Houston, mostly known for NASA or as ‘the most air-conditioned city in the US’ is definitely hot! The climate is temperate with a tropical vegetation. Summers are hot, springtime and falls are pleasant and winters can cool down to lows of 45°F (7°C)- at times it might even snow! Given the enormous size of the city area of Houston, you will find slight differences in temperature depending on where you are and it might rain in one part while another might be completely dry. Given Houston’s coastal location next to the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes are a big problem. The absolute peak time for hurricanes is September.
Best Time to Visit Houston
In terms of the weather, spring and fall are definitely the most pleasant times to visit Houston. But its coastal location ensures warm weather almost all year round. Summer is the best time to visit if you are after some real heat and in case you would also like to combine a city trip with a beach vacation. Luckily many locals head off for the summer so there is usually plenty of accommodation available for reasonable prices. Winters are mild in Houston with only very rare snowfall. Temperatures can however drop to lows of 45°F (7°C), especially as the sun sets. Watch out for the hurricane season from June until November.
Things to know about Houston
Things to do in Houston
Houston has endless and very unique sights to offer. As such, you have to be quite picky in terms of what you choose to see and do if you aren’t visiting for a huge amount of time. But if you choose wisely, there is something for everyone such as culture lovers, nature enthusiasts or families. Of course the main attraction is the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Since 1961, NASA has been controlling its space program from here.
The Space Center: You can’t visit Houston without seeing the Space Center. As the official visitor center of NASA, the Space Center is the main tourist attraction in Houston. The center also hosts the Smithsonian Museum where you can see different exhibitions including one about NASA, space shuttles, astronauts and more.
Within Houston’s museum district you can also choose between 18 Museums! With the CityPass you get a discount for most of them. Here are some top picks:
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston: This Fine Arts museum is one of the oldest in the US and impresses with its always changing exhibitions of modern art. Best of all, the admission is free.
Holocaust Museum Houston: Within the permanent exhibition ‘Bearing Witness: a Community remembers’ one commemorates all the victims of the Holocaust. In addition there are always changing temporary exhibitions. You will also be able to see an original train wagon which was used for deportation during WWII.
Museum of Fine Arts: Here you will find an exhibition of over 65,000 pieces of art including sculptures, photographs as well as paintings.
1940 Air Terminal Museum: This museum forms part of the William P. Hobby airdrome and focuses on the history of airplanes in Houston.
Further cultural institutions and attractions in Houston:
The George Ranch is where you can get a real feel for life in the early 19th century in Texas. There are always changing performances about the old days.
It’s also fun to take a guided tour through the tunnels under Houston.
There is plenty on offer for theatre lovers. In the Wortham Center there is an Opera House, the Alley Theatre and the Jones Concert Hall. In Hermann Park is the Miller Outdoor Theatre.
The Texan metropolis of Houston also has a lot to offer for animal and nature lovers:
You can cycle around one or more of the 130 cycling paths.
Houston Zoo: The zoological garden in the centre of town hosts over 6,000 animals on over 22 hectares. Each year 2.1 million people visit the zoo, making it the second most visited zoo in the States. It’s a fantastic place with a special camp for children.
Downtown Aquarium: The aquarium developed more into a theme park than an aquarium. Besides rides and underwater animals, you will also find land animals such as tigers and lions. A great experience is a meal in the underwater restaurant.
Houston Arboretum and Nature Center: Located within the Memorial Parks, you can explore many local plants and animals.
If you need a place to relax after too much sightseeing there are over 30 beautiful parks to choose from in Houston:
The Smither Park, for example, is a great choice for its very attractive mosaics. The rose gardens in the Centennial Gardens are lovely too and so is the George D. Hines Waterwall Park.
In Hermann Park you can enjoy yourself in the Japanese gardens whilst getting active on a paddleboat.
The ideal place to jog or cycle is the Buffalo Bayou Park. With a fantastic playground and picnic area its a great place to spend time with children too.
Dog owners like to meet at the Market Square Park.
Houston also has a lot to offer for young visitors. Besides the zoo, aquarium and the theme park at the Kemah Boardwalk, highly recommend is the Children’s Museum.
More things to do in Houston:
Shopping: Houston has quite a few big malls and the largest include the Galleria, the Memorial City Mall and the Willowbrook Mall. Uptown Park is endearing with a little bit of a european flair.
Food: Houston has endless amounts of restaurants offering an incredible diversity of food. That’s probably the reason why the average Houstoner eats out 6.9 times every week! Food lovers for example can enjoy some Nouvelle Cuisine at Tris or the Indigo. At BB’s Tex-Orleans you can experience some authentic Texan food and flair.
Nightlife: Night owls won’t get bored in Houston either. Techno Fans should check out ‘Gravity’ and at ‘Cle’ you can enjoy some more mainstream music. Hop on the Party-Bus to explore many different bars and nightclubs.
Even though Houston has so much to offer on its own, here are a few day trips that are highly recommended:
Blessington Farms: About 50 miles from Houston you will find this lovely ‘pick-your-own’ farm which is much loved by kids.
Railean Distillers: Again around 50 miles away is where anyone into special drinks should head. From a special agave spirit to vodka, rum and whisky, it’s all being distilled here.
Austin: Texas’ capital is about a 2 hour drive away and is especially famous for its live concert scene.
Sam Houston National Forest: This is one of the four national parks in Texas and around 60 miles from Houston’s city centre. It’s an ideal destination to hike, mountain bike or stroll around.
Galveston Island: Just 60 miles from Houston you can relax at this famous beach vacation destination. With over 30 miles of beautiful sandy beaches, there is enough space for everyone. With a bit of luck you will also be able to spot some dolphins while taking a boat trip on the Gulf of Mexico.
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