Howdy From Houston: How to Spend A Weekend in Houston
/Here is your three-day itinerary as promised! Make sure you go all the way down to Sunday (the best day in my opinion).
Miles
- Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas
- Houston is the fourth most populous city in the nation
- More than 145 different languages are spoken in Houston making it one of the most ethnically diverse Metropolitan areas
- Traditional dishes in Houston are barbecue, chicken fried steak, tacos, kolach, are just some to name a few
- Houston has a huge art scene and is home to 5 of the major cultural districts (Texas Commission on the Arts)
- Houston is an AH-MAZING culinary destination
- Houston averages only 18.0 days per year with temperatures of 32°F or less and 99.6 days with high temperatures of 90°F or more. Temperatures rarely reach 100°F
- Houston has attractions from Space Center Houston (home to NASA's Mission Control) to the largest Fine Arts Museum in the Southwest, the options are many
- Houston has six professional major league teams: the Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Dynamo (MLS), Houston Dash (NWSL), and Houston SaberCats (MLR)
- Houston is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States
Fun Fact: "Houston, we’ve had a problem" is a popular but erroneous quotation from the radio communications between the Apollo 13 astronaut John Swigert and the NASA Mission Control Center during the Apollo 13 spaceflight, as the astronauts communicated their discovery of the explosion that crippled their spacecraft.
Meals & Memories
Friday
Yassss to making your way to Houston! You might be a little tired but let’s get straight to it! You’re probably starving so after dropping your stuff at the Airbnb/hotel you’re going to head to Cyclone to get some food in your system.
Cyclone
Cyclone is Tex-Mex (Texas Mexican Food) restaurant that serves a variety of options. If you want an AH-MAZING life changing margarita, Cyclone is a must! The pork taco was good and the black soup beans with rice enhanced the meal. This is a good spot to grab a quick bite and drinks.
You might want to hit a happy hour so I’ll recommend Kulture.
Kulture
Kulture is the sister restaurant to the famous Breakfast Club. I decided to go to Kulture because I heard it is an upscale version of Breakfast Club, and I was curious what that experience would be like. Unfortunately, I wasn’t impressed by the food. The chicken pork sandwich was interesting but nothing to write home about.
However, the vibe is great, along with the aesthetic of the venue, and the okra tempura is absolutely delicious! Kulture definitely gives all the feels of a cute happy hour spot.
You’re relaxed and ready to get your night started so you’re going to go to Downtown Houston where you’ll have a nice selection of night life options. You might want to consider the Commoner.
Commoner
Commoner is a bar located in Downtown Houston. The crowd ranges from early 20s into 30s but certainly heavy on the early 20s (at least that was the vibe when I went on a Saturday night. That’s why you have to try a Friday night instead). The bar/lounge is two floors with the first floor being high energy and the second more loungey and lax. In my opinion, Commoner is a great pregame spot but not necessarily a final destination if you’re looking for a club night out.
Saturday
It’s Saturday, day 2 of your trip. You’re going to get up early (yes, I know it’s vaca) and head to Graffiti Park/Houston Graffiti Building. Going early will allow you to flex for the gram with minimal interruption.
Graffiti Park/Houston Graffiti Building
As you might already know, I’m a HUGE street art fan. Graffiti Park/Houston Graffiti Building is a gem of the city that will have you in street art heaven! You’ll find incredible murals covering buildings and walls in the area. Murals welcoming visitors and others honoring some of the best Houston natives to ever do it in the music industry. You can easily spend an hour plus capturing photos for memories and to flex on the gram.
Once you are done, you can find somewhere to have breakfast or go back for a nap. Upon waking up, get ready for yet another fun photo opp at Present Company.
Present Company
This neon accented postmodern bar is the cutest! You are sure to find some awesome Instagramable moments here. From the glassware drinks are served in, to the atmosphere, Present Company is definitely a hot spot. Their cocktails are fun and unique and can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors.
The UNDER THE SeaBD was tasty. This cocktail is made with pineapple rum, kiwi syrup, lime juice, blue curacao, lemon cbd, eucalyptus tincture, topo chico, and you can get an extra dose of cbd for $3. And, yes… you read correctly, cbd lol. To be honest, I felt tipsy but I can’t say that I felt the effect of the cbd. The DON’T TELL THE BUTCHER {ABOUT THE MILKMAN} cocktail is pretty good as well, but I would recommend this one to the banana lovers. They are also known for their gourmet burgers.
You might want to do something fun before the turn up later on so I will recommend Houston Just Rolling Skating Rink.
Houston Just Rolling Skating Rink
Houston Just Rolling Skating Rink is a skating rink for all ages and expertise levels. A good option if you want something fun to do but don’t want to go clubbing.
Moving right along to the Saturday night turn up at Prospect Park Restaurant.
Prospect Park Restaurant
“Prospect Park Restaurant is the rare fusion of delicious dining, live music venue, and lounge.” I love the ambiance of this place—dope vibes with cocktails to match. The Shark Tank cocktail was everything! Made with Sauza tequila, Blue Curacao, and sprite to create a refreshing blast of flavorful goodness! I didn’t have any of the food but it looked and smelled great. The crowd is mid 20s to 30s. I went on a Saturday night, during All-Star Weekend, and it was packed! Prospect Park Restaurant is a great location to watch games as there are a multitude of TVs all around the venue. They also have indoor and outdoor seating and hookah.
Sunday
You’ve made it to your final day and it’s your last chance to live it up before going home. We all know Sunday is made for brunch. Houston’s culinary scene is incredible leaving you with a slew of delicious options to choose from. I had one of the worthiest brunch experiences ever at Turkey Leg Hut. But, I only recommend going there on a Sunday during brunch hours if you do not have plans after or you are not pressed for time.
Turkey Leg Hut
Now this is going to be a testimony I am compelled to share. I do not eat turkey (outside of ground turkey). A friend pleaded that I couldn’t come to Houston and not try the famous Turkey Leg Hut. Of course, I was skeptical about going. But after much convincing, I decided to give it a try. I figured that if nothing else it would he an experience. The restaurant opens at 11am on Sundays. I arrived at 12pm and there was a line that wrapped around the block!
I waited in line for 2.5 hours Apparently if you go during the week, there is no crazy long wait. I have a friend that went on a Wednesday at 1pm and had a totally different experience—he didn’t wait at all. So, my recommendation would be to go on off peak days and hours. Now let’s move on to the food and drank! Let me tell you! I have NEVER eaten a piece of turkey so succulent and flavorful in my ENTIRE life! I mean mind blowing. The shrimp Alfredo turkey leg is to die for!
The sangria… best I ever had! The waffle fries and wings? Bangin! The whole experience was incredibly worthy. The overall vibe of the restaurant only adds on to the experience. The venue is casual with indoor and outdoor seating. The DJ was on point spinning classic R&B hits from the 90s into the present day and I can assure you, everyone was here for it. I was dancing in my seat the whole time and if you looked around, you could catch others doing the same. Turkey Leg Hut is hands down somewhere you must go if you’re in Houston.
You’ll be stuffed after your delicious turkey leg and may want to burn off some calories at Discovery Green.
Discovery Green
Discovery Green is a 12-acre park located in Downtown Houston. The urban park is great to take a stroll, or sit on the lawn, and enjoy the day. There are also art instillations in the area adding a nice touch to the already beautiful scenery. The park is known for holding concerts and events. If you’re lucky, one might be happening during your trip.
You had amazing brunch and now a nice stroll through the park. Now it is time to start thinking about your plans for tonight; after all, it is your last night. You are going to start off with a pregame at Davenport Bar and end your night at The Address.
The Davenport
The Davenport is a popular bar known for its extensive martini selection. The menu features 27 different martinis, and you can order your usual drink of choice as well. My pick for the martini was the Mudslide (bear in mind I’m not a fan of vodka). The cocktail was well made with the perfect balance of liquor and flavor. I was pleasantly surprised at how lively and packed the bar was on a Sunday. The venue is a bit smaller than I expected with limited seating options. The crowd is 30s/40s. The music is so Houston. They played Houston /dirty south hits from back in the day and mixed in some new school music as the night progressed. I recommend this bar if you’re looking for something chill with a little more to it or as a pregame destination.
The Address
The Address is Houston’s newest hot spot with all the vibes! It is well known for their Sunday brunches, daily happy hour, and night life. The venue serves as a restaurant, bar, and event space. By day, the venue offers indoor and outdoor seating and dining. Friday through Sunday you can enjoy their night life scene. I actually went to The Address specifically for the night life and it was lit! Sunday is supposed to be the best night to go and I see why. The place was packed! Great music, great crowd, and great atmosphere and comes highly recommended.
I hope you enjoy Houston and find this itinerary useful!
