Houston: what's actually worth it
Top things to do in Houston
Space Center Houston
Museum · ★ 4.6 (53,896 reviews)
Educational center highlighting all eras of U.S. space travel via exhibits, tours & attractions.
Check tours & tickets →Houston Museum of Natural Science
Museum · ★ 4.7 (30,761 reviews)
Museum with dinosaur hall & other permanent exhibits, planetarium, IMAX theater & butterfly house.
Check tours & tickets →Kemah Boardwalk
Tourist Attraction · ★ 4.5 (40,106 reviews)
Family-friendly entertainment including retro rides, a wooden roller coaster & two-story carousel.
Check tours & tickets →Discovery Green
Park · ★ 4.7 (22,271 reviews)
Park with live music, public art, restaurants, playground, pond for kayaking & exercise classes.
Check tours & tickets →The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Art museum · ★ 4.8 (12,118 reviews)
Distinct campus & sculpture garden with notable art from antiquity to today, plus films & programs.
Check tours & tickets →Downtown Aquarium
Tourist Attraction · ★ 4.1 (25,194 reviews)
Sprawling spot for sea life, including touch pools, shark tank & displays of aquatic ecosystems.
Check tours & tickets →San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site
Historical Place · ★ 4.7 (6,291 reviews)
Circa-1939 obelisk & museum commemorating the battle that marked Texas' independence from Mexico.
Check tours & tickets →McGovern Centennial Gardens
Garden · ★ 4.8 (5,139 reviews)
An 8-acre site featuring themed gardens, a sculpture promenade & a 30-foot mount with city views.
Check tours & tickets →Children's Museum Houston
Museum · ★ 4.6 (6,770 reviews)
Bustling family museum with a wealth of hands-on activities such as a Bubble Lab & a Tot Spot.
Check tours & tickets →Where to eat
Lost & Found
Bar & Grill · ★ 4.8 (18,147 reviews)
Relaxed restaurant offering cocktails, brunch & mains, plus patio dining with views of downtown.
Website →Aquarium Restaurant
Seafood Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (11,929 reviews)
Large seafood & steak restaurant decorated by a huge fish tank filled with tropical sea creatures.
Website →The Breakfast Klub
Breakfast Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (10,108 reviews)
Hotspot for diner-style American eats & stick-to-your-ribs soul food including chicken & waffles.
Website →Confessions
American Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (7,896 reviews)
Website →Provaré Houston
Italian Restaurant · ★ 4.9 (5,960 reviews)
Website →Frank's Pizza
Pizza Restaurant · ★ 4.6 (7,049 reviews)
Giant, foldable slices of New York-style thin crust pizza (or whole pies) available late night.
Website →La Fisheria
Mexican Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (4,857 reviews)
Mexican coastal seafood, upscale plates & cocktails are the draw at this chic, roomy eatery.
Website →The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
Mexican Restaurant · ★ 4.4 (8,729 reviews)
Longtime casual spot with covered outdoor seating serving fajitas, margaritas & other Mexican fare.
Website →Tours worth booking ahead
Discovery Green
Park · ★ 4.7 (22,271 reviews)
Park with live music, public art, restaurants, playground, pond for kayaking & exercise classes.
Check tours & tickets →Get outside
Brazos Bend State Park
State Park · ★ 4.8 (5,940 reviews)
Home of an observatory, lakes & fishing, plus hiking/biking trails, camping & lots of alligators.
Website →Terry Hershey Park
Park · ★ 4.7 (4,078 reviews)
Extensive network of hiking & biking trails along a stretch of Buffalo Bayou encompassing 500 acres.
Website →Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center
Park · ★ 4.7 (3,144 reviews)
This large tract features play & fishing areas, an educational facility & a network of trails.
Website →Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve
Park · ★ 4.8 (1,956 reviews)
This 80-acre preserve features Marshall Lake, fishing piers, a canoe launch, paved trails & more.
Lake Houston Wilderness Park
Park · ★ 4.6 (2,561 reviews)
Vast forested area with wildlife, camping, trails (including horse), kayaking & a nature center.
Website →After dark
Lost & Found
Bar & Grill · ★ 4.8 (18,147 reviews)
Relaxed restaurant offering cocktails, brunch & mains, plus patio dining with views of downtown.
Website →Axelrad Beer Garden
Beer Garden · ★ 4.7 (6,741 reviews)
Craft beers galore offered in a laid-back outdoor setup with hammocks, food trucks & regular events.
Website →Unforgettable Kitchen and Cocktails
American Restaurant · ★ 4.6 (4,726 reviews)
Social Beer Garden HTX
Sports Bar · ★ 4.7 (2,438 reviews)
Spacious indoor-outdoor beer garden with food trucks & an energetic, kid- & pet-friendly atmosphere.
Website →More guides
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