Houston

Things to do

• Buffalo Bayou Park Linear park with trails, kayak launches, and skyline views.
• Hermann Park Urban park with gardens, a lake, and the zoo.
• Discovery Green Downtown green space with art, ice skating, and events.
• NRG Stadium Home of the Texans and the Houston Rodeo.
• Minute Maid Park Astros ballpark with a retractable roof and train.
• Toyota Center Downtown arena, home of the Rockets and big concerts.

Through the year

• Houston Marathon January
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo February–March
• Houston Art Car Parade May
• Houston Restaurant Weeks August–September
• Bayou City Art Festival Spring and fall

Getaways

• Galveston Island Beaches, historic Strand District, and fishing piers.
• Brenham Blue Bell Creameries tours and scenic Washington County backroads.
• Huntsville Lake Livingston and Sam Houston National Forest for camping.
• Bay City Fishing and birding along the Gulf Coast.

Talk like a local

• “H-town” Houston
• “Bayou City” Houston, referencing the bayous
• “Space City” Houston, referencing NASA
• “the Loop” The 610 Loop freeway

Eat and drink

• Tex-Mex fajitas Sizzling beef or chicken fajitas with peppers and onions, a staple of Houston's Tex-Mex scene.
• Texas barbecue brisket Slow-smoked brisket, often served with white bread, pickles, and onions.
• Kolaches Czech-inspired pastries filled with fruit, sausage, or cheese, a Houston breakfast favorite.
• Vietnamese crawfish Spicy boiled crawfish tossed in garlic butter and Vietnamese seasonings, a Houston specialty.
• Shipley Do-Nuts A Houston-founded donut chain known for its glazed donuts and kolaches.

Teams

Houston Texans, Houston Rockets, Houston Astros, Houston Dynamo FC, Houston Dash, Houston Cougars