Best Things to Do in Houston
The largest city in Texas, Houston is a super entertaining hub where both families and young adventurers can find fun activities to fill their time. The city offers tons of attractions like museums and parks, restaurants serving food from around the world, and many shopping malls. Here, we share with you a complete guide to Houston with several recommendations from local experts that will help make your visit a memorable experience.
Choose from a great variety of restaurants
Houston has restaurants serving a great variety of food, from BBQ to tacos to sushi. The city also has options that adjust to each traveler’s budget. If you are looking for some authentic Tex-Mex grub, Pappasito’s Cantina or Marco’s Mexican Bar and Grill in the southern area of the city will blow your mind.
If you are looking for something less taco-related and more drenched sweet and spicy barbecue sauce Pappadeux Seafood and Pappas BBQ will not disappoint. At Pappas BBQ, you can get a cold beer and try the famous BBQ Brisket, cooked Texas-style.
For dessert, we recommend you visit Glazed the Doughnut Cafe, a great pastry shop just steps away from these restaurants.
If you head to the The Galleria mall area, you will also find a variety of restaurants and bars offering food from many different countries.
Enjoy an afternoon at the Houston Zoo in Hermann Park
If this is your first time in Houston and you are looking for a great family-friendly activity, you should definitely visit the Houston Zoo located in the Hermann Park, which is a huge park with many things to do. At the zoo, you will see tons of different animals and educational expos. You will even find gorillas! There are also different food options and activities for children. In Hermann Park, you can find attractions like the Children’s Museum of Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts. Both museums are big and very popular, so stop by if you want to spend an afternoon of fun and learning.
Relax at the aquarium and ride the Ferris Wheel
Another fun thing to do in Houston is check out the Downtown Aquarium. There, you will not only be able to see beautiful fish and learn about aquatic ecosystem but you can find other fun attractions like water fountains, children playgrounds, a ferris wheel and many restaurants.
Visit the Houston Space Center
Just a few minutes from downtown Houston, you will find NASA’s famous Johnson Space Center. This is perhaps the most iconic thing to do in Houston, especially if you love interactive attractions. In this facility, you can learn how NASA works, see many spaceships and command centers, and visit the NASA museum. Also, you can have a fun time by trying the 3D space simulator and experience what astronauts feel when they’re in outer space.
Things to Do outside of Houston
Downtown Houston is located around 40 minutes away from Kemah, TX and around one hour from Galveston, TX. Both of these towns have beautiful beaches and tons of fun things to do. To head to Galveston, the quickest way is to drive or take a ride-share service like Uber or Lyft, but of course, the cheapest way is to use public transportation. To do that, go to the Amtrak station downtown and take a train to Galveston, which will get you there in around an hour and a half.
Take a dip at Schlitterbahn Park in Galveston, TX
Schlitterbahn Park is a water park where you can have fun playing in the slides and water fountains. Also, the park has a big river where you can get your inflatable devices and sail around. This park is open all summer and some days in the spring, and it is usually very crowded on weekends, so if you want to have the place to yourself, try to plan your visit on a weekday.
Visit the fair at the Kemah Boardwalk in Kemah, TX
The small town of Kemah, located just a few minutes away from Houston, offers several fun things to do such as fishing and sailing but perhaps the most popular attraction is its boardwalk. At Kemah Boardwalk, you can enjoy a fair with roller coasters, games for kids and adults, food vendors, a train that goes around the boardwalk, great restaurants like Bubba Gump and Landry’s Seafood, outdoor performers and other fun things. There are also boat rides you can take to explore the bay, check out some vessels and maybe even catch the sunset.
Where to stay in Houston
If you’re going to spend most of your time in attractions like the zoo and in the outskirts of the city, the best option is to stay in the Galleria Zone, where there are a lot of hotels, restaurants, nightlife activities and shopping centers within walking distance.
Click here to find the best deals on hotels and hostels in the Houston area.
Beautiful hotels downtown
If you are looking for accommodation near the center, there are many big-brand hotels as well as boutique hotels in Downtown Houston like the Granduca Hotel, which features Italian architecture, high-class accommodations and fine restaurants. It has outdoor pools with a bar where you can relax. Another good option is the Indigo Hotel, which is a modern building with loft-style architecture and top-notch amenities.
Book your bus and train tickets to travel to Houston and Galveston, TX on Wanderu.com or through our app and enjoy your visit to the Lone Star State!
