15 Cool Attractions & Local Spots to Check Out in Houston On Your First Visit

Whenever I travel through Texas, I try to set aside time to explore all the fun things to do in Houston. After visiting the “unofficial capital of Texas” a couple of times, I’ve fallen in love with the city’s rich history and culture, scrumptious BBQ, and cheerful street art.

(So much so, that my girlfriend and I even go out of my way to find layovers here when we’re headed south to places like Mexico or Costa Rica!)

Even on my first quick visit to Houston, I discovered a slew of fun tourist attractions and hidden gems. I’m always happy to explore the city’s historical charms, dig into its food scene, dawdle in art museums, or lounge the day away at some of the largest metropolitan parks in the U.S., including Memorial Park and Buffalo Bayou Park.

Scouring the internet to figure out what to do in Texas’s biggest city? Look no further: This quick & easy guide to our favorite places to visit in Houston, TX, is the perfect place to help you get started!

Our recommendations for what to see & do in Houston

Space Center Houston

Visiting with the whole family and have only one day in Houston? The official visitor center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston should be at the top of your list of things to see & do.

Located about 30 minutes southeast of the city center, this famous attraction offers a full day of fun for the entire family—kids and adults alike! And after visiting on my last trip to Houston, it became one of my favorites, too!

During my Space Center Houston visit, I loved perusing collections of spacesuits from historic missions, real shuttles, and space artifacts. Visitors can also hop on a NASA Tram Tour to visit the Johnson Space Center astronaut training facilities and the Historic Mission Control area.

(If you’re extra lucky, you might even meet one of NASA’s real astronauts—unfortunately, our timing was off!)

Permanent exhibitions to check out at the Space Center Houston include:

• Independence Plaza: Explore a replica of the 80-ton Independence space shuttle. Step into the flight deck to see the shuttle from the pilots’ view before descending into the “cozy” living quarters.
• Starship Gallery: My favorite exhibition and the most famous at the center, the Starship Gallery features some of NASA’s most famous spacecraft, including the Apollo 17 Command Module, Mercury 9 “Faith 7” capsule, and Skylab 1-G Trainer.
• Spacesuit Collection: Check out this large collection of spacesuits, including suits from the Apollo missions and an Extravehicular-Mobility Unit (EMU) belonging to Kathryn Sullivan, the first female American astronaut to complete a spacewalk.

On your way out, be sure to visit the Spacetrader gift shop and bring home some astronaut ice cream. If you haven’t tried this freeze-dried delicacy before, you’re in for a treat!

Admission to the Space Center is from $34.95 to $44.95 for adults and from $29.95 to $39.95 for kids aged 4 to 11. Children under 3 are free.

Looking for a way to cool down before heading back to the city? One of Houston’s most popular beaches, Sylvan Beach Park, is just twenty minutes east of the center in the town of La Porte.

Catch a sea breeze with the whole family on the sandy beach, or bring a fishing rod and cast a line into Galveston Bay at the park’s popular fishing pier.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Houston is the perfect destination for museum fanatics. And the Houston Museum of Natural Science is among the city’s most prestigious.

We find this popular museum on Hermann Park Drive in the heart of the Houston Museum District. Along with the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts, this trifecta was my favorite in the area. I highly recommend carving out time for each, especially if you’re a huge culture lover.

A blast from the past for visitors of all ages, the Houston Museum of Natural Science features extraordinary curations of dinosaur skeletons, ancient artifacts, precious gems, and marvels of science and technology.

In addition to the permanent collections and rotating exhibitions, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is also home to a butterfly conservatory, planetarium, night sky observatory, and a 3D IMAX theatre.

Although you can walk through the museum in a couple of hours, I recommend planning to carve out a whole day in your itinerary to take full advantage of everything this top Houston attraction has to offer.

After browsing the exhibit halls at one of Houston’s top museums, guests should check out the Cockrell Butterfly Center. Located on the museum grounds, the Cockrell Butterfly Center features hundreds of butterflies fluttering about the plants and flowers within a rainforest habitat.

Be sure to charge up your camera to snap some epic photos of these colorful creatures for your Instagram feed!

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, and from 9 am to 6 pm, Friday through Sunday. Regular admission costs $25 for adults and $16 for children and seniors.

Downtown Aquarium

Visible from several blocks away, the LED-illuminated Downtown Aquarium has become one of the top points of interest in Houston since opening its doors in 2003. The 6-acre complex houses many themed exhibits, which showcase not only an extraordinary variety of tropical species but also a shipwreck, sunken temple, and “offshore” rig.

(Oh yeah, and the Downtown Aquarium also has an outdoor exhibit that’s home to four gorgeous white tigers!)

Let’s be clear, though: This is no ordinary aquarium. Entertainment is key here, with a few amusement park rides on-site, including an iconic Ferris wheel and an under-the-sea carousel.

The Downtown Aquarium focuses on providing an immersive experience. The venue is designed to allow visitors to get up close and personal with the resident fish and sea creatures as they walk through the halls.

If you want to make the most of your day at the aquarium, plan a trip to the underwater restaurant. Here, you can dine amongst the colorful reefs or board a train that’ll take you on a journey through their largest shark tank.

An all-day adventure pass for the Downtown Aquarium is $25.99 for adults and $24.99 for children under 42″ tall. (Odd requirement, I know.)

Houston Zoo

Located on Hermann Park Drive, the Houston Zoo is rated highly among the top tourist attractions in Houston. As it’s home to over 6,000 animals and one of the top zoos in the country, visiting is sure to be an exciting all-day affair. 

One of the most popular activities at the Houston Zoo for little ones is a visit to the “swap shop.” Bring along shells, fossils, or rocks (as well as some research into what you found), and a staff naturalist will trade you for points to spend in the gift shop. The more you know about your find, the more you’ll earn! 

Do you have a favorite animal you’d like to get a little closer to? Included in your admission pass is the chance to feed the zoo’s Masai giraffes. Just be sure to build this into your schedule, as these feedings only occur between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.

The Houston Zoo also offers several other animal encounter experiences. You can bathe an elephant, go on a walk with a cheetah, play catch with a sea lion, cuddle a sloth, or give a sweet treat to a gorilla—the choice is yours!

After your zoo visit, I recommend spending some time roaming around the rest of Hermann Park. Sprawling a whopping 445 acres, Hermann Park is one of my favorite spots to explore in the city. It hosts a swath of attractions, including a Japanese Garden, the Miller Outdoor Theatre, and the Sam Houston Statue.

Buffalo Bayou Park

A massive urban park, Buffalo Bayou Park is the perfect place in Houston to spend a leisurely day immersed in nature. The renowned expanse of green space has garnered national attention for its size: 160 acres is practically unheard of in the midst of a big city.

Buffalo Bayou Park offers plenty to do, including a stop at the Wortham Foundation Grove, another Houston sightseeing icon affectionately dubbed “the dandelion” by locals.

When I visited, I found a network of hike and bike trails running throughout Buffalo Bayou Park, with bike rentals conveniently located at the park entrance. On weekends, the park is filled with food trucks and families enjoying picnics.

If you plan a day at Buffalo Bayou Park, I recommend staying until sunset. At dusk, a massive colony of Mexican free-tailed bats (nearly 250,000 large) takes flight in droves from under the Waugh Bridge.

(Though Houston’s bat colony is less of a local phenomenon than in Austin, joining massive groups of tourists and locals to watch the bats is an experience I won’t soon forget!)

Built up an appetite on your Buffalo Bayou adventure? Make a pit stop at Truth BBQ (110 S Heights Blvd). This rustic Texas barbecue joint, located on South Heights Boulevard, was the first recommendation when I asked both our Uber driver and hotel concierge for their suggestions on where to eat in the city.

Truth BBQ is famed among Houstonians for its smoked meat and homemade side dishes, including mac & cheese and banana caramel cake. While my Texas BBQ knowledge is still limited (hey, I’m workin’ on it), I loved the brisket and pork ribs.

My only advice? Get here as early as you can. The lineup here can get huge, and, as I heard from locals, it’s not uncommon for them to sell out quickly.

Truth BBQ opens for lunch at 11 am Tuesday to Sunday and for dinner at 5 pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Memorial Park

The epicenter of Houston’s outdoor recreation, Memorial Park is much more than a series of well-groomed jogging trails alongside the bayous. This 1,400-acre property is located in the Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park neighborhood, a quick 15-minute drive from downtown.

When I finally got here on my last trip to Houston, I loved roaming around this massive park, particularly along the Green Ridge Trail and in the Eastern Glades section. Both felt worlds away from the city’s busy downtown, even though it’s mere minutes away.

I recommend saving time in your itinerary to relax at this urban oasis—or to add outdoor activities like mountain biking, tennis, swimming, or golf to your travel plans.

Memorial Park is the largest park in Houston and is nearly twice the size of New York’s famous Central Park. Lace up your shoes to explore over thirty miles of walking paths and hiking trails, winding through the natural beauty over small creeks. Or, for a more exhilarating adventure in the outdoors, tune up your mountain bike for a ride along the park’s biking trails in the Bayou Wilds.

If hiking and biking aren’t up your alley, grab your clubs and practice your swing at Memorial Park Golf Course. Built in 1912, the 18-hole course is considered one of the finest municipal golf courses in the United States. 

Built up an appetite on your Memorial Park visit? Slide over to the Live Oak Court at the Clay Family Eastern Glades. Last time I visited, I spotted a handful of food trucks offering tasty local flavors.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Embrace your inner artist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. At this top-notch art museum, you’ll travel across the world and back in time through a creative lens as you wander permanent antiquities collections and rotating art exhibits.

With almost 70,000 works of art from around the globe, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, offers something for every type of art lover.

When I visited on my first trip to Houston, I was totally overwhelmed by the selection here. I spent over two hours perusing the exhibit, which just flew by. (I feel I could have stayed even longer and still have not given the whole museum its due!)

In the Audrey Jones Beck Building, browse antiquities from ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East. Dazzle at the modern and contemporary art collection, featuring artwork by famous artists like Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol. Or get lost exploring the wide array of Islamic, African, and Asian decorative arts.

To get the most out of your experience at the art museum, I recommend participating in one of its free guided tours. The tour will guide you through the permanent collection and visit the museum’s satellite sites: the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens and the Rienzi House.

Daikin Park (Minute Maid Park)

Home of the Houston Astros, Daikin Park (formerly known as Minute Maid Park) is a staple of the Houston experience. Especially if you have some MLB fans amongst your travel buddies, a visit to this popular ballpark needs to be added to your Houston itinerary.

As Daikin Park is centrally located in Downtown Houston, it’s easy enough to pop in for one of their daily stadium tours on a whim. Or, if you’re visiting during baseball season, head on over to the box office and score some last-minute tickets to the game.

Be sure to indulge in some peanuts or a classic stadium frank as you enjoy this good ol’ fashioned American pastime. You’ll be humming the tune to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” all day long as you cheer on the home team alongside thousands of wild local fans.

Daikin Park also opens their doors to fans looking to watch batting practice and potentially have a few autographs signed. It may be worth calling ahead to see what’s happening during your stay in the Houston area.

Discovery Green

Outdoor entertainment in Houston lives at Discovery Green. Wedged between McKinney Street and Lamar Street in the heart of downtown, this pretty urban park is a hotspot for Houston events, from daily gatherings to special celebrations. Two spectacular restaurants surround the green, as well as a dog park and a popular picnic lawn in the shadow of Houston’s downtown skyscrapers.

There’s not a ton of green space in this part of Downtown. So when I found this little gem on the map, I knew I had to check it out!

At Discovery Green, you’ll find yoga classes, festivals, concerts, movies under the stars, night markets, and more. Grab a cup of coffee at the Grizzaffi Coffee stand before catching a breath of fresh air pondside at Kinder Lake. If you’re craving a bite to eat, enjoy some American cuisine at the Lake House or stick-to-your-ribs Brazilian dishes at the Churrasco Food Truck.

When you’re done chillin’ out at Discovery Green, I suggest walking a few blocks east to escape the crowds and explore Houston’s East Downtown (EaDo) neighborhood. In my opinion, Downtown’s east end is one of the city’s most interesting corners, jam-packed with street art, craft breweries, and art galleries.

Stop by Graffiti Park to check out its colorful wall murals. End the evening wandering along bustling Saint Emanuel Street, the area’s dining and nightlife hub, to enjoy delicious food and cocktails at one of its many eateries, bars, clubs, and live music venues.

Children’s Museum Houston

The Children’s Museum Houston is located in the heart of the Houston Museum District. If you’re traveling with kids, it’s the perfect opportunity for your youngest travel companions to release some of their pent-up energy and learn about the world around them. 

The educational exhibits and challenge courses at the Children’s Museum Houston will enchant kids as young as three. During each experience, they’ll be free to explore age-guided STEM themes and, ultimately, play all day.

Even older kids will adore this top-rated attraction. They’ll have the opportunity to complete secret spy missions, experiment with a 3D printer, and build basic robots with Lego.

The Children’s Museum Houston aims to provide a stress-free excursion with your kiddos, and every last detail has been thought of to do just that. The museum cafe menu was even designed with picky eaters in mind, so you can breeze through lunchtime without a hiccup.

Admission to the museum is $21.95 for both adults and children. It’s open from 9 am to 5 pm daily, except on Mondays.

Market Square Park

Sculpture gardens, gargoyles, and mosaic fountains—oh my! Market Square Park is a unique city square in Houston’s Historic District, with plenty of good restaurants and sights to see. Each evening, the park lawn is transformed with activities like lawn games, dancing, live music, and picnics under the Edison lights.

Be sure to take a picture with “Buster,” the Market Square Park mascot. Crafted by James Philips, the giant wooden dog loves to make friends with tourists—and their furry companions.

In the mood for a little on-the-go dining? Several restaurants surround Market Square Park. Some of my favorites in the area include:

• Hearsay Market Square (218 Travis St): Dig into high-quality New American cuisine and cocktails at this popular restaurant, set in an 1880s heritage building. The industrial-chic atmosphere here is beguiling, as are dishes like pistachio-crusted scallops and blackened red fish tacos.
• Sapporo Japanese Sushi & Bar (801 Congress St #101): Grab delectable sushi, sashimi, and maki rolls at this Japanese favorite.
• La Calle (909 Franklin St): Although it’s a block north of the square, I had to include this wonderful taqueria here. Grab the al pastor street tacos, washed down with a mango margarita or michelada.

After relaxing in Market Square Park, carve out time to explore more of Houston’s Historic District, my favorite neighborhood in the city.

Take a walk down Main Street. Exercise your shutter button, grabbing snapshots of the area’s beautiful historic buildings juxtaposed with views of the towering skyscrapers in the nearby business district.

Along Main Street, duck into one of the many cafes, eateries, restaurants, and bars to enjoy everything from a cup of coffee to tacos paired with margaritas.

Houston Arboretum & Nature Center

Located next to Memorial Park, the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is one of the city’s most popular places to visit for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown and into nature. I tacked this onto my Memorial Park visit on my last trip to Houston—and I wasn’t disappointed!

Tackle one of the 13 hiking trails that span the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, featuring a variety of different landscapes. You can link one trail to another if you’d like to extend your walk.

For something a little more unique, I also recommend taking a self-guided “habitat hike.” Each habitat hike comes with a curated playlist for your adventure.

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If you’re planning to head to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center during your travels, check their events calendar. The nature center frequently hosts wine and cheese nights, stargazing experiences, and night hikes, which have a bit of a cult following amongst the locals.

Admission to the arboretum is free. The grounds are open daily from 7 am to dusk, while the Nature Center is open from 9 am to 4 pm daily. Parking, available at both the Woodway Entrance and 610 Entrance, is $6 per vehicle.

The Menil Collection

The Menil Collection began as the private art and artifact library of John and Dominique de Menil. Today, it’s so much more!

Located on Sul Ross Street in the Montrose neighborhood, the art museum features over 19,000 pieces from across the globe and throughout history. The Menil Collection includes works from Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific Islands, as well as Ancient, Byzantine, Medieval, Contemporary, and Modern eras. 

The free admission ticket grants entry to The Menil Collection’s rotating galleries of photography, paintings, drawings, and mixed-media artwork. The art museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday between 11 am and 7 pm.

Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park

Located in the Galleria/Uptown neighborhood, Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park is one of the most iconic places to see in Houston. Tourists come from far and wide to snap a picture in front of the infamous waterwall, a local feat of engineering and architecture.

Constructed of black obsidian, the semi-circular waterwall is 64 feet tall. It features an intricate fountain system that pumps out nearly 11,000 gallons of water every minute of the day. And it’s quite the sight to see!

Once you’ve taken in the magnificence of the waterwall, the rest of Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park is a lovely place to take a stroll or settle in for a relaxing afternoon reading under the trees. Either way, a stop here is a quintessential addition to your Texas sightseeing bucket list.

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Deep downtown is the heartbeat of Houston’s Theater District: The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The venue on Bagby Street is made up of two theatres and is the place to go for a night out to check out performances, whether it’s a musical, play, symphony, or comedy show.

Choose between a performance in the larger, 3-tiered Broadway and box-seat hall or its smaller stage for more intimate events. I recommend checking the center’s event schedule to see what’s playing during your visit.

The Hobby Center itself is a marvel of architecture, and the interior is equally impressive. Even if you’re not taking in a show, enter the lobby to marvel at the local paintings and sculptures.

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Is the Houston weather not cooperating? Like many of the top downtown landmarks, the Hobby Center is connected to the Houston Tunnel System. Linking 95 blocks with six miles of passageways, the Downtown Tunnels offer a fantastic way to roam between several popular destinations, without the burden of the hot Texas sun rattling your adventure.

Where to stay for sightseeing

For travelers, my top choices for where to stay in Houston include Downtown, Galleria/Uptown, Greenway/Upper Kirby, and Northwest Houston/Energy Corridor. These areas & neighborhoods are home to many of the city’s top hotels and will give you easy access to its top points of interest.

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