1.Spend some time along the Galveston seawall this summer , but avoid the holidaymaker ambush with our ready to hand guide to theisland ’s dependable chow , and do n’t forget to turn back out newcomerHarborside Mercantile .
2.If summertime has you feeling flush , treat yourself to a repast at one of Houston ’s ok restaurants , Tony ’s . hold out the special seasonal “ Haute July ” menu for just $ 59including wine pairings . Swanky Summer , here we come .
3.When the city is on its 5th consecutive day of 100 - degree - plus temp , get out of the noon sun atConservatory , a cool , subterranean nutrient hall just off the Metro Rail downtown . Crêpes , barbecue , ramen , drink , and A / coulomb ? Yes please .
Spenser Harrison/Visit Houston
4.Summer and barbecue go hired man in hand in Texas . When you do n’t palpate like spending 14 hours minding your own pit , get your fix atBrooks ’ Placein Cypress and atPappa Charlie’sjust eastward of downtown . Houston pit masters do n’t just perplex to the Texas Trinity , so check out this mapping to smoked marrow nirvana .
Bonus : If you ’re in town and athirst on July 18 , you might be able-bodied to score a tag to the third annual “ quislingism of Smoke . ” This year ’s event focalize on “ Elevated ‘ Cue , ” with pit lord Wesley Jurena ( Pappa Charlie ’s ) and Patrick Feges ( Southern Goods ) team up up with recentChopped Champion Erin Smithfor a feast of fine - dining through a brumous smokehouse lens .
5.There ’s just something about summertime that cries out for heart and soul in thermionic vacuum tube form . Whether you want the simplicity of a chili dog with all the right relocation , or more au courant interpretation , ourcomprehensive red-hot bounder listhas you covered .
Michelle Gardella/Stocksy
6.While other kids are chase down the ice cream hand truck , Houstonians get it on their best bet to mystify the heat is to head tothe nearestrefresqueriafor a fruity frozenmangonada(frozen Mangifera indica puree top out with chopped mango tree and an array of off-key , piquant and juicy adders ) or the south - of - the - borderline snow strobilus call araspadodoused in tangy - spicy - sweetchamoy . Do n’t block a cup ofesquites(corn - off - the - cob , gigged with mayo , lime , chilly sauce and Malva sylvestris ) , which is pretty much a fiesta to go .
7.If you ’d like your frozen treats more in the icing - cream cant , Houston has plenty ofparlorsto incision that urge , from traditionalists likeHank ’s Ice Cream , to the avant - gardeCloud 10 Creamery . Meet in the middle atFat Cat Creameryin the Heights , where classics like Mexican Vanilla scratch shoulders with more out - there origination like Waterloo Strawberry Buttermilk .
8.For a great al fresco feast , stock up on cured kernel and menage - made sundries atRevival Market , take hold of some fancy cheese from theHouston Dairy Maids , a loaf of bread fromSlow Dough Bake Shopinside Weights and Measures . Once you ’re all packed , head to one of theselovely picnic spotsand pledge summer .
Michelle Gardella/Stocksy
9.Few affair say summertime in Texas like a bushel of fresh smasher . Make the most of them with afters like the Wood Roasted Texas Peach Crostada atColtivare , or a calendar month ’s worth of peachy intake atBistro Provence , where a raw Texas Peach dessert debuts weekly through the close of July . If you have n’t had peach juice running down your chin , have you really summered ? And what if nobody saw it ?
10.Houston ’s burly - cheesy landscape is always change , which is not bad word for your summertime burger cravings . Bothlongtime favoritesand upstarts likeKillen ’s BurgersandKuma Burgersoffer the best of bitch and bun . Put away that “ Kiss The Cook ” apron and permit the pros do the grilling .
11.Houston in the summertime can make a barroom excursion a sweaty function . To beat the warmth , try hopping on and off thelight railfor a motorized tour of some of the urban center ’s finest drinkeries .
Julie Soefer
12.Before Houston had strain conditioning , we had Ice Houses . They do n’t sell block of the cold stuff anymore , but they do keep Houston neighborhoods cool with mass of iced longnecks . Start at the iconicWest Alabama Ice House , but do n’t forget locality stalwart likeSheffield’sor fresh - guard spots likeD&T Drive InnorEight Row Flint .
13.Summer is about risky venture . When you were a kid , that meant search that creepy abandoned household down the street . Now that you ’re an grownup , it might think exploring that creepy-crawly edifice you conceive was an abandoned house , but which turns out to be a spicy newhidden prevention . We ’ll assist you figure out which is which .
14.If you ’re looking for some of those uh oh , those summer niiiiiiiights , we ’ve got a few suggestions on where to get set about . Summer fling might not stand for a thing , but if you begin it out atone of these spots , it just might .
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15.Look , we know it ’s hot . We know that it feel like the sun has a personal blood feud against you and the only agency to remain safe is to stick around somewhere with four walls , a roof , and air - conditioning , always . That ’s no room to pass a summertime , though . hold back for a coolheaded Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ( it ’s all relative ) or await for the sun to start its retreat , then grab a drink at one of these , our suggestion foroutdoor drink in in Houston . Yes , you could do this .
16.You think you ’re the only one who gets a footling stir - crazy cooped up within all day all summer ? Imagine if you did n’t even have the apposable thumbs necessary to launch the door if you did decide to get out of the house . Have clemency on your four - legged friends and take them with you to one of Houston ’s manydog - favorable bars .
17.Sometimes you want to have your cake and eat it too . Or have your frozen delicacy and toast it , too . From spike out milkshakes to cocktail push - pops , correspond out these selection for sweet , methamphetamine hydrochloride insensate adult indulgences . If you prefer the sentimental modality , the folks over atGrand Prize BarandLei Loware doing god ’s body of work with cocktail deal via Slushee auto .
Courtesy of Jack Fire
18.Sometimes you and your gang just has to preserve a buck and drink at home . With a wide range of dependable chain likeSpec ’s , beer - savvy grocers likeHEB , and autonomous operator likeHouston Wine MerchantorD&Q The Beer Station , Houston rest home drinking is a capital way to beat the heat , and you wo n’t even demand an Uber .
19.As Alice Cooper state , school day ’s out for summer . That means more parents with kid in tow . If you find yourself so encumbered , but still need a berth for a courteous potable , this list ofkid - friendly barswill aid you discover your happy ( hour ) place , without making you feel like a societal pervert .
20.Houston has a bunch ofgreat booze neighborhoods . Pit them against each other in a no - storage area - barred tournament with the crown as the prize . Regardless of which one of them win , you all do .
Typhoon Texas
21.Texas summer require swim . Not just any swim , swim in natural aquifer - feed limestone swimming gob at a year - circular 70 degree . That ’s Barton Springs Pool in central Austin , just a few hours west of Ithiel Town , and it ’s just one of the state ’s manynatural swimming areas , many of which boast fantastic instinctive milieu as backdrop to your dip .
22.We all appreciate the pleasures of mixed caller , but sometimes it ’s decent to just pay heed out with the boys , or to have a young lady ’ Nox out . This summertime , take that to the next grade and make some memories on one of thesehisandhersroad trips .
23.Corpus Christi is the provenience of Whataburger . That alone should be enough to beam you on a pilgrimage . In slip it ’s not , there ’s a tidy sum of othercool stuff going on in Corpus , from baseball game to otter battle to taunt - in theaters . But seriously . Two . fib . Whataburger .
Spenser Harrison/Visit Houston
24.Whether you prefer bouldering , rappelling , or head climbing , Texas has plenty of pallid path to please the most discriminating gym stinker longing to get out of doors . From the Hill of central Texas to the mini mountains and huecos of the state ’s westerly reaching , here ’s all the beta you need . Belay On !
25.Texas has 600 statute mile of coastline . That ’s a lot of beach to research , and a lot of beachy activities to enjoy . Surf fishing or flatus - surfriding ; movies on the side of a pharos ; dolphin watch . Texas ’ gulf coast hasa minuscule fleck of everything , and is well worth the journey .
26.Small township make for heroic road - trip destinations . nineteenth Century dance - residence hall , steamboats , alligator parks and more await you just a few hours ’ drive from Houston in all directions . Here are some of thebest stake destinationswithin spitting aloofness .
27.If you ’re lead to be sweating anyway , you might as well make it the sum sweats . Clustered along theTexas Barbecue Trail , in small towns all around Austin , the state ’s best stone pit masters cater their business deal in smokehouses big and pocket-sized . You wo n’t get home plate at most of these places , allow alone such bagatelle as silverware , but you will get toe - curling brisket in a blank space whose walls evenhandedly smell with barbecue history . You ’ll smell like meat for a month , and you ’ll like it . devote a twain of days , construct Austin your central hub . It does all right with barbecue , itself .
28.Barbecue : Texas : Boudin : Louisiana . It ’s important to infer the solemnity ofboudin in Cajun country . Like with the good barbecue , the best boudin is often come up on back roads in ramshackle buildings . This will not be a luxury trip , but it will be a delicious one . Be on the lookout for other unbeatable regional goody as well , with a particular focus on cracklins .
29.Just a few minute ’ drive from Houston , walk in the stride of dinosaurs atDinosaur Valley State Parkin Glen Rose , Texas . If you ’re willing to push a few more hours , Crater of Diamonds State Parklets you compass for a girl ’s best protagonist for a small entry fee . You keep any gems you find . Step 3 : net !
30.San Antonio might be best bonk for The Alamo , and that ’s a spot suitable of a drive - by , if nothing else . Beyond that , though , the city offers an amazing array of eating place , from regional Tex - Mex ( home of thePuffy Taco ) to trailblazing modern barbeque ( the Granary ) . Stay at the newHotel Emmaon the grounds of the 1894 Pearl Brewery ( a destination in itself ) , and use it as habitation base while you search area draw likeSan Antonio Missions National Historical Park(beats the Alamo by a mile ) or the knotty netherworld ofNatural Bridge Caverns .
Because summertime without a small heat would be pretty boring . sum up even more spiciness to your plan by escaping withJack Fire , a red - hot portmanteau of cinnamon liqueur and Jack Daniel ’s Tennessee Whiskey .
31.If you like lead running play , scavenger hunts and beer , theHash House Harriersmight be for you . Often described as a drinking club with a track problem , the Hash is a broadly organized international association of social runner who sprain exercise into an risky venture , with a ice chest of beer as the payoff . bring together the Hash , find the trail and chase the Hare . On - On .
33.What ’s summer without a waterslide ( or a slothful river , if that ’s more your velocity ) ? Houston has a few splendid options nearby , from the Galveston outpost of repeated favoriteSchlitterbahn , to our own home - develop splash fest , SplashTownand novel hotspot Typhoon Texas ( theirwaterslides have laser triggerman ) .
34.Houston is often derided for its looks , but spend a daytime seeinganother side of Houston , and it may just be like it took its specs off and allow down its hair . She ’s been beautiful all this time .
35.Underneath downtown Houston is a whole subterranean townsfolk of restaurants , shop class , and service . While many federal agency workers utilise the system as a way to get around business district out of the heating plant , there ’s enough down there for not one butthree separate tours , focusing on architecture , account , and civilization .
36.If you ’ve ever wanted to leap out of a proceed aeroplane , if not for that whole “ jumping out of a travel aeroplane ” bit , iFlyis for you . As a jumbo column of air keep you weightless and your face ripple into a series of cockeyed smiles and grimaces , you ’ll already be planning your next escape . Plus , no red-hot - farting chafing .
37.If you ca n’t adjudicate whether you ’d rather gaze at a screenland all day or get off the couch and get outdoors , perhaps geocaching is a ripe compromise for your wit and your derriere . All around the area , geocachers hide “ treasure ” for their compatriots to discover . Whether the treasure is a little trinket or just the thrill of the Holman Hunt , it ’s a fun portmanteau of ancient and modern , with plenty of sites to be foundin and around Houston .
38.If you ’re more concerned in actual gem , The Secretmight be more up your bowling alley . In 1981 , an enigmatic volume hint at the localisation of 12 keys bury in 12 localisation around North America , each grant its finder ownership of one 12 treasure the publisher , Byron Preiss , stashed in a New York safety sediment box . Only two have been found , and one is rumored to be buried in Houston ’s Hermann Park . If you’re able to decode the serial ofcryptic verses and imagery , it ’s yours for the taking .
39.TopGolfisn’t of necessity about golf . Sure , many scratch - players practice their drive at the multi - deck covered range , but just as many go out just to hit . tot top shelf boozing and nutrient , and you ’ve have a few hr that you may claim as exercise .
40.Accommodating all skill levels , Houston ’s indoor rock ‘n’ roll gym offer everything from top - roping to bouldering , plus Crossfit , yoga , and other use year as well . They also put up all the gear you ’ll need , uncommitted for rental . Texas Rock Gymoffers a Graeco-Roman wall with lot of experient climbers , whileInspire Rockis a monumental indoor blank with a perfectpicnic spotbuilt decent in .
41.Beer garden ? Check . Drinking Hammocks ? Double - checkout . Notable idle words trumpeter Kermit Ruffins ? Check yeah . Every Thursday , midtown’sAxelraddelivers this trifecta of amazing , like a hebdomadal mini - festival all summer long . If you ca n’t make that , Axelrad also hosts a hebdomadal outdoor picture show , Mondays throughout the summer .
42.Summer in Houston think getting sweaty . Once you get comfortable with that fact , you learn not only to live on with it , but to love it . If you could get sweaty while listening to capital live medicine , all the well . This list ofEvery Outdoor Summer Concert in Houstonought to avail .
43.Houston’sMiller Outdoor Theaterfeatures always - detached phase productions and cultural upshot , from Shakespeare to film viewing . If you do n’t desire to pack a blanket and sit on the hill , you’re able to allow seat ( also spare ) in mortal at the box office .
44.Check out theThe Orange Showor theArt Car Museumfor a flavour into Houston ’s eclectic alternate arts shot , or thing you never even thought had museum , like theNational Museum of Funeral Historyor theMuseum of Printing story . Want a comprehensive list of Houston’sfreemuseums?We’ve got you .
45.The two primary downside of summertime in Houston are heat and mosquitos . Beat both by heading over to the Waugh bridgework at gloam to see Texas ’ with child constant population of Mexican free - chase chiropteran come forth and launch a full - on aerial violation on the bloodsucking insect bane .
46.Fight fire with fervour at the annualHouston Hot Sauce Festival , feature dozens of naughty sampling to prickle the taste bud and prove your survival . If your physical structure ’s going to perspire , your tongue might as well get in on the act .
47.Shred some wicked make-believe licks at theUS Air Guitar Championship . Well , you wo n’t be contend , but you’re able to pretend . Wait , would n’t that intend youarecompeting- ?
49.Under the field of force and paths of Buffalo Bayou Park seat asecret cavern , just hold back to be research . OK , so it ’s not secret , but Houston moderately much forgot about it for a few decades . And it ’s not a cavern , it ’s a cistern . But it is erectile . And you ca n’t really search it , but they do have guided tours now . Still , it ’s really cool ( you know , because it ’s underground ) .
50.You probably have at least some obligations now , even during the summertime , but that does n’t mean you ca n’t relive your childhood a small . That ’s where BooTown’sGrown - up Storytimecomes in . The third Tuesday of every calendar month , BooTown and friends assemble at Rudyard ’s British Pub to stage a interpretation of interview - put up story . Funny , heartwarming or just obviously unearthly , GUST has a means of connect with that round-eyed part of us that still wants to be read to . But also like drinks .
