H-Town, the fourth largest city in the United States and home to the famous Space Center. I’m not going to tell you this city doesn’t feel like any other, because that would be a load of shit (If you’re from here, sorry, not sorry). It has the feel of any other major city. You’re not going to visit here for vacation and decide to never leave. BUT, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun here and you shouldn’t visit. In fact, Houston is great for weekend trips. It’s also great for BBQ, tacos, breweries, and rodeos. Honestly, out of all of my travels, Houston is my most visited city. I’ve visited for family vacations, visited my good friend that lives here, and have visited for countless Astros games. In fact, one of the greatest days of my life was spent in this city. Game 3 of the 2017 World Series. A lifelong dream not only to attend a World Series game, but to see my Astros play in one and with my dad. And a few hours before the game I randomly met Post Malone in a Salt Grass restaurant. BEST. DAY. EVER. If you’re looking to take a long weekend getaway, check out the Houston travel guide I created below.
Where to Stay in Houston:
I usually stay with my buddy in the suburbs, but if museums, tacos, and cocktails are your thing, get an Airbnb in the Montrose neighborhood, which is West of Downtown. If soccer and breweries are your thing, stay in the East Downtown area (EaDo), which is one of the hottest areas of the city. Or if you’re in town for an Astros or Rockets game and you like parks, get a hotel Downtown at Aloft Houston Downtown, which is very reasonably priced..
Transportation in Houston:
Houston’s public transit is not as extensive as other major cities, and most people use the bus. But it does have the Metro Light Rail, which spans 7 miles from Downtown to Reliant Stadium and has three lines, $1.25 per person each way. The red line passes through Downtown, Midtown, and the Museum District. The other lines can get you to EaDO and the Theatre District. For other neighborhoods the Metro doesn’t access, it’s best to use the bus or Uber.
What to Do in Houston:
- Enjoy an Astros baseball game at Minute Maid Park (April – September) or a Dynamo soccer game at PNC Stadium (April – November) in EaDo.
- Play Topgolf. It’s a driving range where you try to score points by hitting giant bullseyes. Different games encompass different targets. You don’t have to be a fan of golf to enjoy playing. And you and your buddies can bet the next round as there is also a full bar.
- Visit the Space Center. Most people know it as home to NASA Mission Control, International Space Station Mission Control, and astronaut training but it’s also home to the largest collections of spacesuits and Moon rocks in the world. It has a virtual reality exhibit where you can simulate being onboard the International Space Station and every Friday and Saturday astronauts visit to talk about their experiences in space.
- Shop at The Galleria. If you’re a shopaholic this is your Mecca. It’s the largest mall in Texas and the seventh largest mall in the US at 3,000,000 ft.² and 400 stores. It’s consistently ranked as one of the world’s best shopping malls.
- Walk through a living butterfly habitat at the Cockrell Butterfly Center.
- Visit the Water Wall, a 64-foot-tall U-Shaped fountain that circulates 11,000 gallons of water every minute, located next to The Galleria.
- Take a self-guided street art tour on Leeland and St. Emanuel Streets in the EaDo area by the I-69 overpass.
- Kayak or paddleboard down the Buffalo Bayou in Buffalo Bayou Park that runs through the city. For my artsy peeps or if you just want to escape the brutal Houston heat, check out the Cistern in the park. It’s an old, underground water reservoir that is now home to revolving art projects.
- Attend one of Houston’s 19 museums in their Museum District, with 11 of them being free to the public (Many museums offer free admission on Thursdays).
- Catch a free live jazz concert or musical at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in the Museum District.
- Hear me out on this one. Watch a turtle race at Little Woodrow’s in Midtown lmao. Every Thursday at 8pm you can witness what I’m pretty sure is the only turtle race on the planet.
- Attend Houston’s signature event, the Livestock Show and Rodeo. It’s more than just a livestock and rodeo show though, including a World’s Championship BBQ Contest, concerts, parades, carnivals, and international wine contest and auction, all over the course of 21 days in February-March.
- Witness the James Turrell Twilight Epiphany Light Experience at Rice University. It’s a free light show that uses LED lights that projects onto the ceiling of the pyramid structure in sequence with the sunrise and sunset.
- Shop for antiques and vintage clothing on 19th Street in the Heights.
- Spend a day in Austin, only a two-and-a-half-hour drive to the state capital. From what I’ve heard Austin can get just as lit as Nola (It’s a top bachelorette party destination for a reason) but it’s safer and cleaner. Some of the notorious things to do in Austin are bar hopping and listening to live music on famous 6th Street and kayaking in Lady Bird Lake.
What to Eat & Drink in Houston:
- Brewery hop. H-Town has one of the best brewery scenes I’ve seen. Equal Parts, 8th Wonder (My favorite) and True Anomaly Brewing in EaDo; Saint Arnold, Buffalo Bayou (Great view of downtown on the 3rd floor and amazing bar food), Urban South HTX, Holler, and Platypus Brewing located just outside the Theater District.
- Eureka Heights Brewery in the Greater Heights neighborhood
- Spindletap Brewery in Northeast Houston
- Under The Radar Brewery in Midtown
- Pitch 25 – Beer garden where you can watch local teams compete in indoor dodgeball and soccer games
- Eat ALL of the BBQ. Pinkerton’s (Best brisket I’ve ever tasted) in Greater Heights, Burns Original BBQ (An Anthony Bourdain favorite), Feges BBQ (sides are just as good as the meats – elote corn salad), Blood Bros BBQ (brisket fried rice), Cobo’s BBQ, and Roegels
- Eat ALL the tacos. Tacos A Go Go for breakfast tacos. Brothers Taco House for brisket tacos. Tacos Tierra Caliente for barbacoa tacos. La Calle for authentic, Mexican tacos
- Hubcap Grill – If you need a break from the bbq and tacos, try the best burger in Houston.
- El Tiempo Cantina for Tex-Mex and margs
- Onion Creek Coffee House Bar & Lounge or The Breakfast Klub for breakfast
- Mico’s or Dave’s if you’re craving some Nashville hot chicken
- Treebeards if you’re staying downtown and looking for a home cooked Southern meal for lunch
- Take a break from all of the savory and visit Houston’s top-rated bakery, Three Brothers.
- Actually, work for your calories. Solve riddles posted on Pop-up ice cream Underground Creamery’s IG to be able to purchase online and pickup at its pop-up location in the Montrose neighborhood.
- Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar for live music
- Drink on an actual Ferris wheel at Truck Yard.
- Have a drink (cash only) in the oldest building in the city and an official Texas historic landmark, La Carafe, which just so happens to also be haunted. Supposedly beer bottles have fallen off of shelves and at times you can hear a little girl’s voice upstairs :/
Tips for Visiting Houston:
- Try to avoid visiting Houston in the dead of summer. The heat is brutal.
- Houston is home to over 2 million people. Traffic is in inevitable so account for sitting in traffic when making plans. Rush hour is typically 7-9am and 4-7pm on weekdays.
- If food trucks is your thing, use this to locate one of Houston’s 100+ food trucks
