WHAT TO DO. WHEN TO DO IT.
Seasonal things to do in and around Houston, including day trips within 250 km (155 miles): explore activities, festivals and outings by season, distance and type, with sources and dates on Chronopin.
Oct 29 · Fall. Seasonal windows; check the organizer for opening hours and exact dates.
34 activities within 155 mi (250 km) of the city center · straight-line distances
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Downtown· Arts & culture· 0.2 mi / 0.4 km from Houston
Classical, pops and film-with-orchestra programs run at the downtown hall through the concert season.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Jones Hall · Sep – May · until May 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Downtown· Arts & culture· 0.3 mi / 0.5 km from Houston
Opera productions at the Wortham Theater Center across the autumn-to-spring season.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Wortham Theater Center · Oct – Apr · until Apr 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Downtown· Sports· 0.8 mi / 1.3 km from Houston
NBA home games downtown from the late-October opener through the spring.
Toyota Center · Oct – Apr · until Apr 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· EaDo· Sports· 1.2 mi / 1.9 km from Houston
Houston’s NWSL side plays home matches at the same downtown stadium from spring into autumn.
Shell Energy Stadium · Mar – Nov · until Nov 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· EaDo· Sports· 1.2 mi / 1.9 km from Houston
MLS soccer at the downtown stadium, with a loud supporters section and a long regular-season schedule.
Shell Energy Stadium · Feb – Nov · until Nov 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Montrose· Festivals· 2.1 mi / 3.4 km from Houston
Greek food, dancing and pastries at a long-running cathedral festival.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral · Oct · until Oct 31
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Hermann Park· Arts & culture· 3.2 mi / 5.1 km from Houston
Free performances including music, dance and festivals on the hillside theatre; a shorter 2026 season began in June.
Miller Outdoor Theatre · Jun – Oct · until Oct 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Memorial Park· Arts & culture· 4 mi / 6.4 km from Houston
A juried outdoor art fair in Houston's largest urban park.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Memorial Park · Oct · until Oct 31
IN SEASON NOWHouston· East End· Arts & culture· 4 mi / 6.5 km from Houston
A folk-art maze of tile, wrought iron and found objects built by one man, with seasonal tours and events nearby.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Orange Show Center for Visionary Art · Oct – May · until May 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· South Houston· Sports· 5.8 mi / 9.3 km from Houston
NFL games in a retractable-roof stadium from September into winter.
NRG Stadium · Sep – Jan · until Jan 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Second Ward· Outdoors· 8.2 mi / 13 km from Houston
A former golf course turned into display gardens, native ecosystems and walking trails near downtown, with a rotating calendar of seasonal programs.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Houston Botanic Garden · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Pasadena· Outdoors· 22 mi / 35 km from Houston
Guided kayak tours, pontoon cruises, boardwalk trails and a bison viewing platform preserve coastal prairie and bayou habitat.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Armand Bayou Nature Center · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Clear Lake, 25 mi southeast· Family· 22 mi / 35 km from Houston
NASA’s official visitor center, with a tram to Mission Control, flown spacecraft and a Saturn V hall.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Space Center Houston · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Katy, 30 mi west· Festivals· 27 mi / 44 km from Houston
A weekend town-square festival celebrating Katy rice-farming heritage with a parade, music, food and vendors.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Historic Town Square · Oct · until Oct 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Needville, 45 mi southwest· Outdoors· 30 mi / 48 km from Houston
Lakes and trails bring close views of alligators and birds, and an observatory runs public star nights.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Brazos Bend State Park · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Todd Mission, 55 mi northwest· Festivals· 44 mi / 71 km from Houston
A themed weekend village with jousting, artisans, music and feasting, running through the fall in the Piney Woods.
Texas Renaissance Festival grounds · Oct 10 – Nov 29 · until Nov 29
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Galveston, 55 mi southeast· Outdoors· 46 mi / 73 km from Houston
Gulf beach on one side and bay wetlands on the other, with kayak trails, birding and quieter sand than the seawall.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Galveston Island State Park · Mar – Nov · until Nov 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Galveston, 50 mi southeast· Family· 48 mi / 77 km from Houston
Gulf-front amusement rides, games and a seawall boardwalk extend over the water, busiest in spring break and summer.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Pleasure Pier · Mar – Oct · until Oct 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Huntsville, 70 mi north· Outdoors· 60 mi / 97 km from Houston
Pine-forest hiking, paddling and camping on Lake Raven, with fall color unusual for east Texas.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Huntsville State Park · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Washington, 75 mi northwest· Family· 61 mi / 99 km from Houston
The birthplace of Texas, with Independence Hall, a living-history farm and museum, plus big Texas Independence Day events each March.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Brenham, 70 mi northwest· Food & drink· 66 mi / 107 km from Houston
A self-guided visit with an observation deck over the production floor and a scoop shop for ice cream made on site.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Blue Bell Creameries · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Round Top, 90 mi east· Festivals· 82 mi / 132 km from Houston
A large antiques show of barns and tents in a tiny Texas town, held in multiple shows a year.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Original Round Top Antiques Fair · Oct 25 – Oct 31 · until Oct 31
IN SEASON NOWHouston· College Station, 95 mi northwest· Sports· 82 mi / 133 km from Houston
SEC football in one of the country’s biggest stadiums, with Aggie traditions like the Midnight Yell and 12th Man.
Kyle Field · Sep – Nov · until Nov 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWHouston· Bryan, 100 mi northwest· Food & drink· 86 mi / 139 km from Houston
A long-running Texas winery with tastings, tours and harvest-season events near College Station.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Messina Hof Winery · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Lockhart, 30 mi south· Food & drink· 138 mi / 223 km from Houston
A pilgrimage-style Central Texas barbecue stop in the self-declared barbecue capital, sold by the pound.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Kreuz Market · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Lockhart, 30 mi south· Outdoors· 140 mi / 225 km from Houston
A modest Depression-era park near Lockhart with a nine-hole golf course, trails, a pool, and camping.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Lockhart State Park · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Southeast Austin· Outdoors· 144 mi / 231 km from Houston
Creek waterfalls, swimming holes, and trails sit inside Austin city limits, with camping available.
Suggested trip: 1 day
McKinney Falls State Park · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· UT campus· Sports· 146 mi / 235 km from Houston
College football Saturdays on campus, including home games on October 31 and November 21, 2026.
Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium · Sep – Nov · until Nov 30 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Downtown· Arts & culture· 146 mi / 235 km from Houston
A film festival and screenwriters conference; the end date is listed as November 4 or 5 by different sources.
Suggested trip: 1 day or 2 days · 1 night
Downtown Austin theaters · Oct 29 – Nov 5 · until Nov 5 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· North Burnet· Sports· 147 mi / 237 km from Houston
MLS matches in Austin; the 2026 season ran from late February through early November.
Q2 Stadium · Feb – Oct · until Oct 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Zilker Park· Outdoors· 148 mi / 238 km from Houston
A spring-fed, year-round swimming hole in Zilker Park that stays cool in summer and chilly in winter.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Barton Springs Pool · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Zilker Park· Festivals· 148 mi / 238 km from Houston
A two-weekend outdoor music festival in Zilker Park.
Zilker Park · Oct · until Oct 31
IN SEASON NOWAustin· Georgetown, 28 mi north· Family· 150 mi / 242 km from Houston
A cave discovered by highway drilling, with guided tours, gemstone panning, and a rain-proof outing.
Suggested trip: 1 day
Inner Space Cavern · Jan – Dec · until Dec 31 · typical season
IN SEASON NOWAustin· San Marcos, 30 mi south· Sports· 153 mi / 247 km from Houston
College football in San Marcos with a Hill Country tailgating scene and a short drive from Austin.
UFCU Stadium · Sep – Nov · until Nov 30 · typical season