Lake Houston - Houston, TX

In 1951, Ambursen Engineering began work on a dam along the San Jacinto River. The result was Lake Houston, and the lake quickly became a favorite location for Houston residents. Soon, a neighborhood began to grow along the shoreline. The 12,240-acre lake continues to draw new residents and businesses to the area. To protect the lake's natural beauty, the State of Texas created Lake Houston Wilderness Park in 1981.

Lake Houston is one of the Houston area's primary resort destinations. As such, you'll find a variety of restaurants. On the east side of the lake, you can enjoy Cajun dishes and amazing lake views at Cedar Landing Marina. West Lake Houston features the seafood restaurant Sharky's, the Mexican street-food favorite Puertos Tacos and Cervezas, the Italian café Zammitti's, and the American hotspot Raffa's Waterfront Grill.

Those looking for nightlife can travel the 15 miles to Downtown Houston -- just hop on I-69 or Highway 90. Downtown Houston's legendary music scene includes the Revention Music Center and the Wortham Theater Center. If you prefer sports, catch a Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park or head to NRG Stadium to catch a Houston Texans football game. If you prefer college sports, you can cheer on the University of Houston Cougars, The Texas Southern University Tigers, or the Rice University Owls.

Lake Houston provides a vacation-like lakefront living experience, but that doesn't mean you'll be isolated. This terrific area is just a 30-minute drive from Downtown Houston via I-69. Lake Houston is a few minutes east of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, making the area convenient for frequent travelers. The McKay Bridge links the west side of the lake to the east side. While Lake Houston is a tree-filled neighborhood with plenty of quiet, shady streets for evening strolls, it is most definitely suburban -- you'll need your car to get around.

Lake Houston Wilderness Park covers nearly five thousand acres and includes campgrounds, creeks, 20 miles of hiking and biking trails, and 13 miles of equestrian trails. The Lake Houston Wilderness Park Nature Center contains wetland habitat displays, reptiles, amphibians, and more. It is open 9 am to 4 pm, Wednesday through Sunday.

At the south end of the lake, Dwight Dl Eisenhower Park contains picnic areas, a hiking trail, a playground, and a fishing pond. Also on the south side of the lake, Alexander Deussen Park covers 309 acres and includes beautiful views of Lake Houston, picnic areas, a fishing pier, hiking trails, a playground, ball fields, and boat ramps.

Golf courses are located on both sides of the lake. The east side contains Indian Shores Golf Course, while the west side contains Walden on Lake Houston, a members-only golf and country club.

The closer you are to the lake, the more you'll spend -- but the views are definitely worth it. The average home price for Lake Houston is about $132,000, slightly higher than Humble's average of $118,000. The average rent for an apartment in Lake Houston will cost around $1,000 a month.

You'll find shopping plazas scattered along both sides of the lake. Look on West Lake Houston Parkway for a variety of boutiques, specialty shops, and other businesses. On the east side of the lake, Farm to Market Road contains several strip plazas.

For a truly unique shopping experience, head into neighboring Spring, where you'll find the Victorian shopping village, Old Town Spring. This historic shopping district contains everything from clothing boutiques and antique stores to wine tasting bars and taverns.