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Prices checked 27 October 2026

The best things to do in Houston

Space Center Houston, the Museum District and Hermann Park, the Cistern under Buffalo Bayou and a double-decker city tour. Here is what to book and what is free, with honest advice on what is worth the price, what you can cancel and what costs extra once you are there.

See our picks
Downtown Houston's skyline seen across the lawns of Buffalo Bayou Park on a clear evening
Short answer

The best things to do in Houston are Space Center Houston, the Museum District with Hermann Park, and the Cistern under Buffalo Bayou. Book the Space Center ahead: entry is timed, and it sits far south of downtown, so you need a car or a tour with transport. Hermann Park is free, and the Museum of Natural Science is free on Tuesday evenings.

Our 8 picks for Houston

Four ways into the Space Center first, then a city tour, the Cistern, the butterflies and the illusions. All eight show free cancellation on GetYourGuide.

  • The huge engines of a Saturn V rocket on display at Space Center Houston from €27 per person Our top pick

    4.5 (3,929) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Space Center Houston admission ticket

    Your ticket has a set entry time, and it includes the NASA tram tour. Historic Mission Control and parking cost extra. The Space Center’s own site sells adult tickets for $29.95 to $39.95.

    Best for A first visit at your own pace

    Check availability: Space Center Houston admission ticket on GetYourGuide
  • from €72 per person

    6 h 30 min 4.7 (322) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Space Center ticket with round-trip transport

    A shuttle from 800 Capitol St downtown takes you there and back. You get about 5 hours inside, in groups of up to 20. It does not suit wheelchair users or babies under 1.

    Best for Visitors without a car

    Check availability: Space Center ticket with round-trip transport on GetYourGuide
  • from €89 per person

    7 hours 4.3 (527) reviews on GetYourGuide

    City tour plus a Space Center ticket

    A guided city tour and a Space Center ticket, with the ride there and back. It takes 7 hours from the Visitor Center at 1302 Dallas St. The listing warns that Mission Control tram tours are not guaranteed.

    Best for The city and NASA in one day

    Check availability: City tour plus a Space Center ticket on GetYourGuide
  • from €89 per person

    1 day 5.0 (5) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Space Center ticket plus Mission Control

    An entry ticket plus a boarding pass for the Historic Mission Control tram tour. There is no transport, so you get there yourself. The listing says the Mission Control part is non-refundable.

    Best for Mission Control fans who drive

    Check availability: Space Center ticket plus Mission Control on GetYourGuide
  • Houston City Hall, a pale stone tower, behind its long reflecting pool on a sunny day from €36 per person

    80 minutes 4.5 (585) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Open-top double-decker city tour

    An 80-minute guided ride on an open-top bus from 1302 Dallas St. It runs rain or shine. It does not suit people with mobility problems or motion sickness.

    Best for A first look at downtown

    Check availability: Open-top double-decker city tour on GetYourGuide
  • from €13 per person

    30 minutes 4.8 (45) reviews on GetYourGuide

    The Cistern “Undercurrents” art installation

    A 30-minute visit to an old underground reservoir, lit up by an art show. Children under 9 cannot go in. Come 30 minutes early to park and check in.

    Best for Art fans on a hot day

    Check availability: The Cistern “Undercurrents” art installation on GetYourGuide
  • An orange butterfly resting on a green leaf from €13 per person

    4.6 (103) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Cockrell Butterfly Center ticket

    Entry to the butterfly house at the Museum of Natural Science. The listing says 45 minutes is enough. The rest of the museum is not included.

    Best for Families and nature fans

    Check availability: Cockrell Butterfly Center ticket on GetYourGuide
  • Lights repeating into the distance in a room lined with mirrors from €34 per person

    1 h 30 min 4.4 (33) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Museum of Illusions entry

    Over 50 illusions and photo spots at the Galleria. You go through at your own pace, and a visit takes about 1.5 hours.

    Best for A rainy hour, and photos

    Check availability: Museum of Illusions entry on GetYourGuide

Every Houston guide

Each guide compares the tours and tickets for one sight, activity or day trip, with official prices first.

Space Center & museums

City, outdoors & food

Galveston & planning

Houston tours and tickets compared

Houston tours and tickets compared
Tour or ticketFromDurationFree cancellationWho it suitsWhy we picked it
Space Center Houston admission ticket 4.5 (3,929)€27
per person		Not statedYesA first visit at your own paceThe official ticket, and the most-reviewed Houston ticket on GetYourGuide.
Space Center ticket with round-trip transport 4.7 (322)€72
per person		6 h 30 minYes; a Mission Control add-on is non-refundableVisitors without a carThe easiest way to the Space Center if you do not drive.
City tour plus a Space Center ticket 4.3 (527)€89
per person		7 hoursYesThe city and NASA in one dayOne booking covers a city tour and the Space Center.
Space Center ticket plus Mission Control 5.0 (5)€89
per person		1 dayYes, but the Mission Control part is non-refundableMission Control fans who driveIt adds Mission Control in one booking. It has only 5 reviews so far, all 5 stars.
Open-top double-decker city tour 4.5 (585)€36
per person		80 minutesYesA first look at downtownThe most-reviewed city tour here, and a quick start to a first visit.
The Cistern “Undercurrents” art installation 4.8 (45)€13
per person		30 minutesYesArt fans on a hot dayThe best-rated pick here, and cool and dark inside.
Cockrell Butterfly Center ticket 4.6 (103)€13
per person		Not statedYesFamilies and nature fansThe official ticket, and an easy hour in the Museum District.
Museum of Illusions entry 4.4 (33)€34
per person		1 h 30 minYesA rainy hour, and photosA fun indoor stop next to the Galleria shops.

  • Space Center Houston admission ticket

    €27 per person 4.5 (3,929)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes
    Who it suits
    A first visit at your own pace
    Why we picked it
    The official ticket, and the most-reviewed Houston ticket on GetYourGuide.

  • Space Center ticket with round-trip transport

    €72 per person6 h 30 min 4.7 (322)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes; a Mission Control add-on is non-refundable
    Who it suits
    Visitors without a car
    Why we picked it
    The easiest way to the Space Center if you do not drive.

  • City tour plus a Space Center ticket

    €89 per person7 hours 4.3 (527)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes
    Who it suits
    The city and NASA in one day
    Why we picked it
    One booking covers a city tour and the Space Center.

  • Space Center ticket plus Mission Control

    €89 per person1 day 5.0 (5)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes, but the Mission Control part is non-refundable
    Who it suits
    Mission Control fans who drive
    Why we picked it
    It adds Mission Control in one booking. It has only 5 reviews so far, all 5 stars.

  • Open-top double-decker city tour

    €36 per person80 minutes 4.5 (585)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes
    Who it suits
    A first look at downtown
    Why we picked it
    The most-reviewed city tour here, and a quick start to a first visit.

  • The Cistern “Undercurrents” art installation

    €13 per person30 minutes 4.8 (45)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes
    Who it suits
    Art fans on a hot day
    Why we picked it
    The best-rated pick here, and cool and dark inside.

  • Cockrell Butterfly Center ticket

    €13 per person 4.6 (103)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes
    Who it suits
    Families and nature fans
    Why we picked it
    The official ticket, and an easy hour in the Museum District.

  • Museum of Illusions entry

    €34 per person1 h 30 min 4.4 (33)

    Details
    Free cancellation
    Yes
    Who it suits
    A rainy hour, and photos
    Why we picked it
    A fun indoor stop next to the Galleria shops.
  • Only the NASA shuttle ticket states a group size: up to 20 people.
  • None of the eight picks you up at your hotel. The two NASA shuttle tickets leave from downtown meeting points.
  • Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 27 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Our top 10

Top tourist things to do in Houston

The big sights first. Each one shows what it costs and, where it helps, the tour or ticket we would book.

  1. A Saturn V rocket lying in its hall at Space Center Houston, with flags above it

    Space Center Houston

    NASA’s visitor center is about 25 miles southeast of downtown, by AAA’s count. Entry is timed. Online adult tickets cost $29.95 to $39.95, and Historic Mission Control costs extra.

    Our pick: Space Center Houston admission ticket, from €27 per person

  2. The skull and neck of a dinosaur skeleton against a dark background

    Houston Museum of Natural Science

    Adults pay $25 for all the permanent exhibits. It opens 9 to 5 from Monday to Thursday and 9 to 6 from Friday to Sunday. Entry is free on Tuesdays from 5 to 8 p.m.

    Our pick: Cockrell Butterfly Center ticket, from €13 per person

  3. A stone lantern and a pond under tall trees in the Japanese Garden in Hermann Park

    Hermann Park and the Japanese Garden

    Hermann Park is free and open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Its Japanese Garden charges no entry. The park lots are free, too.

    Free. No ticket needed.

  4. The Museum of Fine Arts

    The city’s big art museum is in the Museum District. The museum’s listing says the permanent collections are free for everyone on Thursdays.

    Free on Thursdays for the permanent collections, as listed.

  5. The Cistern

    An old drinking-water reservoir from 1926, under Buffalo Bayou Park. The art show “Undercurrents” takes about 30 minutes and runs until January 24, 2027. Children under 9 cannot go in.

    Our pick: The Cistern “Undercurrents” ticket, from €13 per person

  6. The downtown tunnels

    More than six miles of tunnels link 95 city blocks under downtown. They are open on weekdays only, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Free to walk in, on weekdays.

  7. Glass office towers in downtown Houston seen from below

    A double-decker city tour

    An 80-minute guided ride on an open-top bus. It starts at the Visitor Center, 1302 Dallas St, and runs rain or shine.

    Our pick: Open-top double-decker city tour, from €36 per person

  8. A black-and-white striped ring that looks like a tunnel, an optical illusion in a garden

    The Museum of Illusions

    Over 50 illusions on the first floor of the Galleria. A visit takes about 1.5 hours.

    Our pick: Museum of Illusions entry, from €34 per person

  9. Children’s Museum Free Family Night

    Every Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m., entry is free if you reserve. Tickets come out 48 hours before. Some exhibits are marked as temporarily closed, so check first.

    Free with a reservation, on Thursday evenings.

  10. A historic house with a wide porch and palm trees in Galveston

    A day in Galveston

    Galveston Island is on the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles south of Houston. Battleship Texas is closed to visitors. It is moored at a Galveston shipyard for repairs, and its foundation is targeting 2027 to reopen.

    You need a car or a day trip to get there.

Fun things to do in Houston

The most fun things to do in Houston are the Museum of Illusions, the Cistern art show and an open-top bus tour. Each one takes less than two hours.

Funny things to do in Houston: illusions and odd art

The Museum of Illusions has over 50 illusions at the Galleria. For free odd art, AAA lists the Graffiti Building at 2011 Leeland St as a free public space, and its murals change.

Smither Park is a mosaic park at 2441 Munger Street. The Orange Show’s site says it is free and open daily from dawn until dusk.

The coolest things to do in Houston at night

On Tuesdays, the Museum of Natural Science is free from 5 to 8 p.m. Last entry is at 7:30.

On Thursdays, the Children’s Museum has a Free Family Night from 5 to 8 p.m. You must reserve, and each group needs at least one child.

Cool, indoor things to do in Houston on a hot day

On a hot day, get out of the sun: the Cistern and the downtown tunnels are under the ground, and the museums are indoors. July’s normal high at IAH is 94.5°F.

The Cistern’s art show “Undercurrents” takes about 30 minutes and runs until January 24, 2027. Tours run Wednesday to Sunday. The downtown tunnels are open on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The butterfly house at the Museum of Natural Science is an indoor rainforest with live butterflies. Plan about 45 minutes.

Inside things to do in Houston when it rains

Space Center Houston, the Museum of Natural Science and the Museum of Illusions are all indoors. The double-decker bus tour runs rain or shine, but its top deck is open.

Nice things to do in Houston for free

Hermann Park is the best free thing to do in Houston. It is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and its parking lots are free too.

  • The Japanese Garden in Hermann Park charges no entry.
  • The Museum of Natural Science is free on Tuesdays from 5 to 8 p.m.
  • The Museum of Fine Arts’ listing says its permanent collections are free for everyone on Thursdays.
  • The Children’s Museum is free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. Reserve first: tickets come out 48 hours before.
  • The Houston Zoo has Free Zoo Days on the first Tuesday of each month. You must reserve, and these tickets are not sold at the gate.

Things to do in Houston, TX tomorrow: what you can still book

For tomorrow, a Space Center ticket is the easiest big sight to book. The listing offers an entry time every hour from opening until 2:00 p.m.

Historic Mission Control is harder. The Space Center suggests booking it about two weeks ahead. Children’s Museum Free Family Night tickets come out 48 hours before each Thursday.

For the city tours, the Cistern and the Museum of Illusions, pick tomorrow’s date on the booking page to see what is left.

Booking tips

  1. Book the Space Center first

    Entry is timed, and the Space Center is far south of downtown. Pick your ticket and your ride before the rest of the trip.

  2. If your plans change

    All eight picks show free cancellation on GetYourGuide. A Mission Control part is non-refundable, so add it only when you are sure.

  3. Parking adds up

    The Space Center charges $10 plus a service fee. The Museum of Natural Science garage costs $30, but the Hermann Park lots are free.

  4. Beat the heat

    July’s normal high at IAH is 94.5°F. Plan the outdoor sights for the morning and the museums for the afternoon.

Questions people ask about Houston

What are some fun things to do in Houston?
Try the Museum of Illusions, the Cistern art show and an open-top bus tour. On Tuesday evenings, the Museum of Natural Science is free from 5 to 8 p.m.

When is the best time to visit Houston?
The best time to visit Houston is outside the summer heat and the peak of hurricane season. July’s normal high at IAH is 94.5°F. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and peaks around September 10. RodeoHouston runs from March 2 to 21, 2027.

Where should I stay in Houston?
For a first visit, stay Downtown or in the Museum District, both on the light rail. Our guide on where to stay in Houston compares five areas.

Do I need a car in Houston?
You need a car, or a tour with transport, for the Space Center and Galveston. Downtown and the Museum District work by light rail.

More things to do in Houston

More things to do in Houston, with live prices and availability straight from GetYourGuide.

See every Houston tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.

Browse all on GetYourGuide

Browse all of them on GetYourGuide

Sources (22), facts checked on 27 October 2026

Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.