Houston's been acquiring traction as a really trendy place to visit for a couple of years currently, and also as a Houstonian, it's YOUR work to keep that reputation alive and valid. Certain, you can take a three-hour cable car scenic tour of the Johnson Space Center or invest throughout the day having a look at the city's many, many museums, but we're pretty sure your buddy is never coming back if that's all you do. Instead, take 'em out to some of our finest restaurants to show off Houston's culinary prowess ... and then go to some of our best bars, where they'll certainly forget the names of our best restaurants.
Below you'll find the best things to do in Houston, no matter if you've lived here all your life or remain in community for 5 mins. Varying in cost from "complimentary as hell" to "hope you earned money today," here's the coolest stuff H-Town has to supply.
Obtain wonderstruck at the James Turrell Skyspace
Free
Rice University
Few visitor destinations are really deserving, but this totally rad light and audio installment absolutely is. Discover right alongside the Shepherd School of Music on the Rice University campus, the acoustically crafted work of art is called "Twilight Epiphany" thanks to a trippy LED light sequence. It predicts onto and also with the structure's open roofing prior to dawn and also at sunset. Loan isn't needed, yet reservations are.
Take an outing to the stage
Free
Gallery District
From March via November, the outdoor Miller Outdoor Theatre places on dynamic phase manufacturings-- assume real-time jazz, ballet, as well as musical comedy-- that are definitely amazing and definitely complimentary. It really undoubtedly draws a crowd, so sign up with that crowd along with a blanket, some boxed a glass of wine & regional cheese, and your super-impressed guest of selection. In the off-season, a picnic at Downtown's urban park, Discovery Green, is an additional clever option.
Teach them how to Topgolf
$$.
Katy (& Webster & Spring).
It's sort of like instructing them how to dougie, yet method colder. Rather than looking like a bonehead, you'll be smacking golf balls at tinted targets, controling life-size Connect Four, as well as drinking a respectable quantity of beer buckets. Do not allow its outside-the-loop location quit you from this great time (there's always Uber to kindly provide transport if you intend to alcohol).
BYOB to Chinatown.
$$.
Chinatown/Sharpstown.
A journey to Asiatown is never not a great idea, however when you tack on BYOB choices, things obtain a little bit additional. You'll wish to combine something hoppy with the fiery curries at Mamak Malaysian, fork-tender lamb shank masala, as well as Pakistani-spiced fried poultry at Himalaya, garlic-butter Vietnamese-style crawfish at Crawfish Cafe, and also hot peppercorn beef and also pot-roasted fish at Mala Sichuan Bistro (which provides an outstanding internal white wine list in situation you totally empty and also forget your bottle, as well).
See bats at the Waugh Bridge.
Free.
Montrose.
Real tale: when the Waugh Bridge was built, no one realized it was the ideal framework to organize an entire bunch of Mexican free-tailed bats. Head to the seeing system and also you might simply catch a bat show, which never stops working to both fascinate and also slip the hell out of visitors.
Check out a secret below ground tank.
$.
Midtown.
The Buffalo Bayou Partnership has actually done a lot for this city, and one of the raddest of its payments was re-imagining this 1927 commercial antique right into a public space, hosting docent-led walking excursions and also a collection of art installations (the current of which is a trippy optical experience from world-renowned artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, on view with January 2019). With 200 concrete columns rising 25-feet and also 87,500-square-feet of open room, the cavernous structure is reminiscent of ancient Roman tanks in Istanbul. Historic scenic tours set you back $5 ($ 10 for the art installation) and can sign up for $5 meditation sessions on Sundays from 10 to 11am.
Lease a B-cycle.
$.
Several places.
Among the sweetest means to learn more about a city is by biking it, so hit up one of bike sharing program B-cycle's 60 (as well as counting) stations to lease a bike for $3 per 30 mins. Or go full-on Tour de Houston and also register for the $9 month-to-month subscription, which will unlock unlimited 60-minute trips for the entire month (or more like the serving Houston whole weekend break for your site visitors). Considering that you'll need to examine the bike in as soon as a hr to avoid extra charges, we suggest taking a ride along the bayou as well as into Downtown as well as Midtown, where you'll discover a collection of quits as well as an entire number of areas to "relieve your thirst" in between; or head right for Houston's tree-lined Museum District.
Carry out a brewery Triple Crown.
$-$$$.
Multiple locations.
Houston's brew scene is having a moment, so it stands to reason that you should take part as heavily in that moment as your liver will enable. Begin at Houston's (as well as Texas') oldest craft brewery, Saint Arnold, which opens the beer hall absolutely free excursions as well as a la carte food as well as beverage acquisitions Monday with Saturday. In EaDo, 8th Wonder Brewery rocks a vast yard, on-site food vehicle as well as a seven-day-a-week taproom. Combine a Hopston IPA with some surrounded elote french fries from Eatsie Boys. When you've dominated those, broaden your sudsy perspectives at your option of microbrewery, including places like Buffalo Bayou Brewing Carbon Monoxide, Brash Brewing, Eureka Heights or Under the Radar.
Bar get on Downtown's megablock.
$$-$$$$.
Downtown.
While Houston is known for its sprawl, that's not the case Downtown, where welcoming alcohol consumption facilities rest so close with each other we're shocked there have not been any type of grass wars. See exactly how nicely the bars play together by starting a DIY bar crawl, beginning with beverages for a reason at OKRA Charity Saloon, jumping your method to skillfully crafted libations at Captain Foxheart's Bad News Bar & Spirits Lodge and Moving Sidewalk, mezcal-laced cocktails at The Pastry War, whiskey shots at Boots 'n Shoots, and also circling around back to finish the evening with dance at Nightingale Room or weirdness at notsuoH, since those are the only ways to end the night. Oh wait no, there's additionally pizza Roma's or Frank's.
Houston's been obtaining grip as a really amazing location to go to for a couple of years now, and as a Houstonian, it's YOUR work to maintain that track record to life as well as valid. Rather, take 'em out to some of our finest dining establishments to show off Houston's culinary prowess ... and also after that go to some of our finest bars, where they'll definitely fail to remember the names of our best restaurants.
Or go full-on Tour de Houston and also authorize up for the $9 month-to-month subscription, which will unlock unlimited 60-minute journeys for the whole month (or even more like the entire weekend for your visitors). Given that you'll have to examine the bike in when an hour to avoid extra costs, we recommend taking a trip along the bayou as well as right into Downtown and Midtown, where you'll find a collection of quits as well as a whole bunch of areas to "appease your thirst" in between; or head directly for Houston's tree-lined Museum District.
Begin at Houston's (and Texas') earliest craft brewery, Saint Arnold, which opens up the beer hall for complimentary trips and a la carte food and also beverage acquisitions Monday with Saturday.