Clute was always on Joe Ripple’s mind. After growing up in the town of 10,000 and Lake Jackson, about 50 miles west of Galveston, he attended Sam Houston State University and started his 32-year teaching career in El Campo. When the superintendent position opened at Brazosport ISD in Clute in 2006, he jumped at the chance to move back home. “They created opportunity for me, and my family will always be grateful for that,” he says.

Ripple retired in 2011, but it didn’t last long. “I just didn’t like retirement. I missed being involved in my community,” Ripple says. Two years later, Ripple became the Brazoria County floodplain administrator, leading initiatives to get residents’ homes elevated out of the flood zone—some 100 homes and counting—and chairing a beach restoration committee. “The public beaches are a prize that once they’re eroded away can never come back,” he says.

In 2012, Ripple also helped start the Bunny Hop, an annual benefit for the Salvation Army held in Freeport the Friday before Good Friday. Each year Ripple and his committee—about two dozen of his first cousins—throw the 300-person fundraiser. “Our constable donates his time for security; H-E-B donates the centerpieces. We have so many donors who want to be a part of creating success for those in need,” he says. “It’s very rewarding.”

When Ripple was named Outstanding Man of the Year in 2014 by the Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce, he had one request: to be a Clute VIP. He got his wish, a designated space during the annual Mosquito Festival. “Now, some people look at a VIP area as something real fancy, but they have some chairs and you get two free beers,” Ripple says. “I love it.”

1 ⁄ Surfside Beach

One of the communities on a 13-mile stretch of beach, Surfside hosts a replica of Fort Velasco, the site of the first battle for Texas’ independence. Surfers seek out the beach’s large waves, and boating and fishing are popular. “When people come from out of town, the No. 1 thing they want to do is go to the beach, look for shells, and make a sandcastle,” Ripple says.

2 ⁄ Brian’s Bar-B-Q

Since 1988, Brian’s Bar-B-Q has been a family-run spot known for brisket, banana pudding, and smoked ribs. “When you leave there, you’ll be in tears, like, ‘I can’t eat one more rib,’” Ripple says.

3 ⁄ Mammoth Lake Dive Park

SCUBA-certified divers can take the plunge into this natural freshwater lake in Lake Jackson. Thirty-five feet below the surface, divers explore old amusement park rides from the closed Six Flags AstroWorld, along with sculptures, parts of a cargo plane, and other submerged objects.

4 ⁄ Asiel’s Restaurant

While waiting for your food, examine a replica of a tusked mammoth skull, one of the fossils found at nearby Mammoth Lake in 2004. As for the menu, Ripple recommends the chicken and dumplings, the signature Fatty Melt—two grilled cheese sandwiches surrounding a half-pound hamburger—or an oversize Mammoth shake.

5⁄ Mosquito Festival

The last weekend in July has been reserved for the annual Mosquito Festival since 1981. Set in Clute Park, the fest includes live music, a mosquito-calling contest, a barbecue cook-off, and the Mr. Mosquito Legs competition, where costumed participants put their gams on display hoping to secure the title. “The legs usually aren’t that pretty,” Ripple says, “but there are a number of people who want to be selected.”