Four Days & Three Nights in Houston — Already in Love!

I came to Houston for David Tao’s concert, and honestly — what a pleasant surprise! This city truly won me over 🥺. Texas has such low taxes… and gas prices are ridiculously cheap (and I thought Wisconsin was low!). It really goes to show — you’ve got to step out of your bubble to see the world 🌍. I bought the Houston CityPASS, which covers five major attractions — perfect for maximizing the tourist experience: Day 1 🎨 Houston Museum of Natural Science The dinosaur fossil collection is absolutely breathtaking! 🦖 You can park for free at McGovern Centennial Gardens, then walk through the lovely gardens to the museum. The gardens themselves are super photogenic too! 📸 Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Stunning exhibitions, modern facilities, and these incredibly cool underground tunnels connecting three buildings 🏛️➡️🎨. You can really tell the $500 million investment was worth it! Day 2 🚀 NASA Space Center Houston Saw the real Saturn V rocket — one of the only remaining in the world, built for the Apollo missions. A truly humbling experience 🚀🌕. Kemah Boardwalk Tried a roller coaster here that actually made me queasy… way too fast for me! 😅 Overall, it’s a fun spot for families, but it’s very weather-dependent. On a cloudy day, it’s not as lively (so I didn’t take many photos 🌥️). Day 3 🐒 Houston Zoo Located inside a beautiful downtown park, this zoo is spacious and well-designed. They were hosting a lantern festival with animal-shaped lights — so intricate and pretty! 🐘✨ You can easily spend 2–3 hours here. Before heading to the airport, I swung by the Waterwall — it’s photogenic but honestly felt a bit random as an attraction. Not a must-see, but okay for a quick stop 💦📸. 😋 Food & Drinks Yokushi Robata Good yakitori (loved the chicken hearts!), and surprisingly affordable — cheaper than any Japanese spot in Madison! 🍢💵 Little Lamb House The line was pretty long… food was good but not mind-blowing. Little Dragon Hot Pot Flavor was decent, but the selection was smaller than expected (no duck blood, etc.). The broth wasn’t spicy enough — even after asking for extra spice, it just got saltier 🥲. Next time, I’d choose Hai Di Lao. Mulan Flavors The spicy chicken was tasty, but the bamboo fungus chicken soup was incredible — highly recommend! 🍲❤️ Drinks Had a great time at HeyTea 🧋, but Chi Cha San Chen felt a bit too light for my taste. Houston, you’ve been wonderful — low costs, friendly vibes, solid food, and plenty to do. Already dreaming of my next trip back! 🤠💖 #US #Texas #Houston