Discovering Houston: Space Exploration, Art, and Tex-Mex
Travel guide · editorial"Houston, we have a problem" – hardly any city name is so closely tied to space exploration. But a trip to Houston takes you not only to NASA, but also to the most diverse big city in the U.S., a world-class museum district, and a cuisine that blends Texas, Mexico, Vietnam, and the South. A vacation in Houston is a discovery for anyone who likes cities beyond the familiar postcard views.
From Swamp to Energy Capital
In 1836, just months after the Battle of San Jacinto, in which Texas won its independence from Mexico, the Allen brothers founded a town on Buffalo Bayou and named it after the victor, Sam Houston. For a short time it was even the capital of the Republic of Texas. The breakthrough came with the oil discovery at Spindletop in 1901 and the construction of the Houston Ship Channel, which connects the city to the Gulf of Mexico and made the port one of the largest in the U.S. Since 1961, Houston has been home to the Johnson Space Center, from which the Apollo missions were controlled – "Houston" was the first word spoken from the Moon. Today the city is a hub of the energy industry, is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, and has no zoning in the traditional sense, which explains the colorful mix of high-rises, single-family homes, and taquerías side by side.
Neighborhoods with Character
Downtown has come to life with Discovery Green, a park with a concert stage, the Theater District, and the Astros' baseball stadium. A tunnel system several miles long connects the office towers underground, ideal on hot days. Montrose is the artistic and LGBTQ heart of the city, with vintage shops, tattoo studios, cafés, and the Menil Collection. The Houston Heights to the northwest feel almost like a small town, with Victorian wooden houses, 19th Street, and antique shops. Bars and restaurants line the Washington Avenue Corridor, while Uptown, around the Galleria, one of the largest shopping malls in the country, is dominated by luxury hotels and glass facades. Greenway / Upper Kirby is a lively mix of offices, restaurants, and residential complexes, and Spring Branch in the west surprises with Korean and Mexican eateries.
Sights in Houston
Space Center Houston, about 25 miles southeast, is the official visitor center of the Johnson Space Center. Highlights include the tram tour to the historic Apollo mission control room, the giant Saturn V rocket in Rocket Park, and the space shuttle replica mounted on a Boeing 747. Downtown, Buffalo Bayou Park invites you to explore its bike paths and kayak routes; at sunset, hundreds of thousands of bats emerge from beneath the Waugh Drive Bridge. Hermann Park, with its Japanese garden and zoo, borders the Museum District. If you're looking for history, head to the San Jacinto Monument, a column taller than the Washington Monument. An evening with the Astros at Daikin Park or at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the spring shows the city's Texan soul.
Museums and Culture
The Museum District packs around 20 institutions into a compact area. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is one of the largest art museums in the U.S., with a new building for modern art by Steven Holl. The Houston Museum of Natural Science stands out with its dinosaurs and a magnificent gem collection. In Montrose, the Menil Collection shows Surrealists and tribal art with free admission, and right next door is the Rothko Chapel, a quiet octagonal space with 14 dark paintings by Mark Rothko. Houston is one of the few U.S. cities with its own resident companies for opera, ballet, symphony, and theater, all performing in the Theater District downtown.
Eating in Houston
Houston's restaurants are among the most exciting in the country. Tex-Mex has a long tradition here: fajitas, enchiladas with chili con carne, queso, and margaritas. Texas barbecue with slow-smoked brisket is everywhere, as is crawfish in the spring, boiled with Cajun spices. A Houston specialty is "Viet-Cajun" cuisine, which emerged from the large Vietnamese community – spicy crawfish in garlic butter. Bellaire Boulevard in Chinatown is a mile lined with pho restaurants, dim sum halls, and bakeries, and you'll also find Nigerian, Pakistani, and Salvadoran eateries. For a night out, Montrose, Washington Avenue, and EaDo, east of Downtown, offer bars, breweries, and live music. In summer, free outdoor concerts at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park make for relaxed evenings.
Getting Around Houston
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the north is the international hub, while the smaller William P. Hobby Airport in the south mainly serves domestic flights. Houston is very spread out; the METRORail light rail does connect Downtown, the Museum District, the Texas Medical Center, and the Texans' stadium, but for most destinations a car is more practical. If you stay in the center, you can get by well with light rail, rental bikes, and ride-hailing.
Best Time to Visit and Day Trips
The best time to visit Houston is between October and April. Summer is hot and very humid, and it also falls within hurricane season, from June to November. In spring, wildflowers bloom in the surrounding area, and the rodeo draws millions of visitors in March. For day trips, consider Galveston, with its Victorian old town, beach, and Pleasure Pier, a good hour southeast on the Gulf. Kemah lures visitors with its boardwalk, and if you're after nature, head to Brazos Bend State Park, with alligators and an observatory.