Houston is a big-time city in Texas with a Southern lifestyle. It is the largest city in Texas followed by the San Antonio and Dallas. Texas is the second largest state in the U.S. bordered by the Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast and Oklahoma to the north. Whether it’s a sampling delicious barbecue, indulging in tapping your brand-new boots or upscale shopping to thumping blues music. Houston dishes up a hearty helping of activities, arts, hotels, shopping, nightlife and amazing space-age thrills. The most interesting part of the visit includes spots like downtown aquarium and space center. The city is a cosmopolitan destination with world class activities. To make your trip planning easier, here is the list of some of the top fun Houston things to do.
Top Houston Things to do:
1.) Houston Space Center
The space center is about 25 miles of Houston on the west side of Clear Lake. It is an official center of NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. No doubt that it is one of the most popular tourist’s attractions not only in Houston but also in Texas. No surprise that it is the home of the world-famous Mission Control and the monitoring center for all NASA protected space flights. The center incorporates the visitor center which gives an attractive space exhibition with models of space capsules, film shows, astronauts’ rations, samples of moon rock and a variety of objects received during the Gemini, Mercury, and Apollo space programs. The place is perfect to kick off your Houston trip. You can try here astronaut helmets, wander around huge rockets, steer a spacecraft in a simulator and most amazingly have lunch with a real astronaut. It is one of the most incredible Houston things to do.
2.) Downtown Aquarium
The aquarium also has loads of land-side attractions which include a rain forest with colorful birds and Ferris wheel rides. You can stroll through the Sunken Temple and interact with tarantulas, lionfish, and puffer fish. The aquarium is undoubtedly unique in terms of marine life acquisition as viewing Tiger Reticulated Python which over 20 feet long. The aquarium is really huge with unique aquatic life that you can’t afford to miss. Spend plenty of time to explore some of the world’s best marine life including Louisiana Swamp, alligator snapping turtles and gators. It also houses white tigers that live in the Maharaja’s Temple exhibits. Visiting this museum is one of the best Houston things to do.
3.) The Menil Collection
The Menil Collection is a large group of a museum that contains art collections of the founders John Menil. The four sites are one of the largest private collections in the United States that houses thousands of important sculptures and paintings as well as drawings, prints, old books and photos. All the collections are remarkable however the most famous collection is the Byzantine Fresco Chapel. This section of Menil collection is home to intact Byzantine frescoes in the westside hemisphere. The collection is surrounded by the street of gifts shop and postcards of the most well-known pieces. Doing shopping here would add a great memory of your photo album or scrapbook. It is one of the most incredible Houston things to do. Don’t rely on the maps provided on their website as they are not completely accurate.
4.) Houston Zoo
Houston Zoo is a must-see site when you’re in the town as it features more than 6000 animals which include red pandas, elephants, chimpanzees, and rhinos. The zoo provides plenty of interactive adventure which includes Galapagos tortoise and jaguar exhibits. It also hosts famous red panda which is the world’s cutest animal. The zoo also contains beautiful and rare okapi or forest giraffe. Tourist with kids can head towards the Children’s Zoo where you will find a playground, petting zoo, bat cave, and live shows geared towards the Zoo’s younger visitors. It is, in fact, the most interesting Houston things to do with kids.
5.) The Waterwall and Glenwood Cemetery
This superb Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park is a most beloved city park you can’t miss visiting. It’s an awesome multi-story sculptural fountain that sees sheets of water cascading over huge concrete walls and arts. Glenwood Cemetery is an excellent location to visit when you are in Houston. It is an interesting place to explore with its many extraordinary tombstones and memorials. It is one of the most interesting Houston things to do.
6.) Toyota Center
The major fans have to audition to sit in Section 114 where the Red Rowdies cheer on the team. The center has got the largest video scoreboard in the nation. You’ll hear songs, chants, screams, and stomps from the Rowdies, which is almost as the joy to watch as the Rockets themselves. It is one of the most joyful Houston things to do.
7.) San Jacinto State Park
The main reason you would visit this park is to see the view from the top of the monument. Before heading to this park make sure it is not under remodeling. It is the world’s last remaining battleship built in the run-up to WWI. The USS Texas is a renowned for having served the US in both World Wars. It is one of the most joyful Houston things to do.
8.) The Galleria
It’s the best venue to peruse all the leading names in jewelry, fine apparel, and gifts, including Cartier, Gucci, Tiffany Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The other renowned names in the list are Macy’s, Ralph Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Lauren Collection, and Nordstrom. Underneath the Galleria’s magnificent glass atriums, consumerism has more than 500 fine stores and a renowned ice rink, restaurants, and two Westin hotels. Visiting the place is one of the most amazing Houston things to do.
9.) Market Square Park
It is an evergreen park sprinkled with color. This park offers many things to view from fascinating public to bright flower gardens. The park has the brilliant collection of fountains and benches to enjoy and rest. You should stroll through the Lauren’s Garden, a memorial that honors Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. The garden is packed with lovely waters and fountains commemorate the lives lost on September 11th, 2001. It is one of the most fun Houston things to do.
10.) Rockets Game
It will sound insane, but you are going to lose your hearing after visiting the Red Rowdies. Here you will enjoy the Houston Rockets game. Don’t go there to sit quietly as the place is to scream your freaking head off. It is one of the craziest Houston things to do.