2025 Houston Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in March)
They say everything is big in Texas, that’s certainly sure of Houston. It is the epitome of the Lone Star State, with its sprawling cityscape, a district of superb museums, and an abundance of diverse cultures. With many accolades and nicknames - “Space City” among them, Houston is also at the forefront of space exploration, the energy capital of the world, and a place of wonder, innovation, and hospitality.Situated in Southeast Texas and about 80 km (50 miles) northwest of the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the seat of Harris County and the largest city in the United States by total area. In the city limit, there are 11 districts with the Downtown in the very center of the city and consisting of areas like the theater zone and one of two Chinatowns; Midtown District is the home of Little Saigon; Texas Medical Center District is the largest medical complex in the world. With around 2.4 million residents, Houston is also the most populous city in Texas and ranked 4th in population in the US. A culturally diverse city, it has a large and ever-growing international community.Houston was named after the first president of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston, in 1836. As the capital of the Texas Republic for only a few years, Houston grew slowly but surely into a regional trading port and a rail center. The discovery of oil triggered major expansion of the city and its economy in the 20th century, which led to the development of a broad industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation. Today, Houston is a notable global city with endearing nicknames like "Space City," "H-Town," and "the 713."Tourists attracted to Houston’s famous Space Center and a plethora of world-class museums will be delighted by the city’s many other visit-worthy sites. Enjoy an intimate evening in the oldest haunt in town - La Carafe tavern, get inspired by the colorful street murals, embrace cultural diversity in Chinatown and Little Saigon, and discover the quirky side of H-Town at the Beer Can House. For those who fancy a day trip or two outside the city, consider the lake town of Conroe, Blessington Farms, Brazos Bend State Park, Sam Houston National Forest, and Galveston.
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Popular Attractions
Space Center Houston (21)
Houston Museum of Natural Science (11)
Hermann Park (10)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (10)
Toyota Center (3)
All Moments About Houston
Houston "Chapel of St. Basil"
During the Thanksgiving holiday, I started a road trip in Texas, from Dallas to Houston🚗, and discovered this stunning black-and-white minimalist church⛪ located in downtown Houston.
Its half-open curtain-style entrance design is simply a stroke of genius for photography, and the photos turned out amazing😎. Unfortunately, I went on a Saturday and couldn't get inside the church🙁. However, there is a small garden🌸 at the back of the church, and the hollowed-out cross on the wall makes for an incredible background👍, creating a perfect atmosphere.
📍It is hidden in the University of St. Thomas, and parking on the roadside is super convenient🅿️. If you plan to stay for a while, you can go to Moran Parking Center, which is only a two-minute walk away. Moreover, the church is quite close to the Museum of Fine Arts, so the artistic atmosphere is definitely there🎨. (Friendly reminder💡: Wearing a simple black-and-white dress👗 makes it easy to take great photos here.)
Checklist completed, a visit to the magnificient Space Centre at Houston
#travelchecklist #100waysoftravel
While I was traveling to Houston for my business trip, one of my checklist is to visit the NASA Space Centre, and I have really made it!!! The Space Centre at Houston is one of the three base where the space mission is conducted, and here they showcased the sample and prototype of the equipment and rocket they launched for the space mission. For instance, they showed you the entire Saturn V rocket where they launched during the several Apollo mission, and also the space aircraft they used to carry astronauts working at the space station. There is also the capsule which went to Moon and came back during the 17th Apollo Mission. Besides, you also get to experience zero gravity which is the working condition of astronauts. It is truly an amazing and precious experience which I will never forget it.
A nice cafe for a nice coffee to be sipped
#traveldiaries
We wwre walking around CityCentre and would like to look for a cafe to sip coffee, so we walked around and found one cafe called Fellini, and we went in there. There are also gelato and pastries to be chosen from. We ordered a cup of Americano and a Frappucino, and some gelato, and they tasted great, the interior is also nicely designed to be very cozy, and there are outdoor seating as well. This is a very good place to rest our foot after a long stroll, and ee had a great afternoon due to the caffeine boost.
An Asian fare at Houston, Aroy Thai Cafe
#traveldiaries
After so many meals of Steaks, Fish, Tex-Mex etc, we would like to have some Asian fare, so we found one Thai cafe called Aroy Thai Cafe and just sit in. We ordered the Tom Yun Soup, Stir fried chicken with bamboo shoots and the Pad Thai, and surprisingly they tasted so good, which explains as the couple who runs this shop is a Thai. They offered a very generous amount of a total of 6 huge shrimps at the Pad Thai Noodles. The chicken is also very well seasoned and go excetionally well with the rice. Cravings satisfied after so much of western food.
A scumptious fast food chain at Louisiana Fried Chicken and Seafood at Houston
#traveldiaries
After having much of steaks and seafood, we would like to have some fast food, and so we headed to this shop called Louisiana Fried Chicken and Seafood. I ordered the chicken, fish and shrimp combo and the porrion is seriously huge. Each combo comes with bread roll and a side, so I chose dirth rice while my colleagie chose fries. The chicken is very succulent and the fish is fried just into perfection, and this is how I prefer my fish to be. The shrimp is also good and this combo meal is nice for 1 pax. It is a nice meal which I will go again.

Recommended Themes
A great fish dish at Sam's Boat, Houston
#traveldiaries
During my business trip to Houston me and my colleague was wondering around looking for dinner, and we found this nice shop called Sam's Boat, which the name implies, having the design and outlook like a boat for a restaurant. We ordered the blackened catfish with different side dishes: salads and fries respectively. The fish is grilled to perfection with very nice sauce with shrimps, crabs and crawfish. There is also a bar stand for those who would like to deink and have some booze. This is highly recommended for those who likes seafood for dinner.
A shopping experience at SPEC'S in Houston
#travelshopping #100waysoftravel
I wanted to buy some SEE's candies and the only place to get them is at SPEC'S market, which specializes in Winrs, Spirits, and snacks for drinking. The SEE's candies store is very well equipped which I can get many types of chocolates which I wanted, and I walked around and found a huge variety of wines and spirits around, and I managed to get myself some. I find this place amazing as they have lots of choices around and I will not get bored shopping here. This will be my next shopping spot whenever I visit Houston.
Address: 2020 Fountain View Drive, Houston, Texas 77057, United States
A walkabout at Downtown Houston
#cityscape #100waysoftravel
Houston, a city existed 200 years ago named after the former president of Texas Republic, is a prominent and biggest city at the south. Downtown Houston is a bustling business hub inHouston and Texas, and has many parks and leisure area and eateries such as upscale grills, casual taquerias etc. It also has many centres like Toyota Centre, Minute Maid Park, Sam Houston Park, Discovery Green etc. There is also many instagrammable spots at the Main Street Square, and you find lots of nice eateries, bars and clubs over there. It is a very nice walk in downtown and we will do it again.
A wide array of goods to shop at Phoenicia Specialty Foods
#travelshopping #100waysoftravel
We traveled to Houston and visited downtown, and came aceoss this great market with so much specialty food to shop, ranging from coffees, cheese, breads and much more. The goods sold there are of the best quality and the range of choice is aplenty, so we spent quite a long time to look around. All items are arranged neatly to allow shoppers to choose their desired goods. There are also cooked food like grilled chicken, premium salads, sandwiches which you can choose from as a meal for takeouts. We ended up grabbing many chocolates, biscuits and souvenirs not available in our home country, and we will definitely return.
Back to the Taste of Texas with great hospitality
#hospitality #100waysoftravel
We are back to Houston and we had one of our dinner back at Taste of Texas, a symbol of excellent food and hospitality in Houston. This time we had the T-Bone Ribeye, Grilles Prime Ribs and Lobster Tails with free flow of salads, Mac & Cheese and button mushrooms. This restaurant never dissapoint us and everything served is up to standard. The Ribeye is grilled at medium rare to perfection, and the prime ribs is also tender and flavourful. We custom made our salads with different condiments and cheese and they tasted excellently well. Taste of Texas will definitely be our go to place whenever we visit Houston.

Recommended Destinations
The shopping experience at The Galleria, Houston
#travelshopping #100waysoftravel
During our trip to Houston we had the opportunity to visit the Galleria to shop for some products, and the mall is really huge!!! Besides that, they are full of boutique stores and designers shop, and there is even an Apple store too. There are also several departmental stores such as macy's where they represent many brands like Levis, Tommy Hilfiger etc. Some shops offers a very good discounts dor their products so be sure ro check them out. There is also a large ice skating rink in the middle of the mall. We love the shopping experience there and will definitely do it again.
A nice barbecue in downtown Houston, Roegels Barbecue
#myhiddengems
Rhere are a few things Texans agree on, and one of them is barbecue. The way Texans do it is very different from others, as they will smoke it for several hours, even overnight besides grilling it using fire wood. Roegels BBQ offers a wide range of meats. This is how you orslder it: Choose your meat (1,2 or 3 kinds), your sides and drinks. I personally will prefer the briskets and turkey ham, and they tasted very good. The meat is so tender and succulent, and the smoky flavour is just nice and appetizing. There are also many variety of sides to be chosen from, and they are very nice as well. I will definitely go there again.
Best park in Houston
What a lovely park with fountains, walking paths, gardens and activities for kids and families. Houston has been surprisingly nice for a holiday. During my long stay i frequented this park for workout and otherwise. It's got a very nice vibe with nature and families around.
I always visited the Japanese gardens after. Even in the evenings this made for a very pleasant walk with nature and birds around. I had the best jogs here. The paths are gravel with tree shade all around. I have seen picnic tables and benches through out the park. The washrooms are well maintained too. I think families too can have a great time here.
#usatrip #mytravelhacks #parks #localguides #summerdestinations #100waysoftravel #trip #myhiddengems
A nice inn for stay, leisure or just staycation
#myhiddengems
I was in Houston for business and of course, we needed a place to stay as our accomodation, and we booked this hotel at Energy Corridor called Best Western Plus Hotel. Conveniently located at the Energy Corridor, it took us 5 minutes to our meeting place at Katy Freeway. This 5 storey hotel offers a very nice and cozy big room for guests, with all amenities included and the king sized bed is awesome. They offer simple breakfast but you get eggs, bacons, waffles, yoghurt and different breads. There are also a pool for usage, especially families will like it. The price is also very reasonable at around USD120 per night. Highly recommended for those traveling to Houston.
A Friday fine dining encounter in Brenner's Steakhouse, Houston
#localfood #100waysoftravel
It was a pleasant Friday evening and we were having a dinner appointment with few of our guest, and we reserved this steakhouse called Brenner's Steakhouse. The entrance features a bar like seating arrangement, and the interior landscape is really alluring with a garden setting. We were brought to our seat at another house, and were introduced with cocktails of Mojito and Margaritas. We started off with appertizers like fried lobster tails and bone marrows with crackers, and we proceeded with our main course of steaks with asparagus and sea bass and shrimps in rice cooked in crab, with a bottle of Pinot Noir. Everything tastes excellent and the service is really world class. The interior design features the old style mansion with warm white lights which makes the environment more cozy. We loved the food and atmosphere and will be back again soon.
A symbol of High Standards, Taste of Texas in Houston
#localfood #100waysoftravel
Steakhouses are very popular in Houston and is a place where people celebratss all occasions: birthdays, anniversaries etc. In Houston, the gastronomy experience will not be complete without the visit to The Taste of Texas, the all time famous steakhouse in Houston. Established in 1977, the interior is decorated with the old style Cowboy Inn and Bar, which gives diner an excellent experience of vintage dinings. In general those who order steaks will enjoy a buffet of salads and breads, which is very scumptious. We started off with the traditional quails and Nachos, then we had our salads, and we ordered the Tomahawk steak to be shared among us. The taste is heavenly as we chose the ones with the fats spread out evenly. Be sure to book early as reservations are likely to be full everyday.
🌟 Houston's Hidden Gem: Adult-Only Luxury 🛌✨
Are you ready to dive into a world of sophistication and exclusivity in the heart of Houston? 🏙️ Houston Towers offers a serene escape with a twist - it's an adults-only haven, ensuring peace and quiet for all guests. 🤫
Each room is a masterpiece of design, blending modern luxury with homey comfort that makes you forget you're in a bustling city. 🛋️🎨 The amenities? Think plush robes, top-tier entertainment systems, and a minibar stocked with grown-up goodies. 🍸📺
The service is impeccable, with staff going the extra mile to personalize your stay. Need a dinner recommendation or a ride to the nearby NRG stadium? They've got you covered. 🍽️🚗 And let's talk about the dining - it's a culinary journey that'll have your taste buds singing praises. 🎶🍴
Step outside and you're amidst the vibrant pulse of Downtown, with culture and excitement at every corner. 🌆🎉 But when you're ready to retreat, Houston Towers awaits to envelop you in tranquility. 🌙
Ready for an unmatched experience? 📍 2309 Wichita Street, Houston, Texas, 77004 awaits.
Houston | Offbeat Fun ~ One-Day Tour Route~
🎫
Discover a hidden gem in Houston
Perfect for a weekend outing with kids😆
A full day📅 is just enough💯
Full of experience and atmosphere~ Relaxing weekend~
🚶Route arrangement
Hermann Park➡️Houston Zoo➡️Rice University
1️⃣ Hermann Park
Not only does it have a Japanese garden and an open-air theater
There is a huge green area and a golf course
The most special is the experience of a small train touring the park🏞️
This is a real track🛤️ surrounding the park
🎫3.75 and there is a Day pass option for 7.5
There are also pedal boats🚢 on the lake to experience~
🔥
There are also iconic statues🗿 nearby for photo ops
Houston landmark Sam Houston statue📷
2️⃣ Houston Zoo
Kids' favorite zoo🐒
You can find animals from Africa🌍 and Asia
There are also various performances and interactive sessions❗️
Overall, there are more than 6,000 animals of over 900 species
Special features🈶Bongo🦆 Call Duck 🦅 Bald Eagle
✅
It is recommended to book tickets🎫 in advance
Park your car🚗 at Hermann Park and walk🚶 to the zoo
At noon🕛, you can dine at the Cypress restaurant in the central area
3️⃣ Rice University
The last stop is recommended to visit🔛 Rice University
It is known as the Harvard of the South❗️
The open campus is very large🚶
Not only is it famous in the field of aerospace
It is also one of the top universities in Texas
✅Check out the exhibit where Kennedy visited the school
✅Take photos at the Rice landmark at the visitor center
✅Experience the school🏫 library
🔥Lovett Hall
🔥Turrell's Skyspace
You can enjoy the tranquility here at dusk🌇
😆
A super relaxing one-day tour is all set❗️
It is still recommended to drive🚗 in Texas
On a good weather day📆, it will definitely be super photogenic📷
I regret not coming to the Houston Museum of Natural Science earlier
🦕 The Houston Museum of Natural Science is located on the northern boundary of Hermann Park, featuring a dinosaur hall, planetarium, gem and mineral hall, butterfly center, and Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, making it perfect for a 👶🏻 family trip!
⛰【Travel Tips】
📍Detailed address:
5555 Hermann Park Dr. Houston,TX77030
🚗Transportation tips: Self-driving is recommended
🕙Opening hours: 9:00-17:00
💰Ticket price: $25 per person, except for a few exhibition halls and 3D
movies which require a separate ticket. The entire museum has four floors and you can wander around freely.
🌟Highlights:
🎈First floor exhibits: The first floor mainly features large dinosaur fossils and other fossils. It is recommended to spend over an hour here, and you can install google translator in advance to use the photo translation feature (after all, the English names of dinosaurs are really obscure)
🎈Second floor exhibits: One side has models of contemporary animals (very realistic, as if in a zoo), and the other side has contemporary marine life (including manta rays and giant squids, as well as many shells). There is also a gem hall on the second floor (it's quite dark inside, where you can see dazzling diamonds and jewelry, as well as raw stones) (recommended 1-1.5 hours)
🎈Third floor exhibits: Cultural halls (Indian/Amazon civilizations, as well as ancient Egyptian civilization). Key point: The pharaoh's head from Animal Crossing is there!!! (40 minutes)
🎈Fourth floor exhibits: Energy technology
📌Little Tips:
It is recommended to arrive between 9-10 am, as it gets very crowded in the afternoon. Parking requires circling up the floors, and it can be painful to find a parking spot and navigate traffic when it's busy. It's much easier in the morning.
When buying tickets, you can also purchase tickets for special exhibits and the theater at the same time,
the theater is a 3D giant screen movie, where you can experience the underwater world, pyramids, etc., and then set the viewing time, which allows for better scheduling of your visit (requires 1 hour)
Lunch: It is recommended to have lunch before 12 pm, as the museum offers fast food. The peak lunch hours are from 12 pm to 2 pm, when you have to queue up to buy food and struggle to find a seat
There are no security checks for bags in the venue
Entry and exit: Except for special exhibits, multiple entries and exits are allowed, and you can also go out for lunch and come back to continue your visit
Houston Zoo 🐘✨
Tons of families, couples, and groups of friends viewing the animals. Most animals had a buddy in their enclosure so it was nice to see the efforts they put in the make sure the animals aren't alone.
I was impressed by how clean it was, and how many different types of animals were there. It was during the early afternoon, so many of the animals were laying down or trying to stay cool.
Very easy to navigate with the maps and arrows all over the park. Tons of restrooms and free water refill. The Houston zoo is pretty good at keeping the animals in healthy environments, and I see them constantly working to make things better for the animals.
Overall, the Houston Zoo is an excellent destination for families, friends, or even solo visitors looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of wildlife and nature. I highly recommend this zoo.
#wheretogo #bestplace #bestview #awesomepic #mytripvlog #celebratewithtrip #best_trip_by_trip #bestplace #recommended #besttimeever #bestdeal #awesometrip #tripcom
Houston Museum of Natural Science 🍁✨
Absolutely stellar museum. The Paleontology, Fossilized Wood, and Gem exhibits were our favorites; but the entire museum was incredible. The exhibits were large with a plethora to see and learn about.
Every exhibit has interesting things to look at and learn from. I went into every section expecting it not be nearly cool and was pleasantly surprised every time when I was wrong.
The whole experience was educational, inspiring, and left us with a profound appreciation for the achievements of space exploration. I highly recommend getting there as soon the museum opens if you don't want to be stuck in crowds.
#wheretogo #bestplace #bestview #awesomepic #mytripvlog #celebratewithtrip #best_trip_by_trip #bestplace #recommended #besttimeever #bestdeal #awesometrip #tripcom
NASA J O H N S O N S P A C E C E N T E
The Johnson Space Center, often referred to as JSC, was established in 1961 and has since been at the forefront of human spaceflight missions.
JSC is also home to the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center, named after the first NASA Flight Director. This iconic facility has been the nerve center for countless space missions, ensuring the safety and success of astronauts throughout their journeys.
Additionally, the Johnson Space Center offers educational programs and public tours, providing visitors with the opportunity to learn about space exploration, view historic artifacts, and even meet astronauts. The Space Center Houston, the official visitor center, offers interactive exhibits, simulators, and presentations to engage and inspire visitors of all ages.
Surely, my visit here was one for the books; I knew it would be good, but I didn’t expect I would spend 6 hours exploring this center for human spaceflight. This place holds amazing information about the history and a glimpse of the future! 🚀 👩🚀 🌙 🪐 🌌
#MissionControl
#SpaceShuttleProgram
#Apollo
#iAmTraveLAINE❣️
Houston NASA Space Center
Houston Space Center is NASA's visitor center. Of course, you have to come here when you visit Space City. In addition to various aircraft and aviation models, there are also many precious souvenirs brought back from space that can be visited. There will also be science popularization explanations inside, which is very suitable for taking children.
🌎Here you can take the "NASA Tram Tour" sightseeing car to visit real work areas, including rockets🚀, launch towers🚀, the command center during the Apollo moon landing🌔🌔, space instrument testing, training bases, etc. You can also touch the real moon rocks brought back🌔🌔, which is very shocking😍😍.
Exploring Houston's Charm ❤️🤠🏙️
📍 Address: Houston, Texas, United States
🌟 Highlights: Houston is a sprawling city with a diverse range of activities to offer. Some of the top highlights include the Space Center Houston, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston Zoo, Discovery Green Park, and the famous Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
👍🏻 Rating: Houston is a must-visit destination for travelers looking for a mix of culture, history, and entertainment. The city is filled with friendly people and great food, and there is always something to see and do.
👉🏻 Motivation: Whether you're a history buff, art lover, or just looking for a fun and vibrant city to explore, Houston has something for everyone. From the NASA Space Center to the rodeo, the city is full of unique experiences that will leave you with unforgettable memories. 🚀🎨🦒🌳🤠
#Houston #Texas #SpaceCenterHouston #MuseumOfFineArtsHouston #HoustonZoo #DiscoveryGreenPark #HoustonLivestockShowAndRodeo #TravelUSA #TravelTips #Culture #History #Entertainment #Foodie #TravelGoals #ExploreMore #AdventureAwaits #CityLife #Wanderlust
Everything’s Bigger in Texas!
Looking for a place to shoot in Houston for free? If you're not trying to hit the Museum of Fine Arts, Hermann Park and the Pioneer Memorial Obelisk are the spots for you.
The park is a giant green oasis downtown. There are dozens of scenes for outfit or background changes. But the memorial in the middle gives you that Washington DC vibe.
Enjoy! #tripblazers #houston #texas #travel #photography #fallingforfall
Wild animals at the Houston Museum of Natural History💕
#Overseas travel #USA travel #Texas travel #Houston_Museum_of_Natural_History
Wildlife Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural History in the US😄
The stuffed wild animals are not just on display,
but they are decorated to look like actual wild animals, making it feel real.
I was able to meet various wild animals that live in Houston and the US.😆
Feel the Mesozoic Era at the Houston Museum of Natural History💕
#Overseas travel #USA travel #Texas travel #Houston_Museum_of_Natural_History #Dinosaur_Fossils
The Houston Museum of Natural History is a popular museum in the United States, ranking in the top 5 in annual visitors😄
There are various things on display, but the most eye-catching are the huge and diverse dinosaur fossils and ancient plant and animal fossils such as mammoths😍
A must-see attraction when traveling to Houston👍
Out of this world 🌎
girlfriend treated me to an experience I’ll never forget. as an avid space nerd, this was perfect. than it is about history. To our amazement there was absolutely no mention of Dr. von Braun who was largely responsible for our success in space exploration.
I thought I knew about space program, boy was I wrong. Learned fascinating details. Only hint is allow an entire day, we were told to allow 4 hours and after 8 hours we felt we still didn't see it all.
Excellent experience at Space Center & especially White Tram tour to Mission Control. Want to go back & see more another time.
would definitely go back again and again. #themepark #urbanexplorer #nasa #summervacation
Recommended Attractions at Popular Destinations Popular Restaurants in Houston