Texas is most well known for 4 of its cities; Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston. Each of these cities has its appeal. Dallas is a cowboy city, Austin is the capital, San Antonio is rich with Hispanic heritage, and Houston is the beach city. Of these 4 cities, if you were to ask my kids which has been their favorite, it would no doubt be Houston, Texas.
I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old and they loved our trip to Houston! I gotta say that I really enjoyed it too. We were there for 5 days in September of 2020. We like traveling in September with our toddlers, because the majority of people who travel with kids, have kids in school so everything is a lot less crowded. Great part about September too is that most attractions, like waterparks, are still open from the summer season, only way less busy and usually cheaper.
Saying that though, we did not get to do any of the fun seasonal activities due to COVID shutting a lot of tourist activities down. Despite the restrictions though, we still had a blast and got to do most everything that we wanted to do. This just proves to show that Houston, even with a worldwide pandemic closing most of it down, was still a fun city. Imagine how much more fun it will be now that the pandemic is over.
How To Save Money Traveling to Houston, Texas
Another problem with traveling is the expenses involved. Planning where and what to eat, where to stay, gas, travel expenses, and activities. I am definitely and frugal traveler so I try to do as much myself as I can. Like make all of our own meals, except for 2 that we get to go out to eat; and plan activities that are close together in a day and if we can we usually drive our own vehicle to the places we are visiting. Just by doing these simple things you can cut costs of traveling considerably, but that is a different article in total.
The reason I brought this up is the cheapest way to do activities in Houston, Texas or almost any other big city it to use the City Pass. I am a huge fan of passes, and this one in particular saved us so much!
You can do almost all of the big ticket items for way less. For Houston, Texas in particular it is $64 per person for a 30 day pass from date you start using it. Now $64 seems like a lot per person right, but hear me out. With everything you can go see with the city pass it will cost you $119 per person, so hearing that $64 doesn’t sound so bad huh? Haha! This will save you $55.43! I highly suggest it. The City Pass will cover at least 4 of the activities listed below. It is worth it!
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Fun Things To Do In Houston With Kids
Eat in an Aquarium surrounded by fish
Can you ever really go wrong with toddlers and animals? Honestly aquariums and zoos are a safe bet for any toddler vacation. This aquarium was small, like really small, but if you are wanting to spend the money there is a ton to do. I am talking a train ride, feeding stingrays, a splash pad, a restaurant that looks like you are under the sea, a kid friendly amusement park, and of course the animals.
Now we went during the COVID pandemic and so a lot was closed off, but we still managed to have a blast. The best part about an aquarium with a toddler is it is easy for them to spot the animal, because the fish are always moving, whereas at a zoo they don’t always see the animal just laying on the ground.
Since you are in Houston, Texas a city by the beach, you have to stop and eat some amazing fish! The restaurant in the Aquarium is super delicious, but you will pay a pretty penny towards a meal. The meal isn’t the most exciting part about the restaurant though, the experience is. The entire restaurant looks like you are under the sea. The lights are fish, there are aquariums all over with giant fish, and coral walls. It is definitely a fun environment to eat in!
Price: $22.99 per adult for all activities and $21.99 per child under 42”
Location: 410 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
Ride Horses At Old McDonald’s Farm
Not gonna lie this little farm is slightly ghetto, but it is so fun to do with toddlers! There is so much room to run around and about 4 different playgrounds for all different age of kids. They have a pool, but like I said GHETTO!! The pool was filthy so I would not advise swimming in it. But the animals were so much fun!!!
They have all kinds of friendly farm animals that you can feed and pet. Goats, chickens, cows, horses, deer, a donkey, if old McDonald sang about it, they have it. Get your little ones dressed in boots, chaps, and a cowboy hat as they have both a pony for little kiddos to ride and a horse for the adults to ride.
The barn is covered in a mountain of hay to run in and roll around in. There are bridges to overlook the farm and to help cross railroad tracks. They have a small train that takes you around the farm. Also there are photo stations all over. It may be run down, but I still recommend it, cause your kids will love it.
Price: $14 per person, 18 months and under free
Location: 3203 Farm to Market 1960 Rd E, Humble, TX 77338
Ride the Carousel at the Houston Zoo
Like I said earlier there is no way to fail in a toddler’s eyes when animals are involved. Whether looking at them, touching them, or feeding them, they will find joy in a zoo. Houston zoo is no exception!
We went during COVID so unfortunately a lot was blocked off and closed, but I suggest looking on the website to make sure you can see the shows, animal encounters, and feedings. Bring some swim clothes and a towel for your kiddos too cause there is a splash zone for them to run and play in and they will get soaked.
The Houston, Texas zoo is a big zoo, so for the little ones you know will get tired. Bring a stroller or your arms are gonna get pretty tired. Being a bigger zoo I suggest bringing snacks and drinks as well because like any zoo, the food is very overpriced. The selection of animals is huge and the exhibits are really nice and have a lot of viewing spaces so when one spot gets crowded, there is probably another spot to look out. There is a carousel too!
Price: Adult: $22.95, Child (Ages 2-11): $17.95, Senior: $17.95
Location: 6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
Walk through McGovern Centennial Gardens
If you go to the Houston, Texas zoo, then drive a minute down the road to this nice little garden. It is free and so beautiful. My husband is not a flower person, but I love gardens, so this garden was perfect. It is not big which made my husband happy, had the beauty that I love, and the space to run around that is a toddlers favorite thing to do. Super place to take pictures too.
Price: FREE
Location: 1500 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX 77004
Ride Roller Coasters by the ocean Kemah Boardwalk
Delicious food, fun stores, exciting rides for all ages, and the fresh smell of salt water all await at the Kemah Boardwalk. There is something here for everyone! There is music and seagulls all around, with food vendors selling delicious smelling funnel cakes. This isn’t just a magical place for kids; it was magical for me a grown adult.
It is a boardwalk and so you are right on the ocean doing all kinds of fun activities. This isn’t a huge theme park, so remember that as you go, but there are about 14 rides you can go on. Half of those rides will allow toddlers and you can even take an infant on the carousel and Ferris wheel.
It has a great variety too. There were terrifying rides for my husband, and just pleasant slight adrenaline rush rides for me. There is also a speedboat ride and stingray feeding. Your toddler will love the lights, the arcade games, the music, the greasy food, and of course, the ocean.
Price: $24.99 for those over 48” and $18.99 for those under
Location: 215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565
Visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science
This one is a tougher one for toddlers, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. I was hoping it would be more interactive, but it is more a look and see kind of place. My toddlers did love dinosaurs though and so the dinosaur exhibit was a huge hit. The animal exhibit was so fun too! They have all kinds of stuffed animals and it was so fun to play what noise does this animal make.
My older daughter, who is almost 3 years old, loved the rock exhibit too. She loves princesses and so all the sparkles were magical for her. The butterfly exhibit was closed for us due to COVID, but that would have been a hit for sure.
There is such a variety to this museum and something interesting for everyone. Like I said my toddlers loved the animal and dinosaur exhibits, my husband loved the mummy and Egypt exhibits, I loved the animal art section, and my mother loved the native American history section. It was tough to keep toddlers from touching everything, but it was a win as long as you make it magical.
Price: $25 per adult and $16 per child
Location: 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
Spend a day at the Beach in Galveston
If in Houston, Texas you are so close to Galveston, so you need to stop by the beach there! This was the absolute best part of our trip! This is a toddler dream come true! Sand, seagulls, food, waves, water, and getting as dirty as they want. This is also a parents dream come true, cause this will wipe out your toddler with exhaustion and they will sleep forever! Haha!
It is a super easy beach to find and there is parking absolutely everywhere. We didn’t find any bathrooms or port-a-pottys anywhere so that is inconvenient. There are boardwalks you can walk to also. We went on a Friday in the evening and it was not really crowded at all.
Price of parking right on the beach: $2 an hour
3 Of Our Favorite Beach Day Essentials:
- Sport-Brella Umbrella– I freakin love this umbrella! It is one that you lean against the sand and it blocks the shade way better than any other umbrella you will find. It is easy to set up, has stakes to hold it down, and is so spacious that my family of 6 can all fit in it! Literally the best beach umbrella EVER!
- Sand-proof Beach Blanket– There isn’t much more annoying about a day at the beach than getting sad all over your stuff! This blanket is mesh and allows the sand to sift right through the blanket, keeping it out of your tent area.
- Sand Removal Bag– Speaking of sand all over, when it is time to leave the hassle of trying to get wet sand off of your hands and feet can be quite frustrating! All you have to do is pat this bag and then wipe the sand off of you! Good bye messy sandy kids!
Enjoy the free art at Smither Park
If you are a fan of quirky roadside stops, then Houston, TX has one of the quirkiest! Smither Park is just a regular ol’ park with picnic tables and a swing set.
Only it has a slight quirk about it and that is that the entire park is an outdoor art museum. Instead of paintings on walls, the walls are decorated with broken glass, tiles, and any other sort of object available to make giant mosaics. Not just the walls though, the swing is decorated, the tables, the gazebo, and even the walkway! There is quirky art everywhere!
Location: 2441 Munger St, Houston, TX 77023
Admission: FREE
Enjoy a medieval meal at the Hobbit Cafe
A fun place to take your little hobbits, er I mean toddlers, in Houston is the Hobbit Cafe. Guarding the cafe is a giant dragon! Walk through a hobbit door and into this Lord Of The Rings themed restaurant and have a delicious meal! We were served cooked dragon wings and Prancing Pony burgers by waitresses with pointy ears.
Surrounding the dining area are walls covered in Lord of the Rings art. There are movie posters, hobbit figurines, and even a Gollum lurking in the corner. It is a fun experience that will fill your belly!
Location: 2243 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77098
My Final Thoughts On Houston, Tx With Toddlers
We love Houston! It is hot and muggy, but there is so much to do that you will NEVER be able to do it all. It is surrounded by swamps and beaches, but close enough to experience the wild west that Texas promises. Of all of the places I have taken my toddlers on trips this was one of the most toddler-friendly places!
There is such a variety of activities for not just my toddlers to enjoy, but us as the parents as well. It is a city where families can create memories together that they both enjoyed. I hope you have as much fun as we did!
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