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The number of things you can do in a day is endless in Houston. You shouldn’t overbook and completely exhaust yourself, though. A first-time visitor in Houston is ideal for getting many different experiences.
If you like the natural outdoors, there are parks with breathtaking scenery. If that’s not your thing and you like partying much better, there are some thrilling night-out spots in Houston. All in all, you can be sure you’ll find something you want.
5 Things to Do in Houston for First-Time Visitors
We’ve tried our best to ensure that things don’t get too confusing for you and compiled a list of 5 things first-time visitors can do in Houston.
1. Visit The Houston Space Center
“Houston, we’ve had a problem.” The notorious words said by the Apollo 13 team when it faced a spaceflight catastrophe while traveling to the moon are well known to most Americans. The astronauts had contacted Missions Control at this NASA space center.
The institution was built in 1963 as NASA’s center for human spaceflight. And it is still active today as one of the nation’s principal space research, training, and development facilities.
Houston Space Center is arguably the best option to explore for first-timers. It is an excellent place for tourists who want to find out further about the background of the space center.
2. Walk Along Buffalo Bayou
Just to be clear, Buffalo Bayou isn’t just a park. The Buffalo Bayou is a waterbody stretching for 52 miles. The water stream starts in Katy, Texas, then flows down to the River Oaks in Houston.
There are many activities to enjoy at Buffalo Bayou park, such as a skateboarding rink, natural grassland for picnics, open fields for playing sports, and much more. The park has about 160 acres of space, so you’ll never feel like you’re in a crowded place.
Entry to Buffalo Bayou park is always free and open to all. It’s perfect if you want a family get-together but also want to bring your dog.
3. Appreciate the World’s Art at the Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts will be the best experience you can get in Houston if you hold art close to your heart. It is also recommended if you’d like to take out someone special on a museum date.
You’ll be able to see how the world’s different art forms have developed thanks to the collection at the Museum. The collection’s date range is 6,000 years, so be prepared for a history lesson.
There are art pieces from Europe, Asia, and Africa. You can feast your eyes on the works from the Renaissance and French impressionism.
Take a walk through the mesmerizing Japanese sculpture garden while you’re at it.
4. Enjoy the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston’s livestock show is the world’s most extensive exhibition of livestock. Here, you’ll regularly find professional and world-class rodeo shows. Any trip to Houston where you don’t get to see the Rodeo is a trip wasted.
There are livestock competitions, concerts, carnivals, racing, and barbeque eating contests so you can indulge to your heart’s content. All activities at this place pay homage to the southern culture in Houston.
Maybe you can get here in time to catch the annual rodeo parade and rodeo run. The rodeo run, a 5-10 km marathon, sends its proceeds to scholarship funds.
Suppose you do not wish to attend the Rodeo or concerts. In that case, you can get a general pass that includes everything except access to the stadium.
5. Do A Photoshoot at the Mullet
Is museum art too restricted for you? If you like street art better head out to the Mullet. Locals often call this place the graffitis hub. Don’t be surprised if you see walls filled to the corners by giant graffiti.
You can find massive graffiti dedicated to the Apollo 13 astronauts; it suits Houston perfectly. The Mullet showcases mostly murals by Daniel’ Weah’ Anguilu, a world-known mural artist.
Local graffiti artists are also often seen honing their art skills on the walls at any time. This is the perfect place to click a few quirky vacation photographs with friends. This way, you can always look back at your first time in Houston with photographic evidence that you had fun.
Last Words
As big as Houston is, it becomes effortless to get perplexed by the number of things you can do here. For your first time, you should always try out different things. Moreover, you should go for something you can only experience in Houston.