Last updated on June 26th, 2023 at 06:36 pm

The first time we visited our family in Houston, Texas, 3 years ago, we didn’t explore the city much. Not that we didn’t want to, but we didn’t know which places to visit beyond the usual recommendations on Tripadvisor. Since then, we shook things up a little and started asking friends as well as the Houston tourism board for recommendations before our visit.

After our 4^th visit to this city and spending quality time, we are happy to put this list of 10 exciting things you need to see and do in Houston. To be honest, all of these can be easily done on a weekend trip, i.e., 2-3 days in the city. Most of these Houston attractions are kids-friendly but will require driving around, so either rent a car or Turo or Uber/Lyft it up. And if you are staying for a longer duration, do check out some of the charming small towns in Texas.

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10 Unique & Fun Activities in Houston

1. NASA Johnson Space Center

While America’s Apollo 13 was creating a world record in 1970 for landing a manned spacecraft on the moon, it was being closely monitored and controlled right here in Houston. We enjoyed re-living that historic journey at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Beyond the mission control room, you can go on a tour of NASA’s current and past programs within their huge facility. Johnson Space Center is about 45 minutes drive from downtown Houston.

2. Kemah Boardwalk

A family-friendly area by the Gulf of Mexico, this boardwalk includes fun rides for kids and great restaurants for everyone. Kemah is very close in proximity to NASA, so we recommend stopping by here in the evening after spending the day in Johnson Space Center.

3. Graffitis & Wall Murals

If you didn’t already know, Houston is pretty artistic and hunting for wall murals in the city can make for a fun activity. East Downtown also called EaDo is popular for its Graffiti building which is essentially a few blocks of Graffiti Walls. Start from the intersection of Emanuel St. & Leeland St and explore a few blocks along Chartres St., Emanuel St., Leeland St., Bell St., and Hutchins.

Explore More Places in the United States:

• Spend 3 Days in St Augustine, Florida
• Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Road Trip from San Francisco to LA

Besides EaDo, there are a few other wall murals around downtown as well –

The Biscuit Paint Wall is at the intersection of Westheimer Rd & Mulberry St. Houston is Inspired mural is on the parking side wall of Treebeards on Market Square, a great southern comfort food place, and a block away from La Carafe.  The huge Preservons la Creation (Zeus) mural is located in mid-town.

4. Texas Food

Texan BBQ – A must visit for those who dig meat. For folks like me who don’t eat beef or pork, there was grilled chicken at BBQ joints. For my vegetarian friends, honestly the only thing veggie we saw there were the sides like mashed potatoes or grilled veggies.

But then there is Tex-Mex food in Houston which caters to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian crowd. And more so, you are officially in Tex-Mex land, which means, you must try some authentic Mexican food here. We went to the original Ninfa’s on Navigation Blvd which is known to have brought (or invented) Fajitas in the US in the form of “Original Tacos”. And as always we can never end a meal without desserts, Ninfa’s Tres Leches was one of the best I’ve ever had. 

5. Bar Hopping

Downtown Houston has a ton of fun bars that you could explore in downtown. The Conservatory is an underground quick food and beer place with a lively vibe. Very close to Conservatory is La Carafe, a spooky bar inside Houston’s oldest commercial building. TIP: Ask the bartender for some interesting (read haunting) stories of this bar. There are a few rooftop bars in downtown Houston to enjoy a nice evening as well.

Visit Viator for some pre-planned tours on the bar scene in Houston. 

6. Shopping for Leather Goods

Whether you are officially shopping or just window shopping it’s a unique experience to try those Texan boots. The leather stores in Texas not only have leather boots but jackets, cowboy hats, belts, and much more.  When we went to Cavenders last year, I returned with my first ever Texan Boot!

7. Rice University Campus

To be honest we discovered the Rice University area accidentally on an Uber ride. I was mesmerized by the thick Oaktree tunnel we were driving by with ornamental houses on each side. So we returned to the area and explored a little bit of the campus and the surrounding streets. Who knew such a pretty campus sits in the heart of downtown Houston?

8. Battleship Texas State Historic Park

If you are interested in warships, then you have to check out USS Texas that served both World War I & II. Docked at the bay in Battleship Texas State Park, it is about 30 minutes drive from downtown Houston. The entrance fee is $12 to go inside the ship. Also located on the same grounds is San Jacinto Battleground which is worth a stopover. Why?

If you are not great with American history, like me, then you might not know the historic significance of the San Jacinto Battle. Fun Fact: The battle of San Jacinto was fought between the Mexican army and the army of Texas which was led by General Sam Houston. The victory of this battle was key to the foundation of the Republic of Texas and many other states in the US. Now you know where the city of Houston gets its name!

9. Buffalo Bayou Park & Cistern

Our last 2 recommendations on this list are pretty off-beat. If you visit in a pleasant season (read not summers when even your phone is having a meltdown) Buffalo Bayou Park is a great place to spend a relaxing time. What’s more, there is an underground cistern in the park which is recently opened to the public. Thanks to Houston tourism board who recommended us to visit Buffalo Bayou Cistern, we learned that until the early 2000s the city of Houston’s source of drinking water was this cistern.

10. Waugh Drive Bat Colony

Yes, you read that right! There is a bat colony right under Waugh Dr. Bridge over the Buffalo Bayou. What surprised us was that many Houstonians did not know about this Bat Colony. Thankfully, we were not the only crazy ones sitting on the grassy hill by the bridge waiting for the sun to go down. At dusk, hundreds of bats fly out from under the bridge, that’s their colony, in search of food. Do not go too close to the bridge for 2 reasons: a) You do not want to be hit by a flying bat & b) It’s hard to handle that smell for too long. Add this one in your unique experiences list.

Extra Attractions

If you are visiting Houston in spring then you must check out the Ennis Bluebonnet trail full of blue wildflowers in Texas Hill country only a few hours drive away.

In addition to wildflowers, April is also the season when Rodeo takes place in NRG Stadium in Houston downtown. Who doesn’t want to see their first Rodeo?

TIP: Don’t forget to carry a bottle of water in your daypack to beat Texas heat in the summer.

We hope you enjoy these activities on your visit to Houston. If you liked this post, then please share it on social media or pin it for later.

Happy Traveling!