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Home > United States > 18 Best Things To Do in Houston, Texas

18 Best Things To Do in Houston, Texas

By Dymphe / June 29, 2022

For the best things to do in Houston, read this article. Here you find exactly what there is to do in this US city that you should not miss out on.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Have fun at the Kemah Boardwalk
  • 2. Go to Space Center Houston
  • 3. Head to the Houston Zoo
  • 4. Go to the Water Wall
  • 5. Visit the Museum of Natural Science
  • 6. Enter the Houston Funplex
  • 7. Go to the Museum of Fine Arts
  • 8. See the skyline of the city
  • 9. Rise to the top of the San Jacinto Museum of History
  • 10. See the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
  • 11. Visit the Mercer Botanic Gardens
  • 12. Walk at Discovery Green
  • 13. Go to the Menil Collection
  • 14. See Downtown Aquarium
  • 15. Stroll through Memorial Park
  • 16. Go to Minute Maid Park
  • 17. Shop at The Galleria
  • 18. Holocaust Museum Houston

1. Have fun at the Kemah Boardwalk

If you want to have a fun time when you are in Houston, then go to the Kemah Boardwalk.

This is a waterfront amusement park where there is a wide variety of things to do.

For example, there is a large wooden rollercoaster that is really amazing.

Also, there is a very fast boat ride where you cruise on Galveston Bay, there is a place to see stingrays, there is a Ferris wheel, there is an arcade, and there are many more rides and attractions.

But that's not all, there are great dining opportunities, lovely events, and many shops.

Kemah Boardwalk

2. Go to Space Center Houston

Houston is known for its space industry and one way where you can learn all about it is at Space Center Houston. This is a great museum in Houston.

There is a lot to explore here, all related to space.

For example, you can see here exhibits on various themes, such as the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket, a gallery focused on astronauts, travel to Mars, and the international space station.

Space Center Houston

3. Head to the Houston Zoo

For a very fun place to go in Houston, go to Houston Zoo.

There are more than 6000 animals that you can see here from many different species.

For example, there are rhinoceros, giraffes, gorillas, elephants, and many others. This is very interesting to see.

Furthermore, the zoo focuses a lot on the conservation of species and they support many conservation projects around the world. Also, the zoo is one of the most popular zoos in the United States.

Houston Zoo

4. Go to the Water Wall

The Water Wall in Houston is one of the best places to snap a photo and it is one of the best free things to do in Houston.

Here you see a large fountain where water comes down on all parts of the walls. It is truly spectacular to see!

Water Wall Houston

5. Visit the Museum of Natural Science

One of the best museums in Houston is the Museum of Natural Science. Here you'll find all kinds of objects that relate to nature and it is one of the best museums in the United States.

One of the most interesting things you can see here is the many dinosaur skeletons.

Another interesting part of the museum is the one dedicated to ancient Egypt, one where you can see all kinds of gems, and a section where you can see live butterflies.

What's also great is that there are many temporary exhibitions that change throughout time.

Museum of Natural Science

6. Enter the Houston Funplex

The Houston Funplex is an awesome place to go. There is a large number of fun activities you can participate in.

For example, there are many VR experiences, such as a VR rollercoaster and a VR car simulator.

Another great thing to do here is participating in an indoor go-kart. There is also a Ferris wheel, you can bowl here, and you can indoor roller skate. And that's not even all there is to do!

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7. Go to the Museum of Fine Arts

Another great museum in Houston is the Museum of Fine Arts.

The collection consists of art from thousands of years of history and comes from all over the world.

Furthermore, you will find here sculptures, paintings, drawings, and many other types of objects from many different styles.

In short, there is a large variety of art in this museum, so if you are looking for a lot to see in one museum, you should definitely go here!

Museum of Fine Arts
Photo: Hequals2henry / CC BY-SA

8. See the skyline of the city

The skyline of Houston is amazing to see and you can go to Eleanor Tinsley Park for the best place for this in the city. You see all the tall buildings of the city from here.

Furthermore, the park itself is beautiful to be as well and the contrast between the green nature and the urban buildings in the background makes this place even more special.

Eleanor Tinsley Park
Photo: [1] / CC BY-SA

9. Rise to the top of the San Jacinto Museum of History

Not only is the San Jacinto Museum of History a very good museum, but you can also have one of the most amazing views of the city from here.

The museum is located at the base of the San Jacinto Monument and focuses on the Battle of San Jacinto, an important battle of the Texas Revolution, and the culture of Texas in general.

The monument itself, a tall column, is also dedicated to the battle of San Jacinto.

One of the best things about the monument is the elevator that can take you all the way to the top, where you'll be able to get a wonderful view over the Houston Ship Channel.

San Jacinto Monument

10. See the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

If you like contemporary art, then you should definitely go to the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

You'll find here a great place to discover all kinds of contemporary artworks.

There is no permanent collection at this museum, but there are many changing exhibitions. Therefore, you will always see something new when you are visiting the city another time.

Furthermore, there are many different programs and events that take place throughout the year and that relate to the current exhibitions.

What's also great, is that the museum has no admission fee, so you go here without spending anything. This makes the museum one of the best free things to do in Houston as well!

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
Photo: WhisperToMe / CC0

11. Visit the Mercer Botanic Gardens

For a beautiful garden go to the Mercer Botanic Gardens.

Here you can do a relaxing walk and see, for example, bamboo, ferns, tropical plants, endangered plants, and many other things.

There is also an arboretum where many trees can be seen. This is a place where you can go to escape the busy city for a while.

Not only is the garden very beautiful, but you can also learn a lot about the different plants and trees here, as there are many experts walking around, ready to answer all the questions you have.

Mercer Botanic Gardens

12. Walk at Discovery Green

One of the best parks in the city is Discovery Green.

It is a public park in the center of Houston that is lovely to visit.

Furthermore, there is a lake, a playground, a place where performances regularly take place, and much more.

Discovery Green

13. Go to the Menil Collection

Another amazing museum is the Menil Collection. Here you find a large private collection by the Menil family that consists of thousands of paintings, drawings, photographs, books, and sculptures.

Furthermore, the artworks on display were made by, among many others, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol.

Besides these relatively newer artworks, there are also objects that were created in the Byzantine empire and during Medieval times. You can visit the collection for free!

The Menil Collection

14. See Downtown Aquarium

Going to Downtown Aquarium is one of the best things you can do in Houston. Here you find a huge aquarium that contains a large amount of different sea life.

For example, there are sharks, piranhas, stingrays, and crayfish.

These animals can be seen spread over different exhibits, all made around a certain theme, such as the rivers of the tropical rainforests, the Gulf of Mexico, and a shipwreck.

Also, there is a restaurant here from where you can look at the aquarium.

Downtown Aquarium

15. Stroll through Memorial Park

Another very good park is Memorial Park and it is quite large, almost double the size of Central Park in New York City. Not only is this park beautiful to stroll through, but the place also has an interesting history. This site used to be a training camp for First World War.

Memorial Park

16. Go to Minute Maid Park

Going to Minute Maid Park is a very fun activity. Here you can attend a match of the Major League Baseball, as this is the home stadium of the Houston Astros!

You will certainly enjoy it. What's interesting about the stadium itself is that the roof can be retracted.

Also, besides the baseball games that take place here, there are many non-baseball events as well.

For example, there is soccer, there are many concerts that take place here, and there are professional wrestling events.

Minute Maid Park

17. Shop at The Galleria

The Galleria is the best place to shop in Houston.

Furthermore, it is the largest place in the whole state of Texas for shopping and also the most luxurious place.

The mall features more than 400 different shops and there are more than 50 places to eat.

Moreover, because everything is near each other, you are certain you will find exactly what you are looking for here.

The Galleria
Photo: Postoak at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA

18. Holocaust Museum Houston

If you want to learn more about the Second World War when you are visiting the city of Houston, then go to the Holocaust Museum Houston. This is one of the best museums to visit in the city.

Here you'll find an exhibition with all kinds of objects relating to the Holocaust.

Furthermore, there are several temporary exhibitions all focused on a certain theme that changes throughout the year.

Holocaust Museum Houston

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  • Hi there! I’m Dymphe, a travel blogger and content creator with a passion for exploring beautiful destinations and travel photography. I’ve been traveling for years and I decided to start this blog to help you do the same in Europe, the United States, and beyond. More about me.

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