Howdy y’all! I just got back from the most fun girls trip to Houston with my college roommates Samantha and Emily. It was my first time visiting the city and I had an absolute blast. Let me tell you all about it!
Preparing for a Texas Adventure
My roomies and I were in desperate need of a fun weekend getaway before finals start and life gets too crazy. Browsing Instagram one day, I came across some super cute and modern vacation rentals in Houston listed on Karta.
I suggested to the girls that we head to Texas to explore the culture, food, and lively nightlife that Houston is known for. They immediately were on board!
We booked a chic boho-style rental right in the heart of downtown Houston that had awesome amenities like a pool and rooftop lounge. It seemed like the perfect homebase location for our weekend of adventuring.
Friday morning we all flew into Houston, met up at the trendy rental, claimed our bedrooms, and immediately started planning our itinerary over glasses of Texan wine. We were ready to dive into everything H-Town had to offer!
Old Town Charm in the Heights
We started our Houston trip off right by spending Saturday exploring the charming Heights neighborhood. We loved strolling the streets checking out all the colorful restored Victorian and craftsman-style houses and soaking in that small town vibe.
Ducking into little boutiques and antique shops, it felt so quaint compared to the bustling downtown. When we worked up an appetite, we brunched on the patio at an adorable spot called Snooze Eatery that had gourmet twists on Southern classics like chicken and waffles. Yum!
Afterwards, we browsed the popular Heights Mercantile marketplace filled with local farmer’s market vendors and antique dealers. I had fun trying on and buying some super cute cowgirl boots and Western-inspired clothes at Maverick Leather Company. Really got into that Southern spirit!
World-Class Museums in the Montrose District
On Sunday, we headed to Houston’s Museum District in the Montrose area to get some arts and culture. We spent hours nerding out exploring the NASA Johnson Space Center and learning about past rocket launches, touching moon rocks, and doing space flight stimulations.
Being space nerds, we loved seeing all the historic space equipment and even got to meet a real astronaut! After rocket science, we wandered the Menil Collection museum and admired the creative contemporary art installations and sculptures.
One of my favorite places was the meditative Rothko Chapel with huge somber painting by Mark Rothko and a peaceful outdoor reflection garden. Houston’s art and culture scene is really top notch.
Partying on Washington Avenue
After two days of nonstop walking and learning, we got dolled up Saturday night ready to let loose and experience Houston’s famous nightlife. We knew Washington Avenue was the place to go for clubs, bars and live music.
We started off our night dancing underneath the crazy neon light shows at Clé Houston, which is a massive dubstep and hip hop club. Surprisingly the DJs were really great! We also had VIP bottle service delivered right to our table.
Afterwards we walked a bit buzzed and sweaty down Washington Ave bar hopping along the crowded street packed with lit patios and rooftop bars blasting music. Places like The Rooftop and Flora were bumpin’!
Let’s just say things got a little wild partying in H-Town our last night before the flight home. No regrets though – we made so many amazing memories together!
Already Planning My Next Texas Getaway
With its chill Southern vibes, incredible food, and awesome arts and culture, Houston completely won me over and exceeded my expectations. Using Karta to find the perfect downtown rental also made traveling stress-free.
I honestly can’t wait to return to Texas soon and explore more of Houston and its surrounding areas – maybe catch a rodeo, eat more BBQ, or road trip to Austin. There’s still so much to uncover in this underrated city!
So that’s all the tea on my super fun first Houston vacay. Let me know if ya’ll have any other recommendations for cool places to eat, shop, or party in H-Town next time I head that way!