Josh’s Houston Guidebook
Food scene
Pretty amazing pizza, pasta, and drinks with a great indoor space and patio!
22 locals recommend
Tiny Champions
2617 McKinney StreetPretty amazing pizza, pasta, and drinks with a great indoor space and patio!
Great place for date night! Must try everything, especially the Nancy Cakes.
104 locals recommend
Nancy's Hustle
2704 Polk StGreat place for date night! Must try everything, especially the Nancy Cakes.
Stanton's City Bites
1420 Edwards StProbably one of the best burgers in Houston!
The Burger Joint
2703 Montrose BlvdAmazing burgers while sitting in a spacious patio!
A massive retail center with food and shops and a rooftop with the best view of Downtown Houston.
117 locals recommend
POST Houston
401 Franklin StA massive retail center with food and shops and a rooftop with the best view of Downtown Houston.
While it’s from Arizona, this is the only one in Texas (multiple in Houston). It’s must visit for a chill night with friends while eating small bites and drinking wine or cocktails.
53 locals recommend
Postino Heights
642 Yale StWhile it’s from Arizona, this is the only one in Texas (multiple in Houston). It’s must visit for a chill night with friends while eating small bites and drinking wine or cocktails.
Love their pizza and cacio e pepe! If the weather is great, sit out in their garden!
135 locals recommend
Coltivare Pizza & Garden
3320 White Oak DrLove their pizza and cacio e pepe! If the weather is great, sit out in their garden!
Multiple locations in Houston for some delicious and healthy foods. I come here regularly for lunch!
56 locals recommend
Local Foods Heights
714 Yale StMultiple locations in Houston for some delicious and healthy foods. I come here regularly for lunch!
Great small bites and drinks! Perfect for date night!
76 locals recommend
Oporto Fooding House & Wine (midtown)
125 W Gray StGreat small bites and drinks! Perfect for date night!
The Gypsy Poet
2404 Austin StCheap, delicious pizza!
BB's Tex-Orleans
2701 White Oak DrSolid Cajun food and crawfish!!
Great for brunch! Do not miss out on their chocolate chip cookies. Best. Cookies. Ever. They even have a stand on the side of the restaurant just for cookies, pastries, and ice cream to go.
14 locals recommend
Tiny's No. 5
Great for brunch! Do not miss out on their chocolate chip cookies. Best. Cookies. Ever. They even have a stand on the side of the restaurant just for cookies, pastries, and ice cream to go.
The Breakfast Klub
3711 Travis StChicken and waffles is a must!
My favorite BBQ place in Houston! They also serve halal beef.
67 locals recommend
Pinkerton's Barbecue
1504 Airline DrMy favorite BBQ place in Houston! They also serve halal beef.
They have locations across the suburbs with consistently amazing and affordable BBQ!
34 locals recommend
Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q
14620 Northwest FwyThey have locations across the suburbs with consistently amazing and affordable BBQ!
El Tiempo Cantina - Navigation
2814 Navigation BlvdClassic Tex-Mex food in Houston!
Cute spot in the Heights neighborhood. Great coffee, lunch, and bread/pastries!
40 locals recommend
Kraftsmen Baking
611 W 22nd StCute spot in the Heights neighborhood. Great coffee, lunch, and bread/pastries!
The Coffee House at West End
802 Shepherd DriveA huge coffee shop with a rooftop view of Houston!
Right outside of Downtown, this coffee shop has a lot of different foods and drinks. Great to chill or have brunch!
167 locals recommend
Tout Suite
2001 Commerce StRight outside of Downtown, this coffee shop has a lot of different foods and drinks. Great to chill or have brunch!
Little Woodrow's Eado
801 Walker StA bar with turtle racing!
Truck Yard
2118 Lamar StA bar with a ferris wheel!
Cidercade Houston
2320 Canal StreetA bar with arcade games!
Anvil Bar & Refuge
1424 Westheimer RdDozens of unique cocktails and awesome bartenders!
A beer garden/bar in the middle of the bustling Heights neighborhood! Great beer!
13 locals recommend
Heights Bier Garten
1433 North Shepherd DriveA beer garden/bar in the middle of the bustling Heights neighborhood! Great beer!
Huge beer garden that even has a playground area for kids! Check out the brewing company’s tour as well!
291 locals recommend
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
2000 Lyons AveHuge beer garden that even has a playground area for kids! Check out the brewing company’s tour as well!
Sightseeing
Houston Botanic Garden
Great place to escape to in the middle of the city!
Surrounded by the city, this massive park has so many events and trails!
586 locals recommend
Hermann Park
6001 Fannin StSurrounded by the city, this massive park has so many events and trails!
Each trail is so different, you’ll never get bored walking or jogging here!
233 locals recommend
Memorial Park
6501 Memorial DrEach trail is so different, you’ll never get bored walking or jogging here!
A must visit to learn about the space programs and see where missions are operated!
426 locals recommend
Johnson Space Center
2101 E NASA PkwyA must visit to learn about the space programs and see where missions are operated!
If you want to avoid the crowds at Galveston, Surfside is just a little further away but with less people usually!
93 locals recommend
Surfside Beach
206 Starfish StreetIf you want to avoid the crowds at Galveston, Surfside is just a little further away but with less people usually!
Great museum for kids with a dinosaur exhibit! They also having rotating exhibits!
863 locals recommend
The Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park DrGreat museum for kids with a dinosaur exhibit! They also having rotating exhibits!
Definitely worth visiting. It also houses the Cloud Column (similar to The Bean in Chicago) and the light tunnel.
979 locals recommend
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Beck Building
1001 Bissonnet StDefinitely worth visiting. It also houses the Cloud Column (similar to The Bean in Chicago) and the light tunnel.
Come by before sunset to see some unique lights!
66 locals recommend
James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape
Come by before sunset to see some unique lights!
Children's Museum of Houston
1500 Binz StPerfect museum for kids and families!
Rothko Chapel
3900 Yupon StA small chapel that is quiet but popular.
Right in Downtown, this park has events and art exhibits! In the winter, you can ice skate, and in the summer, you can kayak!
933 locals recommend
Discovery Green
1500 McKinney StRight in Downtown, this park has events and art exhibits! In the winter, you can ice skate, and in the summer, you can kayak!
A little outside of Houston, this is a popular temple in the area.
14 locals recommend
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
1150 Brand LnA little outside of Houston, this is a popular temple in the area.
The roller coaster and boat rides are fun! They also have different events and restaurant on the boardwalk.
575 locals recommend
Kemah Boardwalk
215 Kipp AveThe roller coaster and boat rides are fun! They also have different events and restaurant on the boardwalk.
The closest beach to Houston with a historic downtown and lots of food!
410 locals recommend
Galveston
The closest beach to Houston with a historic downtown and lots of food!
Moody Gardens
1 Hope BlvdGreat park and aquarium to visit while in Galveston!
Popular water park to go to in Galveston!
481 locals recommend
Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark
2109 Gene Lucas BlvdPopular water park to go to in Galveston!
If you’re in Galveston, check out this pier with rides and food!
662 locals recommend
Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier
2501 Seawall BlvdIf you’re in Galveston, check out this pier with rides and food!
The Galleria
5085 Westheimer RdShopping, restaurants, and ice skating!
Nice park to walk through wooded trials! You might even see an alligator!
188 locals recommend
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center
4501 Woodway DrNice park to walk through wooded trials! You might even see an alligator!
About an hour from Houston, this is a popular state park with great trails. You will likely see an alligator!
77 locals recommend
Brazos Bend State Park
21901 Farm to Market Rd 762About an hour from Houston, this is a popular state park with great trails. You will likely see an alligator!
About an hour north of Houston, this is a great place to take a hike in the woods. This is also close to the Woodlands where you can grab a bite to eat afterwards.
69 locals recommend
Sam Houston National Forest
394 FM 1375About an hour north of Houston, this is a great place to take a hike in the woods. This is also close to the Woodlands where you can grab a bite to eat afterwards.
Neighborhoods
This is a small neighborhood with shops and restaurants! Located right next to Rice University, this is a popular area for locals.
379 locals recommend
Rice Village
2376 Rice BoulevardThis is a small neighborhood with shops and restaurants! Located right next to Rice University, this is a popular area for locals.
Houston Heights
This is a growing area with restaurants, shops, and parks!
East Downtown
This is right next to Downtown and is full of restaurants!
Traveler advice
What to pack
Rain or Shine
Be ready for sunny or rainy days! Pack a light rain coat or small umbrella just in case there is a sudden, but short rain shower.
Getting around
Drive!
I highly suggest renting a car. Houston is hard to navigate without a car unless you plan to only stay in a specific neighborhood.