Introducing guest blogger Wayne from Daily Tourist
Houston is an amazing city to visit. Being the 4th largest city in the entire country as well as being the most diverse city, you can definitely expect there to be plenty of things for you to see and do. There is always something happening here, from the opening of new restaurants or cultural events going on around the city.
In fact, Houston is a fantastic place for tourists to come and visit. The people here are friendly, the food is delicious, and the attractions are simply amazing. You don’t have to go very far in order to find something fun to do.
This post is part of our Explore My City series – come and visit cities around the world through the eyes of locals
Traveling Around Houston
Traveling around Houston is probably one of my most favorite things to do. After all, you get to pass by and see so many different things. Plus driving around the city is fairly easy as everything is so straight forward. It is actually pretty hard to get lost here once you traveled around a few times.
I wouldn’t recommend riding a bike or walking around the city for long however because the city is incredibly big and it gets really hot at times. For instance, it can be pretty common to drive around 30 minutes or longer just to reach your favorite destination.
Which is why if you are planning to visit Houston, I’d definitely recommend you to rent a car or Uber around. If you rent a car you can also enjoy several incredible day trips from Houston, many within an hours drive.
The metro bus is also a good option however you are often forced to wait for a long time. If you don’t mind waiting a while, then this might also be a good option for you to use also.
Things to do in Houston with Kids
There are so many interesting and amazing things for you to see and do in Houston.
Houston Rodeo
One of which is the most famous is probably the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It happens every year around the month of March and features a wide range of activities for everybody to do. Some of the things you can do at the rodeo include learning about livestock, petting the animals, eating some delicious rodeo foods, watch a cowboy dance around a bull or even watching a concert by some celebrities.
The Houston Rodeo is a beloved event where everybody should be able to experience it at least once in their lifetime.
Museums in Houston
If you aren’t able to visit in March for the Rodeo, do not worry. There are still plenty of other things for you to see and do.
For instance, Houston is home to over 150 museums with some of the main ones being in the museum district.
If you like science and history, then you will absolutely love the Houston Museum of Natural Science which features a huge collection of fossils, planetarium, gemstone collection, as well as many other antiques and interesting stuff that will keep you on your toes for hours on end.
Or if you like arts and sculptures, then you will absolutely love the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. With collections that span over 6,000 years of history and with over 64,000 works from six continents, it is one of the biggest fine arts museum in all of Texas. You can find treasures such as the Gleizes’s La Femme, Memling’s portrait, Monet’s Water Lilies and an impressive amount of Roman period sculptures and paintings. Definitely a great place to spend the afternoon browsing around art.
If you have kids, then you might be interested in the Children’s Museum Houston which features all sorts of interesting exhibits and subjects that kids will love. From science to tech to history and culture, there is simply so much information here that even parents might learn a thing or two.
And that is just some of the museums you can find in Houston.
Overall, you will definitely have your fill of excitement with all the museums located all around the city.
Parks in Houston
You’ll be happy to know that Houston is home to some of the best parks you have ever seen in your life.
Many of the parks here are extremely big and beautifully maintained, a visit to any of these is among the best free things to do in Houston.
For instance, Hermann Park is probably the most famous park in Houston which spans about 445 acres large and consists of a bountiful assortment of entertainment: a golf course, an outdoor theater, a jogging track, a beautiful rose garden, picnic spaces, a butterfly exhibit, and even a museum.
It is a fantastic place for anybody looking to have some outdoor fun. From picnics to exercising to even playing around, there is definitely something for everybody here in this park.
Another park that you might like is Memorial Park which is an impressive 1,466 acres wide and has lots of things for you to see and do. Known for its beautiful trails where people can go for a leisurely stroll, there are also softball fields, sand volleyball, tennis, and croquet courts, free space for pick-up flag football and soccer games, a driving range and 18-hole Memorial Park Golf Course, swimming lanes at the Memorial Park Fitness Center, and onsite burger joint, Becks Prime. Plus, they are still improving upon the park which means the future version of it will look even better than ever!
Food in Houston
Being the most culturally diverse city in the country, you can definitely expect there to be all kinds of interesting and delicious foods for you to try.
One of which is the most important being Barbecue. If you are in Texas, you just got to have some Barbecue, because Texas Barbecue is the best Barbecue you will ever have. From Killen BBQ to Blood Bros or any other Barbecue joint, you will definitely fall in love with the food.
Houston is also known for its amazing Tex-Mex cuisines which features a beautiful blend of Mexican and Texas traditions. Some of the foods you need to try are fajitas, tortilla chips with salsa, chilies and more, all of which will have your mouth watering.
Aside from that, there are also plenty of other cultural foods here that are great to try. For instance, there are many Asian restaurants here as well as African and European all waiting for you to try them.
Best Times To Visit Houston
Houston is a pretty weird city in terms of weather.
There isn’t really a best time and there isn’t really a worst time because you never know what might happen. In fact, this city might be sunny for a few hours and then thunder storming the next. It’s just really unpredictable.
However if you really want an ideal time to come, I would have to say probably around the months of February through March is the better dates to come visit. Mainly because the weather during these times are much nicer and it is windy yet not too hot.
If you come in the summer, you will absolutely be drenched in sweat because the temperatures here in Houston can reach as high as 110 degrees F, which is just insane. Or if you come in the winter, you’ll be met with freezing temperatures that go as low as 20 degrees F.
So overall, I would stick to February through March as being the best times to visit.
Where to Stay in Houston
Houston, as you might know, is a very big city. Which is why there isn’t really a perfect place to stay at. No matter where you are staying, you will have to drive quite far to go to whatever destination you are planning on going.
However, there is a spot I would recommend and that is around the Uptown through Midtown area. Around these spots, you will find all sorts of shopping centers, stores, clubs, bars, restaurants and more. Although it may be a bit expensive, I think it is worth the cost as you will have a lot of fun in this area.
About the Blogger
Wayne Dang was born and raised in Houston and has lived in the city for 30 years. He is a full-time real estate investor and a part-time traveler with a firm belief that anybody is able to travel no matter how busy they are in life. He wants to show everybody how they can travel better and smarter like never before. He is the owner of Daily Tourist which is a travel blog showcasing the best parts of traveling in the world.
With thanks to Wayne for his contribution to our guest series. You may also like to read about the best of Dallas-Fort Worth with kids, or how about our family guide to tackling Las Vegas?
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