29 Awesome Things To Do In Houston

1. Buy A Pair Of Cowboy Boots More Authentic Than A Western

Okay, that might not be saying much, but if you head to the Texas Junk Co., you’ll be greeted with more than 1,000 pairs of real, vintage cowboy boots starting as low as 20 bucks.

2. Visit The Chocolate Bar

The real world version of Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory is—who knew?—in Houston, Texas. Picture chocolate covered… everything.

3. Tour The Saint Arnold Brewing Company

If you’re in the mood for something a bit stouter than chocolate milk, head to the Saint Arnold Brewing Company for a factory tour (meaning free beer) on Saturdays and weekday afternoons.

4. Go On A Roller Skate Date Like In Middle School

At Dairy Ashford Roller Rink, you can revert back to your middle school years at a true retro skating rink complete with a glittering disco ball and old school music.

5. Go To Gatlin’s BBQ For The BEST Barbecue

Sorry, Goode Company, but Gatlin has you beat. Need proof? Just try their brisket. You may very well see God.

6. Get Your ’80s On

Slap on some heavy eyeliner, red lipstick, Madonna bra, and head to Numbers each Friday night to take a step back in time. The perfect end-of-the-week solution to any “Blue Monday.”

7. Lose Your Hearing At A Rockets Game

If this sounds fun to you, sit next to the Red Rowdies to enjoy the Houston Rockets game. And by “sit” I mean “stand”, and by “enjoy” I mean “scream your freaking head off”!

8. Say “Houston We have a Problem” At Mission Control

Visit the Johnson Space Center, home to NASA’s Mission Control, and one of the most famous movie lines ever. Go on, say it. You know you want to.

9. Ready The Bat Signal

Every night at around dusk, around 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats fly from the Waugh Drive Bridge near Buffalo Bayou for supper (hundreds of thousands of mosquitos. Yum.)

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10. Buy All The Knickknacks!

If you love knickknacks as much as I do, head to Old Town Spring just outside of Houston, the home of all things lace, doily, kitschy, and eclectic. Pro Tip: Head over during the annual Crawfish Festival.

11. Keep… Houston Weird?

Yep, Austin isn’t the only weird Texas city. Just visit Houston’s Orange Show to see the Beer Can House (exactly what it sounds like) and the annual (and crazy) Art Car Parade.

12. And It Just Gets Weirder

If art cars aren’t weird enough for you, check out David Adickes’ workshop filled with gigantic sculptures of U.S. presidents’ heads, each around 20 feet tall. Why? Well, why not?

13. Go To The Top Of The San Jacinto Monument

Warning: If you do not like heights, skip this one.

14. Have Pie At 3 A.M.? Yes, Please!

House of Pies on Westheimer Road is open 24/7 for all of your pie needs. Pecan pie for dinner? Certainly. Banana cream for breakfast? Absolutely. You can even stop in around 4 a.m.—probably after your Friday trip to Numbers—for a piece of strawberry cheese cake.
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15. Contemplate The Universe Inside Rothko Chapel

After your night at Numbers and pie-filled morning, you might want to head to Rothko Chapel for some redemption. This minimalist chapel is so Zen, people from all walks of life and religions will feel welcome to meditate, pray, or just get a few moments of quiet.

16. Watch The Fireworks From Buffalo Bayou

Even after the renovations to the area in recent years, this is still one of the best spots in town to watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

17. Show Your Pride

Non-residents may be surprised to learn about Houston’s robust gay community. It’s no San Francisco, but they do have one fabulous annual Pride Houston Parade on Westheimer Road.

18. Go To Brunch At Hugo’s For The Huevos Rancheros

This delicious dish is reason enough to head to Hugo’s Restaurant for brunch—oh, and the rest of their menu too. The bad news is brunch anywhere else will be ruined for you forever, but it’s well worth it, I think.

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19. Go Museum Hopping

Forget bar-hopping and head to Houston’s Museum District for a really good time. Check out the Museum of Fine Arts, the Contemporary Arts Museum, The Menil Collection, and one of the best children’s museums in the country.

20. Keep That Culture Going…

Head to Houston’s downtown theater district for all of your opera, theater, ballet, and symphony desires. Fun fact: This area downtown has more concentrated seating for arts events than any place in the U.S.—except for Broadway.

21. Bike Above the City…

In recent years, the City of Houston has been working hard to improve the bike paths and shared use paths around the city, and has created 128 acres of paths in total looping around the city.

22. … Or Walk Below the City

Beneath Houston lie seven miles of tunnels, with access to dozens of restaurants, coffee shops, stores, offices, newsstands, florists and much more. If you don’t feel like finding your own way around beneath the city (and probably getting hopelessly lost), there are audio walking tours available.

23. Get Lost In Memorial Park

Memorial Park is one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. It’s home to a golf course, facilities for baseball, swimming, track, tennis, and trail biking.

24. Find Yourself At The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

This beautiful temple is the first traditional Hindu Mandir of its kind in the U.S. No matter your religion, this building’s walls, pillars and domes made of hand-carved marble and limestone will leave you feeling divinely inspired.

25. Stroll The Houston Heights

This neighborhood is filled with cafes, cute little salons, vintage stores, and tons of interior design and fashion shops. If you’re a local, check out the White Linen Nights or Lights in the Heights to get to know your neighbors in the area—and if you’re not a local, crash the party anyway.

26. Get Your Cowboy On

Okay, we had to mention it eventually. Sure, Houston is so much more than cowboys and rodeos, but that doesn’t mean that the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo isn’t one helluva good time. Roping events, a livestock show, rides, games, music, and fried everything. Giddyup.

27. Make Yourself Super Thirsty at the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park

Not only is this horseshoe-shaped wall with 11,000 gallons of water cascading per minute a breathtaking feat of design, but it will truly make you appreciate the power of water—plus it will make you really thirsty. Pro tip: make a bathroom stop before you visit.

28. Visit A Park Named After the First Dog…Really

Millie Bush Dog Park was indeed named after George H.W. and Barbara Bush’s dog, Millie, but no matter your political leanings this 15-acre lake-filled park will certainly get your vote—and your dog’s.

29. Get a Kolache at Christy’s Donuts Kolaches, Change Your Life

Try the jumbo kolache, with cheese and sausage in the middle, or the traditional, or the jalapeño, or their donuts, or the free donut holes… Nom nom nom.
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