This spring, Drew and I spent a spontaneous weekend in Houston. Neither of us had ever been to Houston for leisure and the flight prices were unbeatable, so we decided to explore a new city!
Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States, which meant there was plenty to see and do. Below is some of what we did, and some suggestions for things we hope to check out next time.
Where To Eat
Barbecue – When in Houston, barbecue is a must. There are a plethora of phenomenal options, so no matter where you pick, you’re going to get a good meal. We ended up at Jackson Street BBQ. Drew tried the brisket, I had turkey and pulled pork, we both had the fried mac n cheese, and I also ordered a jalapeno biscuit and deviled eggs. The turkey was some of the best turkey I have ever had and we both gave the fried mac n cheese bites two thumbs up.
Mexican – Several friends and Houston locals told us to go to head to The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation for the best Mexican. Ninfa’s is a Houston institution. What originally started as a tortilla factory has grown into a restaurant with a line at all hours during the day.
Ice cream – One of our travel rules is it’s not a vacation until we’ve had ice cream, so we were sure to hit one of Houston’s favorite ice cream spots during our visit. Amy’s Ice Creams was a cute ice cream shop with a good menu and the line out the door on a Sunday night definitely let us know we were at the right spot!
Late Night Snack – On the walk back home one night, we stopped in Frank’s Pizza for a late night bite (and because we’re The Franks–we had to eat there!) The line was long, but moved quick. Was it the best pizza we ever had? No. Was it a good choice for a late night snack? Yes!
Things To Do
Sporting Events – You know how much we love our sports, especially baseball. While we were in Houston, we caught a Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park. We were lucky enough to see the Astros play the Texas Rangers in the Lone Star Series. We had a blast and it’s definitely a great way to spend a summer afternoon! Next time we visit, we plan on going to a Houston Rockets game.
Mural Tour – One thing we loved about Houston is the amazing street art! There are incredible, untagged murals every couple of blocks, so we made an afternoon out of it and mapped out our own mini-mural walking tour. Using this guide, I found a handful of murals near our hotel and we spent the day exploring the city, checking out different murals, and trying different breweries along the way. It was such a fun way to see the city–highly recommend!
Hike and Bike – Houston has an amazing trail system that’s great for exploring the city by foot or bike. While walking on our mural tour, we ended up on the Heights Trail within the Buffalo Bayou system. We loved the view of the skyline and the well-maintained pathways. If the weather is nice, then hit the trails!
Where To Drink
Downtown Bars – During our visit, we went to The Original OKRA Charity Saloon with a friend who lives in Houston. We loved the concept of the bar: for every drink you buy, you earn a vote for 1 of 4 charities (these rotate each month) and the charity with the most votes by month’s end receives that month’s charitable proceeds. Not only are you doing some good while drinking, but the space is wicked cool with table shuffleboard and a photobooth. Other cool recommendations from our Houston-based friend included: Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar, Hearsay on the Green, Lucky’s, and Little Woodrow’s.
Breweries – Drew loves trying local beers whenever we travel, so we were sure to hit up a few breweries while we were in Houston. We visited Holler Brewing Co., Platypus Brewing, and 8th Wonder Brewery.
Ultimately, spending a weekend in Houston was a lot of fun. The weather was great, there was so much to see, do, and eat. We definitely plan on returning and checking out a few more places that we didn’t have time for this trip. If you’ve been to Houston, what are some of your favorite spots? Anything we must do to next time?
Wandering Kathleen 