11 Exciting Day Trips from Houston – Get Ready to Explore!

Houston is a dynamic city that offers various things to see, do, taste, and experience including museums, attractions, restaurants, and much more. But there are moments when one feels like getting rid of the concrete environment and moving to natural geographical landmarks or even small towns. Fortunately, there are quite many great day excursions from Houston that can let you do just that! Below are the best day trips from H-Town that are worth checking out.

1. Galveston Island

It is a very popular easy day trip since Galveston Island is only 50 miles from Houston. A day in Melbourne can be spent either sunbathing on the beach, having a boat ride across the harbor, spending time in the various amusement parks, or strolling around the beautiful Victorian suburbs and shopping in Victorian-style boutiques. Also, make sure to source fresh seafood while in the coastal region!

2. NASA Space Center

Exploring the NASA Space Center is one of the best things to enjoy when near Houston to enjoy a space day! When visiting, try to catch the tram tour of the actual facilities which include the rockets, the astronaut training center, and most importantly the Mission Control room. Believe it or not, you can even lunch with an astronaut. It is just half an hour away by car – an interesting and exciting destination for science and space enthusiasts.

3. Bluebonnet Trails

People from all over Texas, but particularly the citizens of Houston rush into different bluebonnets trails every spring to view these flowers which have been grown all over the Texas roadsides. To see the flowers go up to 60 miles to Brenham or up to 75 miles to Chappell Hill from mid-March to early April. Pull over on the side of the beautiful backcountry roads for amazing IG shots.

4. Round Top

Round Top is a small town but it has quite a large following in the antiques and interior designing field. Situated 80 miles from Houston, it has also earned its reputation for hosting two antique shows per year. When the shows are not on the town does have cute boutiques, vintage shops, bakeries, and bistros, people should visit.

5. Outlet Shopping in Cypress

You may shop in the Cypress outlets, 25 miles from downtown Houston, to indulge in some shopping frenzy just outside Houston. Many reasonably priced clothing and accessories from your preferred brands— Nike, Gap, J. Crew, Banana Republic, and more abound. When you become hungry, take lunch at any of the eateries close to the building site!

6. Bayou Bend Gardens

On a day excursion to Bayou Bend Gardens, thirty miles outside Houston, those who like witnessing history and the natural surroundings will have an amazing experience. Originally belonging to Ima Hogg, a lover of art and a philanthropist in the early years of the 1900s, these estates and gardens span 14 acres. See the lovely home and stroll through the elegant, laid-back, cared-for formal garden.

7. Shangri La Botanical Gardens

Second up, let’s stay on the garden trend and drive 55 miles out of Houston to Orange, TX to visit the beautiful Shangri La Botanical Gardens. This used to be a property of the great family and now is one of the most beautiful opened gardens containing flowers, fountains, bridges, and sculptures. Just walk around the place during the late afternoon to get a view of the entire area.

8. Schlitterbahn Water Park Galveston

One of the most enjoyable and relaxing outcomes of escaping summer in Houston is a visit to the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Galveston, which is just 50 miles away. Enjoy the fun and the excitement of water coasters or the slow, leisurely pace that comes with the use of the park’s vast array of water attractions including the lazy river, the wave pool, tubing, and other family entertainment spread out throughout the park. It is a place where your kids can have loads of fun and get ready for a good night’s sleep afterward!

9. San Jacinto Monument

To learn more about such history, a short drive of only 23 miles from Houston will take you to the San Jacinto Monument. This 570-foot column symbolizes the climax of the war for independence in Texas. This is even more evident when one visits the museum with more information on the great structure, and then takes an elevator to the top for breathtaking views. Before concluding your trip, get to the battleground with the reenactors.

10. Homestead Grist Mill

Go back in time while travelling to Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site which is only 90 miles away from Houston. This is where the delegates convened to establish the Republic of Texas was established in 1836. Today, historical buildings have been reconstructed and there is a fully functional water wheel operating grist mill with technology from the nineteenth century.

11. Buffalo Bayou Park

We don’t have to look far to find beautiful scenery, they are all around us in this city. Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Park can be found approximately 1 mile west of downtown and occupies 160 acres. Rent a watercraft and go kayaking or biking, skate around the linear park, or take a hike. There is also outdoor sculpture, a nature center, a dog park, restaurants, and a beer garden all fun things to do for a daycation!

Well, that’s about it for this week’s post, so go get your wanderlust on and step outside! Houston is ideally situated in a place where it is very convenient to take various exciting day trips for culture, nature, science, shopping, and loads of fun for the whole family. Load the car and drive on the highways to create a memorable experience on these sites within a few hours of H-Town. Can you tell me about the first-day trip adventure you are going to embark on?