Let's go fly a kite, Houston.

Now is a great time to get your Mary Poppins on and go kite-flying before it gets too unbearably hot. We suggest picking up a kite (or making your own) and heading out to your local park for some wholesome kite fun. Parks are great for families or for cheap dates, boys. Kite-flying is also fun on the beach, as an alternative to wading through seaweed and drinking beer. If you don't know the first thing about where to find a kite or how to fly one, never fear. Houstonist has the info about kite-flying in our city.

Rick's Darts and Games is tops for kites in the Houston area. Located on Westheimer just inside of the Beltway, it's a convenient stop (especially if you're headed to Terry Hershey Park). Rick's opened as a kite shop in 1974, and continues to stock hundreds of kites in all shapes and sizes. They also have all the kite-flying accessories you could ask for. Their kite items are not currently available online, but you can call ahead (1-800-835-8385) to see if they have what you're looking for.

Houston is home to several kite-flying societies as well. The South Houston Area Recreational Kiters (SHARK, to the initiated) is the most active. They even took first place for the club prize during National Kite Month. SHARK has plenty of kiting events coming up and they also have an active Yahoo! group where you can have any of your kite questions answered by the pros. Membership in SHARK is completely open, and they also have a full page of links if you still need more information.