Houston Family Guide: Our Favorite Things

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Ozarka Natural Spring Water. However, as always, all thoughts and opinions are mine alone. #FromHereForHere

Growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, I always knew I wanted to live near the water (or at least an hour or so away from it). I’m a Texas girl through and through, and there really is no other place I’d rather live than Houston. Living in Houston for the past 10 years has been where I’ve started my career and where I started my family. It’s home.

Sure, we’ve contemplated moving for different job offers, but if it were up to me, we would stay here forever. There are so many wonderful things to do in and around our area, and what makes it great is that there is something for everybody. Everything really is bigger and better in Texas.

Because I love our area so much and because so many people have asked what we love most about Houston, I’m rounding up all of our favorite things to do in and around the city for our very own Houston Family Guide. I’ve carefully curated this special list of our very favorite foods, restaurants, attractions, festivals, and shopping areas that we go to often or that we plan to visit soon!

Note: We live in the Northwest suburbs of Houston, so majority of the places mentioned are either in our area or “inside the loop” (aka Houston proper). I’ve included a few options that are a day trip away, too!

Our Houston Family Guide

Favorite Foods & Restaurants

I think you all know by now how much I love food. We love a few national chains, but I wanted to highlight some local favorites that you can only find in the Houston area. Here are our favorite Texan foods and  Houston area restaurants.

• Ozarka Natural Spring Water: We’ve always loved this brand of water. Even when I was growing up, we had Ozarka water delivered to our front door each month. It comes from three springs in Texas and has a uniquely Texan fresh taste, not the mineral taste that some bottled waters have.
• Paqui Tortilla Chips: Tortilla chips are a staple in Texas, and these “better-for-you” chips are the tastiest I’ve tried. Paqui is the Aztec word that means “to be happy,” and they definitely put a smile on my face.
• Taste Elevated Sweet & Spicy Mustard Seeds: These little flavor-packed pearls are so good. Use any place you would use mustard, and it takes your meal up a notch.
• Snow’s BBQ Sauce: Texas Monthly magazine named Snow’s BBQ as the best in Texas. That is saying something. We use it as a dip or a marinade.
• The Jelly Queen’s Black Garlic Rosemary BBQ Sauce: The Jelly Queens has won many awards and is a Dallas and Austin based company.
• HEB: This Texas grocery store is our favorite. It houses the best local meats, poultry, produce, and organic products. Our favorite item though would have to be HEB tortillas made fresh daily in the tortilleria.
• Tomball Farmer’s Market: Fresh farm eggs? Freshly made pasta? Fresh vegetables? Tomball’s Farmer’s Market is the place to find these things.
• Whataburger: If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying a hamburger or chicken biscuit from Whataburger, I’m so sorry. If you’re traveling anywhere in Texas, be sure to stop in for our fast-food national treasure.

• El Tiempo: Our favorite Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston. Try the filet fajitas, and definitely try a margarita!
• Willie’s Grill & Icehouse: We go here way too often. We’re such regulars that we even have a regular waitress. They have the best burgers, chicken tenders, and mac and cheese, and the most family friendly scene. (There are several locations in Houston and even a few throughout the state.)
• Cork Screw BBQ: This BBQ joint usually touts a long line at lunch time. It’s well worth the wait.
• Olive Oil: This place is by far our favorite Greek food restaurant. I crave it constantly.
• Sitar: Have a hankering for Indian food? This is our favorite.
• Star Pizza: Who doesn’t love pizza? I’ve loved this place since I first moved here. It’s definitely a Houston staple, and you can find deep dish and New York style here.
• Mia Bella Trattoria: With three Houston locations, Mia Bella has been a long-time favorite for Italian food and for a great weekend brunch. It’s where you can find us on any given Sunday in the spring, sitting on the patio.
• Kata Robata: This sushi & grill has been named the best sushi in Houston and one of the best restaurants overall.
• Tiny Boxwoods: When you’re looking for a quaint restaurant with the best coffee and pastries, this is the place to be!
• Baba Yega: Have a huge appetite for breakfast? Baba Yega in Montrose has the BEST brunch buffet in all of Houston. It’s a long-time favorite for a good reason.
• Crave Cupcakes: There are tons of cupcake shops in our city, but my all-time favorite is Crave Cupcakes. The icing isn’t towering over the cake itself, and it’s the perfect amount of moist and sweet.
• El Patio: If you want to take a day-trip, head to my hometown of Port Lavaca. It’s two hours south of the city, and this is hands down the best Tex-Mex you’ll ever have in your life. I compare all other Tex-Mex restaurants to here.
• Bubba’s Seafood: While you’re in Port Lavaca for lunch, head here for dinner. During the spring, you must try their crawfish boil. You can find the freshest seafood straight from the gulf and area. Charlotte’s favorite thing from here are the Boudin balls.

Favorite Attractions

After eating some of the best foods, you’ll need something to do, don’t you think? Here are our favorite places to go during the spring and summer.

• Beaches
  • Galveston: Galveston is about 30 minutes to an hour away depending on where you’re at in Houston. It’s worth the trip to spend a day at the beach. While you’re there, your family is sure to love these places:
    • Keemah Boardwalk: Big rides and small rides, amusements, dining, shopping, and a boardwalk. Tons to do here.
    • Pleasure Pier: If your kids are a little bigger, the rides at the Pleasure Pier might be a better fit. Shops and restaurants can be found here, too.
    • Moody Gardens: Here you can find an aquarium pyramid and rainforest pyramid. Your children will be sure to love all of the animals they get to see like penguins and parrots. There is also a 3D and 4D theater. During the summer, Moody Gardens also has a lazy river, water slides, and wave pool.
  • Port Lavaca/Port O’Connor/Seadrift: I can’t leave my little town on the bay out of the beaches portion. A ton of Houston natives flock to this area during the summer for a chance to be close to the water for fishing and islanding and away from the city for a bit. It’s a gem.
• Neighborhood Parks
  • Memorial Park Conservancy: Want a three-mile walking/jogging/running or biking loop? This is the place to be. (It’s also where M & I got engaged.)
  • Hermann Park Conservancy: This huge park nestled between the Medical District & Museum District is a great place for paddle boats, a train ride, and garden watching. It’s beautiful.
  • Local Subdivisions Trails and Parks: Since Houston has so many suburbs, our local neighborhoods have some great trails and parks. I love walking around our neighborhood’s lakes.
• Splash Pads: When it warms up to over 100 degrees fahrenheit in the summer, splash pads and water parks are necessities. Here are some great ones:
  • Quillian Center Noah’s Ark: A staple for 20 years!
  • Neighborhood Splash Pads: Here you can find a list of some of the best splash pads across town.
• Water Parks
  • Wet N Wild SplashTown (Spring)
  • Typhoon Texas Waterpark (Katy)
  • Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark (Galveston)
• Houston Zoo: We love the Houston Zoo (see our tips here), but it’s definitely our favorite place to go in the spring. It also has a splash pad, so if you do make it out in the summer, be sure to take your little’s water shoes and bathing suit.
• Discovery Green: There are always a ton of activities going on downtown in Discovery Green. It’s close to a ton of restaurants, too. Be sure to check their calendar of events.
• Dewberry Farm: Our favorite farm is currently closed due to it being cleaned up from all the recent flooding, but usually you can find it to be the place to pick the latest berries during the spring and summer. It will open back up in the fall, and it will be a place for pumpkin picking and hay rides. It also has a really cute petting zoo, too.

• Houston Sports: Looking for a professional sports event? You can take your pick from this list:
  • Texans: Our NFL football team.
  • Astros: Our MLB team.
  • Rockets: Our NBA team.
  • Dynamo: Our national soccer team.
  • Sugar Land Skeeters — Our area’s AAA baseball team, the highest league under MLB.
• Children’s Museums: When the dog days of summer are upon us, where else can you take your kid for a little culture and air condition? These are our favorite children’s museums:
  • The Woodland’s Children’s Museum
  • Children’s Museum of Houston
• Space Center Houston: If your child is into science, don’t miss out on the space center.
• Jumping Parks: More indoor fun for rainy days and sweltering days.
  • SkyHigh Sports
  • Jumping World Trampoline Park
  • Wonderwild
• Downtown Aquarium: A restaurant for mom and dad, and a huge aquarium for the kids to look at. It’s a win-win here. There are also games and rides, too.
• Houston Theatre District: If you love the theatre, be sure to check out family friendly shows in our theatre district.
• Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park: This waterwall is one of the coolest attractions we have here. Just take non-slip shoes since water splashes everywhere around the monument.
• Lake Conroe: If the gulf water isn’t your thing, we have tons of huge lakes that you can road trip to. Lake Conroe is beautiful and has plenty of resorts to enjoy the area.

Favorite Festivals & Fairs

Culture is huge in Houston. We pride ourselves in being a little bit country in a big city. Throughout the year, Houston has tons of art festivals, music festivals, fairs, and rodeos. Here are just a handful of our favorite ones.

• Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo: The HLSR is like a kick-off to spring. The best food, concerts, and livestock show for sure.
• County Fairs: Being that Houston is surrounded by suburbs and small towns, you can almost always find a county fair going on during the spring. They’re the miniature version of the HSLR.
• The Houston Greek Festival: The Original Greek Festival is held in the fall, but I couldn’t leave this off the list. It’s hosted by the Greek Orthodox community, and it’s been around forever. Dancing, music, and great food can all be found during this festival.
• Bayou City Art Festival: This is another fall festival, but it’s too great not to mention.

Favorite Shopping Areas

And then there’s shopping. We go to the top four places listed below quite often just to get out of the house and browse the pretty stores and shops. These places also house a lot of our favorite restaurants.

• Tomball’s Main Street: Old Town Tomball has some of the best antique stores. These two are my favorite.
  • The Turquoise Door
  • Me & My Porch Designs
• Vintage Park Shopping Center: If you’ve ever seen a huge outdoor fountain in any of my pictures, this is where we’re at. It also has some of our favorite restaurants (Mia Bella & El Tiempo).
• The Woodlands Market Street: My favorite stores and place to stroll. Another outdoor shopping center that is too pretty to miss.
• CityCentre: CityCentre forever holds a place in my heart, because it’s where our reception venue was located for our wedding. It has some great stores (Kendra Scott, Anthropologie, J.Crew, etc.), local eateries, and local shops, too. There is also a big courtyard for littles to run around.
• The Houston Galleria: Not only is The Galleria beautiful, it has some of the best high end stores. It also has an indoor ice skating rink as well.
• Uptown Park: If you’re in the city, don’t miss stopping by this smaller sized shopping center. You can also find Crave Cupcakes here.
• Highland Village: Great stores and restaurants. One of our favorite places when in the city.
• River Oaks District: One of the newest shopping developments in Houston, ROD houses some of the latest and greatest high end stores and restaurants.
• Rice Village: Near Rice University? Rice Village is a cute shopping center with some great local stores and national stores, too.

And that’s our Texas-sized Houston list of family favorites!

If you plan on taking a road trip to visit Houston or the area, be sure to check out this post.

And if you plan on flying here, you can read our tips and tricks for flying with a pre-schooler here.

We’d love to have y’all visit!

Why do you love where you live? And if you’re from the Houston area, what favorites of yours did I leave off the list? 

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