concerts in the Park, which take place every weekend through the Spring and Summer at League Park.

The cost to live in the Bay Ridge area runs low, and it even saves residents in comparison to the national average, running 3 percent less. Rent for a one-bedroom residence in Houston can be well over $1,000 on average, but the same one-bedroom would cost you under $700 in Bay Ridge. You can also breath a little sigh of relief at the pump, knowing that gas costs in the area are down almost 6 percent when compared to the national average. However, you might want to take advantage of happy hour specials because the cost of a cold, draft beer can cost nearly $9, which is slightly higher than the national average.

If you are going on a shopping spree in the Bay Ridge area, you have to check out the charming shops found on Main Street in League City's historic district. Take a look at these amazing antiques shops and tea rooms mixed with modern trendy boutiques, such as the Clotheshorse Boutique for women's clothing, the high-end children's boutique Bratzilla's and local gem Belles and Beaus, which specializes in second-hand, kids toys and apparel. There are several amazing, modern shopping centers as well within the Bay Ridge/League City area. Bay Colony, League City and Victory Lakes Town Center all make their homes within League City itself. Additionally, the Baybrook Mall lies only 5 miles north. Find the all the groceries your family needs right in the neighborhood by going to its name brand grocery stores as well as small, local treasures, such as Natural Living, a home-based co-op that specializes in organic foods and goods. It also hosts cooking classes. Just a few miles North, the Nassau Bay Farmer's Market takes place every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Erma's Nutrition Center. To the east, locals frequent the Farmer's Market at Clear Lake Shores every Saturday.