Houston Texas: Cool Things To Do // Destinations Explained

houston we have a problem we need help riding a witty opening for today's city should we mention how it's the most populous city in texas or how it's home to the largest medical complex in the world oh yeah and the city itself is roughly the same size as the entire island of oahu and almost as big as your mom if you enjoy your music chopped and screwed notorious traffic and month-long rodeos then come on down to houston texas [Music] jacob here welcome to destinations explained a fun series you do that dives into destinations from around the world if you watched before welcome back and if you're new here it's great to have you if you haven't already like this video watch till the end and down below comment any places that we may have missed here we go of course with every city we examine we indulge in some intensive research to brief our viewers on the history and culture of each destination covered however we actually went to school in houston so surely we're well equipped to educate you all about this sweltering city let me just [Music] right there the city of houston was founded by land investors on august 30th 1836 and incorporated as a city on june 5th 1837. the city is named after former general sam houston who was president of the short-lived republic of texas and had won texas's independence from mexico at the battle of san jacinto after briefly serving as the capital of the texas republic in the late 1830s houston grew steadily into a regional trading center for the remainder of the 19th century honestly houston just kept taking w's from there a burgeoning demand for the port of houston made the city number one in international commerce and the city benefited from the texas oil boom from both the drilling and building the oil field equipment itself despite getting slapped around by a couple of devastating hurricanes and a naughty coach that broke some rules h-town continues to dominate the country as a marvelous place to live and visit today houston has a population of over 2.3 million people making it the fourth largest city in the united states with a whopping 7 million plus and counting making up the metropolitan area ranking fifth in the country weather-wise houston's subtropical climate is humid as hell with average high temperatures around 95 degrees to a low average of 75 degrees and average winter high temperatures around 63 degrees to a low average of 43 degrees houston takes up a lot of real estate making it an automobile dependent city so just save yourself the headache and rent a car or you'll end up spending a college tuitions worth on ubers and lifts and you'll get a taste of that irresistible bumper-to-bumper action as you make your way to our first tourist destination here in uptown houston also known as the galleria you'll find a small grassy park framed with texas live oak trees and benches sitting in between the williams tower and its star feature the water wall at gerald d hines water wall park since the 1980s this artificial attraction has brought a myriad of visitors to see its cascading beauty an incredible 11 000 gallons of water per minute plunge down the inner and outer walls of the fountain you can stand in a semicircle just inches away from the water and feel like you're at the bottom of a waterfall and if there's a breeze you'll get a teeny misty shower the only thing tricky with this park is parking look for a spot along the street or settle for a parking garage nearby this is undoubtedly one of houston's best free outdoor attractions so make sure to stop by for cordial stroll or picnic staying uptown this next venue is a california-based chain that has completely changed the game when it comes to how you watch movies rooftop cinema club set a top boulevard place this club lets you catch the stars on film under the stars in the sky each night offers a unique viewing experience that is something a slight more nostalgic than your typical new releases guests are given wireless headphones to ensure high quality audio and they can choose between a few seating options including beanbag chairs to relish the movie end if you're hungry grab a bite provided by good dog or savor to full bar if you get parched the movies vary from night to night so check out the website to find a perfect film for you heading closer towards downtown you'll find a vibrant urban space located in the heart of the upper kirby district of houston levy park if you're looking for a space to kill some time bring the kids or even grab a bite then levy park will have you covered the park's thoughtful design features activity areas a dog park a community garden a children's park and beautiful landscaping kids will adore the park's unique active playground with its wide slide splash area hills tunnels and climbing structures you'll have a difficult time getting the kiddos to leave there's also table tennis foosball and a putting green that adults may admire you'll also find two restaurants on opposite corners of the park love shack is great for burgers and hot dogs or try out woodshed for some barbecue and booze honestly if you find yourself in houston on a day with decent weather then you'll be doing yourself a disservice by not visiting here across the highway lies a 445 acre park situated at the southern end of the museum district home to numerous cultural institutions including the houston zoo miller outdoor theater and the houston museum of natural science resides herrmann park the park as a whole is full of scenic hiking trails numerous gardens picnic areas and a reflection pool the miller theatre offers a wide range of professional entertainment with free performances running from march through november where the general public can relax on the hillside our favorite however lies in the houston museum of natural science the museum offers plenty of temporary and permanent exhibits with our top pick being the cockrell butterfly center this stunning exhibit showcases hundreds of live butterflies in a naturalistic rainforest setting walk through the living butterfly habitat and marvel at some of the world's most colossal and weirdest arthropods don't forget to check out the description down below for helpful links and other information and lastly for our tourist destination how could we not talk about nasa just 30 miles south of downtown houston this ultimate tourist mecca gives an in-depth history of america's human space flight program space center houston with more than 400 space artifacts including flown spacecraft the largest collection of moon rocks on public display and multiple major seasonal exhibits space center houston offers an array of astonishing attractions for people of all ages don't miss their most popular attraction the nasa tram tours this is your chance to go on site at nasa johnson space center and get a behind-the-scenes look at human space exploration there's a lot to do here and people tend to spend hours traversing so just know that you're dedicating an entire day of your trip when you visit here now before we move on let's bring on an actual houston local to get some suggestions from them today we have jay from jay baby tattoo on instagram so let's see what they have to recommend hey jay how's it going today good how you doing good good we just wrapped up the tour section of the video and we just need some good suggestions from a local like yourself what do you have in mind for us today yeah well there's a few spots in this neighborhood in houston called montrose one of my favorite neighborhoods in houston it's kind of the gaborhood but it's for everybody you know it's very welcoming there's a lot of bars there's a lot of like drag shows there's also a really awesome vendor market you can go check out and it's right in the heart of montrose right on westheimer and montro street and there's a bunch of vendors there they have candles they have plants they have clothing a lot of food there's pretty much everything there for everybody and another really awesome spot that i like is lefendi it's a nice little mediterranean place that's right on westheimer as well i've been going there since i was like in my late teens and they have hookah really good food so there's really just a lot of stuff out there for everyone there's vintage shopping and you can check out some clothes too at leopard lounge pavement there's a lot of really awesome places to thrift and get some really cool clothes as well all right jay that sounds awesome just thanks for joining us today we'll talk to you soon of course yeah bye don't forget to follow at j baby tattoo on instagram to help plan your trip while we're down here just keep heading further south until you hear some waves because we're starting our nature and recreational section of the video on the gulf coast with houston's favorite island city galveston the town itself is pretty bustling with a population over 50 000 people for first-time visitors you need to check out the seawall this 10-mile wall was built after the galveston hurricane of 1900 for protection from future hurricanes which still stands parallel with seawall boulevard today the iconic seawall boulevard is a happening place for beachgoers and serves as a gorgeous backdrop to a variety of shops restaurants attractions and gear rental stores and we can't forget the coney island of the south the historic pleasure pier come make a day out of it while experiencing the thrilling rollercoaster rides in aerial high swing carnival games shops and restaurants overall it's a 50 mile trip from galveston to houston and the traffic can really bite you in the butt but we think it's totally worth the day trip back in the heart of downtown we have houston's premier green space surrounded by the georgia brown convention center hotels and downtown sports arena's discovery green the park features a man-made lake a kids play area two dog runs an interactive fountain and a splash pad houston really knows how to modernize parks because just like levy park discovery green has some amazing restaurants and food trucks within in the summer grab a kayak for five dollars and rode down kinder lake or come during winter and ice skate from november to january discovery green is constantly hosting exciting events so check out the website to see what's going on another fun houston park that's definitely more on the recreational side has a variety of zestful activities including a skate park playgrounds dog parks and miles of bike and hiking trails all at buffalo bayou park visitors can rent bicycles kayaks and canoes from the park there's the waterworks which has a grassy plateau framed by trees with a stunning view of the downtown skyline atop a partially buried water reservoir below is the cistern an ancient underground drinking water reservoir built in 1926 and is now accessible for tours as an unusual and somewhat creepy art installation while hiking and biking you'll come across some alluring bridges like shepard bridge jackson hill bridge carreth bridge and perhaps the most scenic attraction in the entire city rosemont bridge that only covers about half the attractions here we'd recommend riding a bike and trekking the whole buffalo bayou loop to see it all a decent 4.8 miles in length with barely any elevation gain heading back towards uptown we have well another park but this is the last one we swear if you were to ask us which of the parks we've covered closely resembles the central park of houston in our opinion it would have to be memorial park this 1466 acre park is one of the largest urban parks in the us you'll find the houston arboretum and nature center within the park full of walking trails with a southern swamp vibe the park is a jogger's paradise and hosts plenty of sporting fields and courts you'll find food trucks seven days a week near the eastern glades a faultless section of the park to picnic and stroll around hines lake best for texas sunset millions of funds have been raised to save this once dying park and have completely rejuvenated it into a tourist hot spot we're especially thrilled for the new land bridge tunnel project that will undoubtedly become the go-to spot of the park supposedly the construction supposed to be done like this month if not april now this last spot is a bit out there but it goes on for about two months and it's loved by everyone so we're throwing it in without traffic this spot is an hour northwest of downtown but if you want to check out everyone's favorite nine weekend long festival then you need to check out the texas renaissance fest the first weekend's theme always starts with an oktoberfest german beer pokemusic the whole nine yards other themes include medieval fantasy pirates and more all the way to the last christmas themed weekend there's dozens of stages throughout the fairground with performances by actors who take their job way too seriously turkey legs the size of a newborn and all the weapons you can buy to get you submitted on the mall ninja subreddit perhaps the greatest draw to the fest is their joust an accurate reenactment of a medieval joust featuring authentic weapons costumed horses and armored knights the best part is that all of this is going on during some of the best weather in houston during fall we don't know if you notice about houston but the other day it was like 85 degrees outside and right now outside it's like in the 30s but it's fine because no matter what kind of curve ball houston's weather tries to throw at you you can ensure that your skin will stay moisturized thanks to today's sponsor geology look let's be honest with ourselves none of us actually follow a healthy skincare routine and if you say you do i bet you tell your dentist that you've lost twice a day too sure keep telling yourself that but isn't it crazy that we're surprised when a pimple shows up when we don't give our skin the daily attention it deserves luckily for us geology made it 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floss just kidding you don't have to floss but you do have to take care of your skin you're stuck with it for the rest of your life might as well keep it pimple free in our nashville video we filled you in on the history of hot chicken then gave you to run down on cuban bakeries in miami we've gone into detail about chicory coffee in new orleans juicy lucy's in minneapolis and even the strange greek takeover of burger joints in salt lake city all these cities have a unique culture about them that we've cherished breaking down but you may be asking what does houston have to offer is it texas barbecue tex-mex something to do with rockets or something it's not talked about enough but in our opinion houston texas is the food hall capital of the world if you don't know what a food hall is it's basically just a food court with better food and a less depressing vibe downtown houston took off as the epicenter for this micro restaurant phenomenon but it's since spread throughout the metro food halls are road maps to all cuisines houston has to offer unlike food courts which typically consist of fast food chains and free bourbon chicken samples food halls offer a curated mix of elevated dining options from flawlessly plated sushi to handmade pasta and decadent desserts since 2016 houston has witnessed an explosion of food halls long before the food hall craze took space city by storm conservatory which was renamed to underground hall debuted underground and heart of downtown similar spots followed their lead and were equally delightful if not better than their counterpart but houston didn't take its foot off the gas just a few years later two food halls if you can even call them that took the culture to a new level we have two spots first up this 50 000 square foot industrial office has been converted into a food hall with a rooftop garden co-working spaces restaurants bars and so much more the post market before we dive into the food we need to discuss the architecture once you find yourself in the food hall you won't help but notice the one of the three staggering staircases the double helix shaped stairwell centered in the market is truly something to behold in the wings of each side of the food hall you'll find the double x staircase and the z staircase the stairs are distinct in character structure and material but all are designed to encourage interaction all three provide direct access to the skyline a rooftop park offering a million dollar view of the city back to the food hall it could seem daunting to choose from so many options of varying cuisines but truth be told there is no wrong answer chef driven eateries like gulf strawman has a strong focus on sustainably sourced seafood including fresh oyster and an open face sandwich with buttery lobster and smoked salmon on thick toast or try chopping block a cultural crossroads where local communities and west african culinary traditions intersect delivering a convenient hospitable food experience with exquisite taste and of course there's plenty of more options check out the post website to see what you're in the mood for the last food hall suggestion also just made its debut recently and has a more laid-back and family-friendly atmosphere just 10 minutes away from the post market lies railway heights market this food hall has restaurant stalls local vendors a dog park beer garden and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating the ground level features analog coffee bar and locally owned concepts up top you'll find a handful of the market hall restaurants like mac and twist pierogi queen and samosa house to name a few there's also an intricate collection of curated art for sale a colorful terrarium and plant market as well as more local vendors selling handcrafted goods so if the post and railway don't have you impressed then we don't know what will regardless let's move on to our favorite restaurants of the city this local houston chain has been a favorite of mine since i can remember there's multiple locations a menu that's ideal for any time of day and my god do they over portion those french fries barnaby's cafe this will be the most tame restaurant on our list no gimmicks just wonderful food and better vibes the simple grab bag menu includes a balanced variety of salads sandwiches burgers and specialty plates like luna's meat lasagna or our favorite they're all natural hawaiian pork chops there's also a breakfast menu available on weekends at select locations as well as a dedicated brunch location with its own menu by the name of baby barnaby's come here if you're looking for a safe option with a thoughtful variety of preferences we get a kick out of restaurants that pursues in just one menu item like a biscuit shop or bento box place but have you ever been somewhere that specializes in turkey legs well this third ward staple has it turkey leg hut the hut's roots are in a houston livestock show in rodeo where their turkey legs became a must-have for rodeo visitors eventually premiering a brick and mortar in 2017 and have been dishing out smoked turkey legs stuffed with everything from crawfish mac and cheese to dirty rice definitely try out our favorite the alfredo shrimp stuffed turkey leg fully loaded stuffed with jumbo grilled shrimp and cajun alfredo sauce with huge portions creative combinations and long lines this black owned staple is a restaurant every houstonian and visitor needs to experience at least once located very modestly in east downtown this next restaurant is a total vibe and is anything but ordinary nancy's hustle as soon as you enter you know you're walking into something special the music and dim lighting sets the mood for your meal start with the bamboo house our drink of choice but they have a decent wine beer and cocktail menu too unfortunately i have to bring my partner with me just to restrain myself from ordering the entire savory menu yeah it's that good if you ask a nancy regular what their favorite dish is they'll probably follow up with the nancy cakes but we think the sourdough bread is absolutely incredible the sweet potatoes half chicken and hamburger are all stellar too just don't forget to make a reservation in advance the prime times go quickly but they stay open late grab the person you have the best conversation with and enjoy every moment of your time at nancy's houston has one of the largest vietnamese-american populations in the country and you can find a bowl of fur just about anywhere but just nine blocks away from nancy's you'll find our favorite quinn for over a decade annie wind's family-run eatery has served homemade vietnamese food in a comfortable urban atmosphere this isn't just another southeast asian strip mall joint their meat guang is a house favorite special yellow rice noodles with pork shrimp fish cake shredded cabbage and banana blossom tossed with a lightly spicy broth or try to combo luck luck tender chunks of stir-fried beef tenderloin peppers and onion served with house rice grab some hot tea and start with some spring rolls and have yourself an authentic night out now houston may not outshine austin when it comes to who has the best barbecue but does that mean it's any better here adventure addicts we say regardless truth barbecue is one of the reasons some can't decide evolved from a petite shack in breno texas truth's second location in heights serves whole hog roasts cajun burn and boudin melt in your mouth fatty brisket and beef ribs sold only on saturdays the combination of both unconventional and classic sides makes it hard to choose and there's dessert made by the pit master's mom how wholesome is that get there before 11 beat the worst of the line and visitors after 2 2pm will most likely be disappointed now the mexican and tex-mex scene in houston definitely deserves a segment of its own but we already wasted that time talking about hipster cafeterias so let's just talk about la guadalupana bakery and cafe this hole in a wall cafe in the hyde park neighborhood may not look like much from the outside but the casino within is whipping up some of the best breakfast and lunch in town chilaquiles amigas huevos rancheros you can't go wrong with any of the classics start with the cinnamon coffee end with the flan and don't forget to grab a pastry on the way out we'd highly recommend making this authentic mexican cafe a top priority on your itinerary last on our list heading back uptown we have a new york style delicatessen serving huge pastrami sandwiches and other classics in an old school setting kenny and ziggy's with their new relocation as of this january there isn't a better time than ever to check this place out there's towering sandwiches piled high with pastrami and corned beef matzo ball soup and stuffed kishka and konish the menu literally has over a hundred options so it can be overwhelming which doesn't help considering it's all printed on a comically gigantic menu for real you'd think that you were in the restaurant from shit's creek if possible you got to save room for their massive cheesecake slices it's coffee time and you already know where this is going chic interior plants exposed bricks and good vibes only serving all your coffee needs with an all-day food menu let's get down to breast tax this edo gem is an ideal place to study meet up with friends or grab a table out back on their 1 000 square feet patio various coffee drinks cocktails and refreshing bites to eat make up the menu so diners can reap the benefits of this establishment at any time of day for dessert this kirby pie shop's been serving houstonians with their famous scratch-made desserts ever since 1967. house of pies flaky buttermilk pie apple cobblers texas pecan everything you'd expect in this southern bakery and we can't forget their notable bayou goo a decadent slice of vanilla and chocolate custard layered with cloud-like cream cheese toasted pecans whipped cream and chocolate shavings house of pies is actually a full-out restaurant available for dine in so feel free to stay and get comfy or grab a slice to go real quick let's grab jay from at j baby tattoo one more time and get their local foodie recommendations hey jay just had to have you back on one more time we are at the end of the food and restaurant portion of the video and i heard you're a foodie i heard you know all the good spots in houston so what do you have for us today one of the first places i really like that's more casual it's really good for like a family gathering to take to go is rey's barbecue it's the best barbecue i've personally ever had and on saturdays and sundays they do have beef ribs specials so they have these ginormous beef ribs that are to die for huge sides huge plates so you will walk out limping pretty much another really good spot i'd say but for more you know like a date night or you want to have a night out with some friends i'd highly recommend taste bar and kitchen it's a really awesome kitchen in midtown houston it's got a lot of like fried chicken waffles jerk lamb chops fried lobster just the most amazing food ever and they also have hookah and they have a lot of really good 90s music they play as well so it's a really cool vibe you can also go there for brunch too but i highly recommend it on an evening like on the weekend or something like that another really good place and i'll leave you with this is green seed vegan this is another spot that's more casual as well but this is for anyone who isn't a meat eater and you'd like to try some vegan food in houston green seed is it's got to be my favorite for vegan food for sure they have really good smoothies great cauliflower chicken sandwiches really good food and they have raw vegan food as well that is really awesome as well alright jay that's another great few suggestions and thanks for being on today thank you all right once again don't forget to follow jay at j baby tattoo on instagram to help plan your trip there's never a dull moment when it comes to houston's nightlife scene whether you're looking for dance clubs or texas honky tonks sports pubs or low-key wine bars there's something for every taste starting in midtown one of houston's rowdiest hangouts we'll talk about axle rad beer garden this two-story bar offers a vast craft beer menu upstairs seating with a view and an expansive garden sustainable for big and small gatherings the giant neon tree turned art project is the centerpiece of the patio along with hammocks picnic tables and a humongous wall for projecting films for occasional movie nights and other events so if you treasure live music craft beer and crowds then start your midtown outing at axle rad beer garden if you favored the restaurants we covered in east downtown earlier then wait till you see the bar scene there in fact it's so superb that we can't even choose one spot so we'll just brief over our favorites that you'll find off of st emanuel street there's truck yard which is basically a party in a rusty texas junkyard with a sus ferris wheel true anomaly brewing company a brewery run by ex-nasa engineers perhaps the most houston thing ever pitch 25 a spacious warehouse with ample seating swinging chairs bar games and a whole ass soccer pitch and our personal favorite neil's bar which is basically like hanging out in someone's house with ping pong tables comic books and vintage video game consoles hooked up to box televisions if none of those places sound awesome to you then we can't be friends the greater houston area is home to over 50 breweries including several within the loop to us an a-plus brewery has indoor and outdoor seating variety vibes and something to distract the kids saint arnold brewing company checks all those boxes texas's oldest craft brewery offers a world-class beer garden craft food games lively art and amazing views of the skyline outside you'll find yard games like cornhole and bocce ball and even a modest hedge maze for the kids or lost drunk adults inside is a restaurant with cathedral inspired architecture with stained glass windows and an energetic german beer hall vibe st arnold is largely credited for kickstarting the craft beer movement in texas as a whole and is a must-hit for all beer nerds out there for a more hidden and intimate bar serving cold beer fresh cocktails and easy going grub like pizza and tacos check out monkey's tale revel in your large dog friendly patio with picnic tables and umbrellas all decked out with tvs and enormous fans or go inside vibe with the bartenders and soak up the cold ac the drinks are some of the best in the city original libations such as the spicy cult leader el tesoro reposado caribbean pineapple and spiced apple punch there's also high balls boilermakers shots classic frozen drinks and surprisingly tasty spirit-free drinks like the torun hahaha grapefruit strawberry lime fire water and club soda this spot is exquisite for date nights and has a little something for everyone for the last part of our video we're gonna talk about another area as a whole in a city just as rowdy maybe slightly more tame than midtown connecting to the historic heights district you'll find shady acres bungalow style bars with tremendous patios stretch along 19th and 20th street and this up-and-coming nightlife sanctum you got cedar creek bar and grill a laid-back restaurant showcasing sandwiches drinks and more in a funky setting with an outdoor patio big star bar a low key watering hole that locals don't want you to know exist sorry guys mcintyre's the epitome of the bungalow bar trend with massive outdoor seating and lots of tvs or try drift for a more upbeat and young demographic with beach cocktails and an island vibe this area is basically the rainy street of houston which would make sense if you've ever visited there in austin so there you have it houston gets an awful rep for being a dull city but that's just a bunch of bs from locals who don't get out enough and we hope this video convinced you otherwise we've begun to make surveys here on youtube to let you the people pick out our next city so subscribe and keep an eye out for the next one thanks for watching don't forget to like this video and while you're at it comment which city we should do next down below [Music] [Applause] [Music] you

Channel: Venture Addicts

Views: 8,537

Keywords: houston, houston texas, hou, htown, texas, austin, dallas, houston tx, htx, things to do in houston, things to do in houston texas, things to do in houston tx, houston texas things to do, texas things to do, what to do in houston texas, what to do in houston, what to do in texas, fun things to do, fun things to do in texas, fun things to do in houston, Waterwall Park, Waterwall, Rooftop Cinema Club, Levy Park, Hermann Park, Space Center Houston, nasa, Montrose, Galveston, Memorial Park

Id: JUcIU9opU6I

Length: 30min 16sec (1816 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 22 2022