They say everything is bigger in Texas and it’s no exaggeration! Houston is the largest, most populated city in the state. It’s filled with hidden gems, a melting pot of cultures, fantastic restaurants, and a fun nightlife scene.

Having family and friends in Texas, this was not my first time visiting the Lone Star State, but it was my first time in Houston. I didn’t really know what to expect, but it ended up exceeding my expectations. Similar to Dallas, Houston is very spread out. Getting from point A to point B takes at the very least, half an hour. There’s a lot of traffic during most times of the day and a lot of time spent in the car. Especially if you’re planning to explore and cover some ground, which I definitely recommend doing. Just be prepared!

In this post, I will go over how I spent my two days in Houston, including the fun places we explored, fantastic places to eat, and even a day trip out of the city. Let’s get to it!

Day 1 in Houston

Whether you’re flying or driving, I recommend trying to get to Houston by mid-afternoon so that you’ll have the majority of the day to experience the city. For your first day in Houston get ready to eat some delicious food, experience some of the city’s culture, and discover some awesome gems.

Lunch at Hi Trendy Dumpling

The first stop after arriving in any new city should always be a good meal. Head to Hi Trendy Dumpling for one you won’t forget- I’m honestly still thinking about how good it was! This casual Sichuan restaurant specializes in dumplings (obviously) rice dishes and homemade noodle soups. It was really difficult to decide as everything sounded so good, but we decided on soup dumplings, dumplings in chili oil, and beef noodle soup. Everything was outstanding and there wasn’t a bite left. 

Grab a Donut from Voodoo Doughnut

We did manage to save a little room for dessert though. Right down the street from Hi Trendy Dumpling is Voodoo Doughnut, a popular chain located in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Texas. Since we don’t have one in New York state, where I’m from, I was really eager to try one. It was absolutely worth the hype. There are tons of fun flavors, some more traditional and others that are really innovative. We went with the “Old Dirty Bastard” which is made with chocolate frosting, chocolate cream-filled cookies, and a peanut butter drizzle. Delicious!

Take Pictures at Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park

One of the most photogenic places I got to experience while in Houston was Gerald D. Hines Waterwall park. Located in Uptown Houston, this beautiful green space is a wonderful place to come and relax, spend some time outside, and escape the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city. The centerpiece is a 64-foot tall fountain circulating 11,000 gallons of water every minute. It’s as beautiful as it is impressive. There is a parking garage right across the street, which costs a few dollars an hour. Otherwise, parking is a little difficult to find in this area. 

Explore Chinatown and the Hong Kong Food Market

Next, head to Chinatown. Houston’s Chinatown is large- just like everything else in the state. Unlike other cities’ Chinatowns that I’ve visited, where you can walk the span of several blocks and get a feel for it, Houston’s Chinatown is different. It’s an entire part of the city. You can drive for miles and continue to be in it. Which is interesting and unique. It’s a prevalent culture of the city and it’s exceptional. If you want to experience it properly and possibly feel like you’ve been transported out of Houston, head to Hong Kong Food Market.

As someone who spent a lot of time traveling through Asia, this place has a very authentic feel. It’s fun to wander around and check out the different foods and snacks that you won’t see in your typical grocery store, as well as the unique kitchenware. I recommend buying at least one snack, baked good, or piece of fruit that you’ve never seen or tried before.

Have Dinner at Aga’s Restaurant

For dinner head to Aga’s Restaurant, one of the most well-rated Indian restaurants in Houston. Aga’s Restaurant has a very extensive menu specializing in Indian and Pakistani dishes. They have everything from curries, delicious soups and starters, bbq options, and of course, dessert. We went to dinner here with a large group and shared a bunch of stuff, which I’d highly recommend doing. Everything was delicious, especially the garlic naan, which is always a favorite of mine!

Grab Drinks at Sunset & Truck Yard

End your evening at Sunset Lounge. Located in East Downtown Houston, this area is a really fun, trendy part of the city to go out and enjoy the nightlife scene. Sunset in particular has a great rooftop bar with a fantastic view of the city. There’s a DJ and it has a really fun vibe.

When you’re ready for a change of pace, head directly next door to Truck Yard. This bar is a little bit more laid back with lots of places to sit and hang out. There are food trucks on site for a late-night bite to eat and even a Ferris wheel which I highly recommend giving a go!

Day 2 in Houston

After a fun-filled first day in Houston covering lots of ground, day two will be a bit more relaxed with a museum visit and a fun day trip out of the city. Get ready for some fantastic food as well and end your night with the best view of the Houston skyline.

Brunch at Lucille’s

Start your morning off right with a delicious brunch at Lucille’s. Reservations are highly recommended and encouraged as they fill up very quickly. Lucille’s is a cozy vintage-style restaurant with a beautiful bar and a wonderful atmosphere. They specialize in Southern classics, which you definitely need to experience while visiting Texas. Our table ordered a bunch of stuff to share and everything was delicious. You really can’t go wrong, but if you’re looking for recommendations, this is what my friends and I got: french toast, mac n cheese, cornbread, fried chicken sandwich, oxtail omelet, and the shrimp and grits. 

Visit the Museum of Fine Arts Houston

After breakfast, head to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston to incorporate a little culture into your trip. Tickets can be booked ahead of time or upon arrival. There is a parking garage for a small fee. Tickets for the museum cost $19 per person, except on Thursday when entry is free.

I was extremely impressed by the different exhibits and collections throughout this museum. My favorite was called “Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity” by Yayoi Kusama. You have a minute in a room completely made of mirrors. It starts off dark but eventually is filled with what looks like millions of lights (due to the mirrors) I’d highly suggest visiting this one, especially for a cool photo op.

Day trip to Kemah Boardwalk

After you get your fill of the fine arts, take a little road trip to Kemah Boardwalk. The drive is just about 45 minutes. Kemah is a really nice area on the water. There are tons of rides, great snacks, fun games, and beautiful waterfront scenery. Our first stop, once we got to Kemah, was Cool Cow Creamery for some ice cream. Then we checked out some of the shops before heading to the rides. We eventually spent some time hanging out on the boardwalk and taking in the views of the water.

Visit Galveston, Texas

Not too far from Kemah is Galveston, Texas. If you’re already out this way it’s worth the additional drive to spend a little time in Galveston. Located right on the Gulf of Mexico, most people don’t think about spending time on the beach when visiting Houston, but it’s worth doing. Upon arriving in Galveston it became extremely foggy- Im not sure if this is a common thing or it just so happened to be the day we went, but we still made the most of it and enjoyed our time there.

Have Dinner at The Pit Stop

You can’t visit Texas without eating some traditional BBQ. The Pit Stop is a fantastic place for it. They have two restaurants that are connected to each other side by side. One side is seafood-forward with amazing crawfish boils, and the other side is BBQ-forward with all of your typical meats and sides. You can order from either and sit where you please. The “crawfish boil side” has a large open space with a big bar and lots of tables. Plus a really fun, friendly atmosphere.

I personally went for the traditional BBQ and everything was outstanding. I definitely recommend getting there are in the earlier side if you can because once they run out of certain meats that’s it for the night.

Dessert at House of Pies

The one thing The Pit Stop didn’t have, however, was dessert! After getting your fill, head to House of Pies for something sweet. They have a very extensive list of desserts- so much so that it will be hard to decide. We got a piece of banana cream pie to share. and it was delicious!

View of the City from Sabine Street Bridge

End your night and your last evening in Houston with the best view of the city’s skyline. This is also something you could do during the day but there’s something special about seeing the city all lit up at night. Head to Sabine Street Bridge located at the beginning of the Buffalo Bayou trail. When we went there was almost no one else there so it was a perfect time to take pictures as well. You’ll without a doubt get a view of Houston here, that you won’t forget!

Thank You For Reading

This concludes my perfect two-day Houston itinerary and I can only hope you found it insightful and helpful. If you’re planning to visit Houston for the first time, or maybe re-visiting and wanting to experience something different, you can’t go wrong with this itinerary. Thank you again for reading and as always, happy travels!