FORRESTE MARKOWITZ
I am a native Houstonian and absolutely adore living in one of the most diverse and colorful cities in America. There are so many things to do, eat and see that one trip may not be enough. There are numerous activities for couples, families and singles all year around.
However, a trip to Houston must begin with a fair and honest assessment of your heat tolerance. If you can’t handle brutal, humid weather that tops out close to 100 degrees most days, then do not come in the summer. There are still plenty of things to do during the summer, but they usually involve indoor activities, the beach or a pool. But, if you visit between October and May, you will be rewarded with mostly pleasant weather that averages 65 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night. Winter in Houston is our reward for suffering through our sweltering summers.
In the fall, our festival season starts. Two of the biggest and well-loved are the Greek Festival and the Bayou City Art Festival. The Greek Festival combines food, dancing and music to give visitors a taste and feel for the Greek culture. It is a lot of fun to sit outside and eat a delicious Greek meal accompanied by delicious Greek wine.
The Bayou City Art Festival has events in October and March and is a great way to check out local artists’ wares. In addition to the fantastic art pieces, all for sale, there is food, music and activities for the kids.
The biggest and most well-known yearly event here in Houston is our rodeo. It begins the last weekend in February with a barbecue cook off. The cook off is a long weekend of invitation-only party booths, general admission booths and non-stop people watching fueled by food and beer. It is definitely a wild time that should be on everyone’s bucket list. For the rest of the three week rodeo, there are actual rodeo events such as bull riding, barrel racing and mutton bustin’. There is a carnival and Agventure and a lineup of concerts performed by some of the biggest names in country, rock and Tejano music. The concert announcement is highly anticipated here in Houston.
Museum District: If your plans don’t include Houston during rodeo or a festival, there are still tons of things to do. The Downtown Aquarium is one option. There are several aquarium exhibits including a Louisiana Swamp, Rainforest and Gulf of Mexico display. Be sure to get a feeding schedule so that you can see the staff interact with the different species. There are also games and rides for the kids. And when you are ready to take a break, there is a restaurant built around an aquarium that offers breathtaking views while you dine.
You can also take the kids to the Children’s Museum of Houston, located in the heart of the Museum District. This three story building houses activities that will delight toddlers to pre-teens. Exhibits include the Building Zone, Flow Works, Kidtropolis and Tot Spot. Right down the street from the Children‘s Museum is the Contemporary Arts Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences.
Close by our Museum District is the Houston Zoo. Of course, no trip to the zoo would be complete without a ride on the train. The Hermann Park train has been a fixture here in Houston for generations. As a child, I loved riding the train around Hermann Park and my boys also looked forward to ending every trip to the zoo with a train ride. The track has been expanded recently and you can get off at different stops around Hermann Park to explore this beautiful space in the heart of our city.
Day Trip, Galveston: Driving one hour south to Galveston is an enjoyable day trip for the family. There you can rent bicycles or walk down the Seawall. You will find a multitude of restaurants and gift shops along this stretch of Galveston. Have lunch at Fish Tales, browse Murdoch’s for souvenirs to take back home and then let the kids run around on the Pleasure Pier. Galveston also has the water park Schlitterbahn, Moody Gardens and miles of beaches for you to enjoy. Don’t forget to stop off at Space Center Houston in the Clear Lake area and the Kemah Boardwalk nearby.
Nightlife: Of course Houston has plenty of activities for adults too. So, after a day spent with the family, date night could include dinner at one of our many restaurants , a show at one of our theaters in the heart of downtown, like the Tony Award winning Alley Theatre, or listening to some live music at one of the many clubs throughout our city.
Pets: We even have places to take your four legged family members. If you are traveling with Fido, check out all of the great restaurants, parks and hotels that welcome not only you, but your best friend as well at www.dogfriendlyhouston.net
As you can see, there is a lot to do here in Houston. You could spend a day, a week or a lifetime discovering all the cool things that make this city eclectic and distinct. We may not have the most physically beautiful topography here in H-town and we do get a bad rap for our hot summers, but we promise that you will have no shortage of things to do here. Come on down to Houston. We’d love to meet you!
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