Creating Really Awesome Free Trips: Houston, TX

Hi! I am Taylor from Taylor Made showing you around Houston, TX! Houston is different from many big cities because it includes so many areas. I actually live in a suburb outside of Houston, but for us Houstonians, a 30 minute commute into town is nothing! Here are some of the thing I love to do with my family and friends without breaking the bank

1. Discovery Green Park
This park is awesome, it is 12 acres of green space located right smack dab in the middle of downtown. It has a splash pad and an awesome playground for kids, it has a few restaurants and an upscale bar. I love the super cool color blocked wall that is becoming a popular photo shoot background. There is also a stage that hosts free live bands.

2. Astros Game at Minute Maid Park
Home of the Houston Astros. Now, this isn’t totally free but you can get tickets in the”nose-bleed” section to a game for only $5.00 a ticket. Another plus is that kids 14 and under are free all summer long and on Sundays, your kids can run the bases after the game.

3. Miller Outdoor Theater:
This is an outdoor theater located in the Museum District of Houston. There is a small section of covered seats that you can purchase but the best part is the huge hill that is totally free. You can pack a picnic and some blankets and come enjoy the show on the lawn. They even allow alcohol (no glass They have plays, and concerts and the Houston Symphony plays here too.

4. Farmers Markets:
Houston has a TON of farmers Markets. I have even done a Farmers Market Bike Tour which is a 15 mile ride stopping at 3 farmers markets. I love them because even if you don’t buy anything (which isn’t possible) most of them have live bands, and artists and samples!

5. Museum District:
Houston has a huge Museum Scene. There are the “big” museums like Museum of Natural Science, History and the Fine Arts Museum who offer free admission on Tuesdays or Thursdays after 2pm and there is also a free museum day once a year. But of our 18 museums, 11 are free everyday of the year.

6. Shopping at 19th Street in the Heights:
The Heights is an area of Houston with a rich culture. It is up and coming for the hip young crowd of Houston. It’s “inside the loop” (Houston terms for city living) but it is affordable. It has a cool vibe with unique restaurants and fun little shops. My little sister actually lives a few blocks from here.

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7. Kemah Boardwalk
The Kemah Boardwalk is about 25 minutes from the city of Houston (in Texas we explain distance in minutes  It is located very close to NASA wish is also where I am located! I grew up going to the Boardwalk often but it is actually a huge tourist attraction. There is a nice hotel, a ton of restaurants and bars, games, rides, and a splash pad for the kids.

8. The Beach – Galveston
Galveston is not technically located in Houston, in fact someone could probably do a whole C.R.A.F.T. post just about free things to do here. But like I said before, Houston is huge and since its less than an hour drive, Houstonians would easily make a day trip of the beach. I am lucky enough to live in a great suburb that is located right in the middle of both. Between the seawall, the strand (eating and shopping) and the beach you could spend all day here! Parking at a spot on the seawall and packing a lunch make it totally free!

9. The Water Wall
This is Houston’s #1 most photographed location. At any given time, you can see a woman in her wedding dress and family portraits going on. It’s basically just a huge water fountain, but there is a lawn in from so you could bring a picnic too.

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10. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
This last one isn’t free. But I think it is a must see because there is nothing quite like it. It is the World’s largest rodeo and runs for about a month at the end of February every year. It is like a culture here Y’ALL. We kick it off with the Chili Cookoff, everyone in all of Houston talks about it, all of the local elementary schools even have go Texan day the week before. Houstonians don’t just go once, we go as many times as we can until the next year. The cool thing- all of the workers are volunteers, so its also the worlds largest group of volunteers in one place. There are concerts every night, but if you just want to experience it, tickets are pretty cheap just for the carnival and livestock show at around $7.00. Put it on your bucket list.

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Thank you, Taylor! I think I’ve said it before, but I grew up in College Station, TX and went to Houston often, and I have not done a few of the things on Taylor’s awesome list! I want to see the water wall and definitely need to stop by 19th street for some shopping! The miller outdoor theater is an awesome spot to see free shows. My cousin is a ballerina in the Houston Ballet, and last summer we got to see her perform at the outdoor theatre. Do you have any other must do Houston, TX activities?