Houston Travel Guide
1. Attractions
Space Center Houston: As the official visitor center of NASA's Johnson Space Center, it houses the world's largest collection of spacesuits and moon rocks, as well as over 400 space artifacts. You can learn about the history of human space exploration through a visit.
Museum District: Houston's Museum District has 19 different cultural institutions divided into four walkable zones. You can visit the Menil Collection to admire 17,000 paintings, sculptures, and rare books, or head to the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the African American Culture Museum, and more.
Houston Zoo: Located in Zone 4 of the Museum District, the zoo is home to animals from around the world and is a popular choice for families.
Waugh Bridge Bat Colony: Every evening at dusk, around 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats fly out from under the bridge, creating a spectacular sight. You can stand on Waugh Bridge or across from it to watch them fly into Buffalo Bayou to forage.
Beaches: While Houston itself doesn't have beaches, Sylvan Beach Park, just 26.2 miles from downtown, is the closest beach, perfect for swimming and free of seaweed. If you want to avoid the crowds at Sylvan Beach Park, you can opt for El Jardin Beach, which offers a peaceful and beautiful environment.
2. Food Experiences
Explore Diverse Cuisine: Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the US, with around 10,000 restaurants offering cuisine from 70 different countries and regions, as well as various US states. For example, you can enjoy Korean cuisine in Spring Branch, Chinese food in Chinatown, Vietnamese dishes in Midtown, and Venezuelan cuisine in Katy.
POST Houston: This large food court features live music and event spaces, showcasing Houston's culinary culture.
Houston Farmers Market: Here, you can find fresh produce and a variety of restaurants offering everything from breakfast to Tex-Mex, Cajun, and more, making it a great place to explore Houston's food culture.
3. Activities
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: This is the world's largest livestock show, held annually from February to March. You can watch cowboy bull riding, cowgirl barrel racing, and more, as well as enjoy carnival rides, shop for local goods, taste BBQ competition food, and attend live concerts by famous musicians.
Watch Sports Events: Houston is home to several professional sports teams. You can catch a Houston Rockets basketball game at the Toyota Center, or head downtown to watch the Houston Astros baseball team, the Houston Dash and Houston Dynamo men's and women's soccer teams, or the Houston SaberCats rugby team.
4. Outdoor Activities
Park Leisure: Houston has 580 parks covering 66,000 acres, making it a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. For example, Buffalo Bayou Park offers 15 miles of bike and walking trails, as well as public art installations.
Extreme Sports: You can try skateboarding at the 30,000-square-foot Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark, wakeboarding at Wake Nation's full-size cable park, indoor or outdoor skydiving at iFly Houston and Skydive Spaceland, rock climbing at Texas Rock Gym, or biking on the prairie single track at Jack Brooks Park.