Happy Wallets

The Best Free Things to Do in Houston Right Now

Museums, movies, music, and more—here’s how to explore Houston for zilch.

03/03/2026 By Claire Anderson, Jessica Lodge, and Daniel Renfrow

Ahoy

Everything We Learned on the Free Ship Channel Boat Tour

The 66-year-old Sam Houston Boat Tour takes visitors through the first seven miles of the Port of Houston, dredging up educational treasures along the way.

10/18/2024 By Meredith Nudo

The H in CO

Every Summer, a ‘Texas Takeover’ Swarms Colorado

Cooler weather draws droves of Houstonians (often decked in Astros gear, of course) to Aspen and surrounding towns.

08/16/2024 By Diane Cowen

SPLASH TIME

Grab Your Towel! Great Wolf Lodge Gulf Coast Texas Opens in 2024

A new water park is about to make waves in Webster.

09/26/2022 By Anna Rajagopal

DAMES AND KNIGHTS

7 Must-See Castles You Can Visit Without Leaving Texas

Experience a dungeon wine tasting in Johnson City or rent an AirBnb castle in Burnet.

02/15/2022 By Geneva Diaz

It's Lit!

Astroworld Projected to Bring Major Economic Gains to Houston

The festival brought in millions for Airbnb hosts and small businesses in the Bayou City.

10/27/2021 By Shelby Stewart Edited by Camilo Smith

Field of Dreams

Everything We Learned on a Private Tour of Minute Maid Park

Book a stadium tour and you can uncover the mysteries of Houston's own ballpark too.

06/15/2021 By Catherine Wendlandt

Fix Houston

8 Experts Weigh in on How to Fix Houston

From crime reduction to preserving Houston's past, these locals have the answers.

01/30/2020

Waaay down

This Walking Tour Guides You Through Houston's Downtown Tunnels

Explore the city's history just 20 feet below the ground.

01/30/2020 By Heather Saucier

Open Road

Port Aransas Is a Nostalgic Seaside Trip

How one writer recaptured his shore-filled childhood.

12/27/2019 By Timothy Malcolm

Taxing Times

A New Tax on Airbnbs Could Generate Millions for Houston Tourism and the Arts

Houston will now collect a Hotel Occupancy Tax on Airbnbs.

07/02/2019 By Gwendolyn Knapp

Houston Strong

What Did Houston Tourism Look Like in 2018?

Comicpalooza alone brought in over 50,000 attendees last year.

05/03/2019 By Gwendolyn Knapp

Cha-Ching

Houston Airbnb Hosts Earned $72 Million in 2018

Most Houston hosts rake in $5,100 annually.

01/10/2019 By Gwendolyn Knapp

WWII Buffs

Chasing the Ghost of History, All the Way Across Europe

Would you track Hitler's beginning and end?

10/19/2018 By Bill Wiatrak

I See Dead People

A Different Type of Star Gazing in Los Angeles

Visiting celebrity graves in the city of angels.

10/03/2018 By Bill Wiatrak

Flying High

Trippin': Is Pot Tourism Taking Off in Houston?

You don't have to be crazy to bring marijuana home with you from Denver, but it helps.

02/21/2017

Travel

8 Great Must-Dos in Guadalajara

From Gothic temples to tequila trains, there's no shortage of sights to see in this vibrant Mexican city.

07/12/2016 By Miranda Proctor

And On Your Left

Did You Know? The Professional Tour Guides Association of Houston Is a Thing That Exists

Guides must dispel the stubborn myth that all locals “wear cowboy hats, have belt buckles, listen to country music and drive trucks.”

04/28/2016 By Adam Doster

Newsfix

Video: Double-Decker Bus Tour Takes Houston Sightseeing to Next Level

Houston City Tours takes sightseeing to the next level with double-decker buses.

09/22/2014

Movin’ On Up

What’s With Those Double-Decker Buses Downtown?

You’re not dreaming; they’re real.

09/01/2014 By Peter Holley