Things to do in Houston
Spring and fall bring warm, pleasant days ideal for the Museum District and outdoor parks. Summers are hot and intensely humid with frequent afternoon storms; winters are mild but can swing cold.
Best months: March, April, October, November
What is worth your time in Houston
Museum of Fine Arts, HoustonDo not miss
One of the largest art museums in the US, spanning antiquity to modern across two buildings linked by a James Turrell light tunnel.
Museum · 2.8 hr4.8
Buffalo Bayou ParkDo not miss
A 160-acre green ribbon along the bayou with trails, kayaking, a skyline view, and the bat colony under Waugh Bridge at dusk.
Park · 1.8 hr4.7
Discovery GreenDo not miss
A vibrant 12-acre downtown park with a model-boat pond, splash fountains, free concerts, and a winter ice rink.
Park · 1.4 hr4.7
Hermann ParkDo not miss
A 445-acre green heart of the Museum District with a reflection pool, Japanese garden, train, and pedal boats on McGovern Lake.
Park · 1.8 hr4.7
Houston Museum of Natural ScienceDo not miss
A blockbuster museum of dinosaurs, gems, a planetarium, and a giant glass butterfly center anchoring the Museum District.
Museum · 3.3 hr4.7
Space Center HoustonDo not miss
The official visitor center of NASA's Johnson Space Center, with real spacecraft, a tram tour to Mission Control, and moon rocks you can touch.
Activity · 8 hr4.6
The Menil CollectionDo not miss
A serene, free Renzo Piano museum of surrealist, ancient, and modern masterworks set in a leafy Montrose campus.
Museum · 2 hr4.6
Rothko ChapelDo not miss
A nondenominational sanctuary of fourteen brooding Mark Rothko canvases, a global landmark of contemplative modern art.
Cultural Experience · 53 min4.5
The GalleriaDo not miss
Texas's largest mall, a glass-vaulted shopping landmark with an indoor ice rink and more than 400 stores.
Market · 2.3 hr4.5
MontroseDo not miss
Houston's bohemian, walkable heart of indie restaurants, galleries, murals, and the city's best LGBTQ nightlife.
Neighborhood · 2.3 hr
Cockrell Butterfly Center
A three-story glass rainforest cone where thousands of free-flying butterflies drift past a 50-foot waterfall.
Activity · 1.1 hr4.8
McGovern Centennial Gardens
A formal Hermann Park garden crowned by a spiraling mount you climb for a skyline view over rose and herb beds.
Park · 53 min4.8
Memorial Park
One of the largest urban parks in the country, with the famed Seymour Lieberman running loop and the new Land Bridge.
Park · 1.4 hr4.8
Miller Outdoor Theatre
A Hermann Park amphitheatre offering free professional concerts, ballet, and films on a grassy hillside under the stars.
Cultural Experience · 2.3 hr4.8
And 31 more, which the planner picks between based on your dates, pace and what you are into.
Worth knowing
- Houston is a vast, sprawling city; a rental car is essential for getting between districts, and freeway driving is the norm.
- Summer heat and humidity are extreme; plan outdoor stops for early morning and reserve afternoons for the air-conditioned Museum District.
- The Museum District clusters 19 museums within walking distance near Hermann Park, with many free on Thursdays.
- Houston's food scene is among the most diverse in the US; venture into Chinatown, the Heights, and Montrose for the best eating.
- Tipping 18-20 percent at restaurants is standard, and parking downtown and in museum lots often carries a fee.