4 Days in H-Town: The Best Things to See on a Quick Trip to Houston
When you think of traveling to big cities, you’re probably looking into NYC, Los Angeles or Chicago right? Did you ever consider Houston though? Houston is definitely one of Texas’s more understated cities, even though it’s actually the 4th largest city in the country. With over 2 million people, Houston is the most diverse cities in the U.S. and just a melting pot of cultures. With diversity comes a long list of things you can see and do, which is why I picked Houston for an extended weekend trip. While it was just a 4 day getaway, I was able to see quite a lot of the city. I’ve put together this little guide with some of the best things to see on a quick trip to Houston.
Getting There
Houston has two major airports, George Bush Intercontinental and William Hobby. While Hobby is closest to Downtown Houston, George Bush Intercontinental is the most used gateway to Houston. There’s the 102 bus that can you can take from IAH airport into Downtown Houston, as well as shared shuttle services, but the easiest and quickest is Uber/Lyft. Uber and Lyft are easily accessible from either airport to get to your accommodation.
Book your flights to Houston: https://cheapoair.tp.st/iaS8NeKi
Where to Stay
I stayed with family during my time in Houston, so I can’t give insight into accommodation options, but there are hundreds of options in the downtown area alone for every budget. I actually stayed in Sugar Land, which is a neighboring city about 30 minutes outside of downtown Houston. It’s even been considered one of the best places to live in the U.S. If you’re looking to stay outside of the downtown area, I’d recommend looking into neighboring cities like Sugar Land.
Getting Around
When I was researching for my trip to Houston, I read a blog that said you don’t really need to rent a car if you’re in Houston for just a few days, as there is technically public transportation downtown. I highly disagree! There’s public transportation in the downtown area, but it’s not very frequent. You will probably spend a good chunk of your day waiting around for it. In the time that I was in Houston, I only saw the bus pass by maybe once or twice, and not a lot of people at the bus stops. You can Uber, but you’ll probably spend just as much money in cab fares as you would renting a car. On top of that, while the downtown area is walkable, many of the main attractions are quite spread out, so renting a car is the best option to save time and money.
You can rent a car from either of the airports, as well as various car rental places throughout the city. Look online to check where the best deals are. For me, it was slightly cheaper to rent a car from the local Sugar Land airport.
Parking in public garages is a bit pricier in Houston than I expected, which is the only downside to renting a car. To save some money, be strategic to where you park. For example, parking at a specific garage of the Galeria Mall is free. I parked here and walked to nearby destinations. Also, if you’re in the museum district, you can park at the Holocaust Museum, which was about $8 up to 4 hours.
What to Do
Museum District
If you’re into museums, there’s no shortage of them in the downtown area. There’s an entire museum district in Downtown Houston, so you can easily make a day of it and check off more than one museum. There are nearly 20 museums and half of them are actually free year round. Some are free on specific days of the week as well. The Museum of Fine Arts, for example, is free on Thursdays. The MFA is actually probably one of the most popular museums in Houston — three floors with everything ranging from Egyptian antiquities, American art and more. Other museums worth checking out: Museum of Natural Science, The Menil Collection, Houston Zoo. For a full list of museums in the district: https://houmuse.org
Parks & Outdoors
If you’re looking for a place to spend a day outside in nature, Houston has you covered! Buffalo Bayou Park is great for walking trails while also getting a glimpse of the Houston skyline. Hermann Park is also great for walking and picnics, and you can rent pedal boats on the water. There’s also a “mini” Washington Monument here too. Hermann Park is just next to the museum district, so you can head on over here to relax after a long museum day.
Bayou Bend is also worth checking out. Part of the MFAH, though not actually near the Museum of Fine Arts, Bayou Bend is the former home of a Houston philanthropist. It’s now open to the public and you can find American art and paintings. The admission includes access to the gardens just outside the house, which includes peaceful trails to walk around.
Other places worth checking out: Smither Park, Memorial Park, Discovery Green, Houston Botanic Garden. For more information on Houston parks: https://www.houston.org/living-in-houston/parks-outdoors
Culture
Because Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country, it’s no surprise you can find beautiful temples here too. Even if you don’t practice any particular religion, these places are still worth checking out: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple and Teen How Temple, the first Buddhist temple I’ve ever visited. These places will make you feel like you’re in another part of the world. Houston is also home to the largest megachurch in America — Lakewood Church, if you’re interested in checking that out as well.
Art & Architecture
A few minutes driving around Houston, and you’ll quickly realize the city is in love with the arts. You have the museums for the historic art, and the streets for all the contemporary and modern art. There are so many fun murals all over the city, which is part of the reason why I recommend renting a car to make it easier to see as many of these as you can.
I also briefly mentioned Smither Park in “parks & outdoors” because technically this is a small park. It’s more of a work of art, though. Think of it as the Park Guell of Houston. Smither Park shows off the creativity and vibrancy of Houston. Inspired by the philosophy of sustaining self-taught art, Smither Park is made up of tons of unique mosaics made up of recycled materials like used china to old traffic signs. If you visit on a Saturday, you can still see local artists working on new additions to the park.
You probably didn’t expect to see a college campus on this list, but Rice University is definitely worth a visit. The Rice campus is one of the prettiest campuses I’ve visited. It’s best to visit on a weekend when many classes aren’t in session. There is parking available, so you can walk the entirety of the campus. My favorite part of the campus is Lovett Hall, the arches here give off a European feel that will make you forget you’re on a college campus in the middle of Texas. Another beautiful architectural piece to check out is located just outside Hermann Park and within the museum district — the Mecom Rockwell Colonnade and fountain. Again, another spot that will make you feel as if you’re in Europe.
Last but not least, the Gerard Hines Waterwall is one of the most iconic tourist attractions in Houston. It’s a sculptural fountain that’s essentially a bit of an enclosed “waterfall” on a wall. I must mention that is the excellent place to cool off on a hot summer day! It’s also walking distance from the Galeria Mall, so you can stop by here before a day of shopping!
If you’ve made it all the way to this section, congratulations! That tells me you’re really interested in a trip to Houston, as you should! Like I said, there’s tons to do here, so here’s a little itinerary based on my own trip:
Day One (Thursday): I arrived late Wednesday night in order to maximize my time in Houston. After a quick breakfast, I picked up my rental in Sugar Land at 11am. First on the list was finally trying In-n-Out in Stafford. I know, I know, but we don’t have these on the East Coast! Next, head into the downtown area and park at the Galeria Mall. If you’re not up for shopping, walk over to Gerard Hines Waterwall and cool off from the hot Texas heat. Parking at the mall is cheaper than the public garage that’s just beside the Waterwall park!
Head into the heart of the downtown area and check out one of the most iconic murals: the Houston is Inspired mural on Travis St! There’s lots of eating establishments here, so you can also walk around and grab some food in the area.
The Museum of Fine Arts is free on Thursdays, so I spent the later part of the afternoon in the Museum District. I parked at the Holocaust Museum which was just $8 for four hours. Just around the corner of the MFA is the Mecom Colonnade, too! To continue off with the “art” theme of most the day, I ended with some more murals. After a refreshing smoothie at Juice Land on Westheimer, I went over to Emerson Rose. You’ll find lots of art and colorful shops on Westheimer Rd, and the parking lot of Emerson Rose has lots of it. The side of the store is all color block (see the photo above) and the parking lot also has some more fun murals. Also on Westheimer is the fun Montrose Paint mural.
Day Two: I had an issue with my rental, so I started my day later than I wanted to. After grabbing some quick lunch, my first stop was Bayou Bend. I spent about an hour here and then drove into the downtown area again. It was time to see more of the cultural side of Houston, so I drove over to the Teen How Buddhist Temple. I had never been into a Buddhist temple before, so this was cool to see. I felt like I was in Thailand! The last stop of the day was actually just outside Houston, BAPS Shri Mandir. This Hindu temple has to be the most beautiful place in Houston. While I was not able to go inside because I did not have proper shoulder coverage, the outside alone is stunning. It is free to enter too!
Day Three: Check out the beautiful campus at Rice University. It’s best to visit on a weekend when most classes are not in session so you can get the campus to yourself almost. There is parking available and anyone can enter. Near Rice University is Rice Village, a 16-block shopping district. You shop around the different boutiques and chain stores. I did my first ever thrift shopping trip here too!
For some delicious baked goods, check out The Baker’s Son, a filipino bakery. There’s such a variety of filipino treats and at great prices!
Next, check out POST Houston, a former post office turned into a workspace/ food hub. The ground floor is an international food hall with all sorts of varieties of food. There’s also workspace available on the higher floors. Head on over to Skylawn on the rooftop level for the best views of the Houston skyline. On weekends, there’s a live DJ which just adds to the vibe. Grab a drink and stick around for a beautiful sunset!
It’s Saturday, so don’t end the night just yet! For a fun time with friends, check out Whiskey River West. This is basically a nightclub with a Texas twist. I’m not a party person at all, but this place was a total vibe. This was my first time seeing line dancing up close, but the DJ plays all sorts of music. They also host Latin night on Thursdays! This place is perfect for birthday parties or bachelorettes too!
Day Four: Start off with brunch at one of the most popular brunch spots in Houston — Tiny Boxwoods. There are so many great brunch recs in the city. Tiny Boxwoods is definitely at the top of most lists. I liked the food, did not LOVE it, especially for the price. However, in terms of an aesthetic point of view, the location is beautiful. After brunch, if you’re still up for something sweet, head next door to Tiny’s Milk & Cookies.
After all that food, you’ll want to walk it off. Explore Hermann Park. From the McGovern Centennial Gardens you can walk over to the Friendship Pavillion or to the Pioneer Memorial Obelisk.
Drive around Downtown Houston to check out more colorful murals as you head on over to Smither Park. Admire all the beautiful mosaic pieces, some which are still in progress.
To end your trip to H-Town, you’ve got to grab some food at one of the many food trucks around Houston. One of the most popular ones is just next to the West Alabama Ice House — Tierra Caliente taco truck.
Houston is such an underrated city, so I hope this blog gave you a bit more insight on all the cool things to do here! If you’re thinking about planning a quick trip to Houston, save this on Pinterest for later!
More on U.S. travel, click here: https://mybucketlistjourneys.blog/category/united-states/
