Houston in 3 Days — 3-Day Guide

Houston in 3 days: the city where Mission Control guided Apollo 11 to the Moon and back, where the Menil Collection puts Surrealism and Rothko in a free neighbourhood museum, and where Mama Ninfa invented fajitas in 1973 — a sprawling, oil-fuelled city with extraordinary food and unexpected culture.

Also explore Houston for:

📋 General guide ⭐ Highlights

Day 1 — Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel & Tex-Mex

Day 2 — NASA Johnson Space Center

Day 3 — MFAH, Buffalo Bayou & Houston's Chinatown

📋 General 3-day guide ⭐ Highlights

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Language	English — Houston is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the US (over 145 languages are spoken), but English is universal in all commercial contexts. Spanish is a co-working language in much of the service industry. Vietnamese is widely spoken in the Chinatown area (Bellaire).
Currency	US Dollar ($). Cards universal. Tip in cash when possible (servers often prefer cash tips). Houston has some of the lowest restaurant prices relative to quality of any American city of its size. Meal at a good Tex-Mex: $15–25. Fine dining: $60–120.
Transport	Car (essential for Houston — the city has almost no walkable neighbourhoods except Montrose and the Heights, and the Museum District is separated from everything by multi-lane roads; Uber/Lyft is the practical alternative at $10–30 for most trips). METRO Light Rail (from Midtown to the Museum District and the Medical Center, $1.25/ride). NASA JSC: Uber/Lyft $40–50 return, or the 202X bus from downtown to Clear Lake.
Best time	November–February (cool, mild (15–22°C), the best weather for outdoor activities and NASA visits; the Houston Rodeo (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo) runs February–March — the largest rodeo in the world, with 2.5 million visitors, featuring live country music performances). March–April: warm, humidity rising. July–September: extremely hot (35–38°C) and humid (90% relative humidity) — outdoor activities are miserable; this is pool, AC, and museum season.
Getting in	Houston Hobby Airport (HOU): 15km southeast of downtown; Metro Light Rail connects to downtown ($1.25, 30 min). George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): 40km north; Slingshot or taxi (IAH–downtown $45–60, 40 min); no rail connection. Uber from either airport: $30–50.
Tipping	18–20% at restaurants (standard in the US; service workers in Texas depend on tips for the majority of their income — a $5–7 tip on a $25 meal is appropriate). Bars: $1–2/drink or 15–20% of the tab. Uber: tip via the app (10–15%). Hotel staff: $2–5/day.
Safety	Houston has significant crime (one of the higher violent crime rates among major US cities, mostly in specific areas not frequented by tourists). The Museum District, Montrose, the Heights, and Midtown are safe for visitors. Avoid the Third Ward and Fifth Ward at night. Use Uber rather than walking after dark, as the streets are not designed for pedestrians (sidewalks are often absent). Never leave valuables visible in a car.
Budget tips	Menil Collection: free. Rothko Chapel: free. Space Center Houston: $34.95. MFAH: $25 (free Thursdays). Buffalo Bayou Park: free. Cistern tours: $8. Tex-Mex lunch: $15–22. Budget $100–200 (€92–184)/day including accommodation.