The city of Houston connects the world with space, as the city is the base of NASA Space Center. The most populous city of Texas is an excellent mix of contemporary lifestyle merging with a modern and chic metropolitan city. The charming city has many Tex-Mex restaurants, with a charming collection of art galleries. The shopping scene of the city is pretty interesting and so is the collection of bars and restaurants. However, your priority could change according to the needs of your travel partner. Like if you are traveling with a kid, then a visit to the zoo and children’s museum is a must. Teenagers, however, are a very different ballgame. Check out some fun things to do in Houston, Texas, the USA with teenagers.
1. Attempt to play at the Escape Rooms
The concept of escape rooms is very thrilling–one has to use their brain to escape from a specific place they are locked in. The city of Houston also has many escape rooms where teenagers can use their brain while having lots of fun. One of the most famous escape room of this city is Houston Escape room. A branch of this famous brand is located in downtown. This place contains five different escape rooms with five different games. A group of players has to escape within a certain time. This place is definitely a perfect choice for teenagers.
Houston Escape room
Address: 100 Jackson St #120, Houston, TX 77002, USA
Website: Houston Escape room
Opening hours: 12pm - 8pm (daily)
Price: 28 USD
Prison Break Escape Room
Duration: 1 hour
2. Visit the Art Car Museum
The Art Car Museum is an enchanting institution for contemporary art. This charming museum features art related to different cars and some other fine arts. Built in the place of a garage, this museum is an excellent place for a car fanatic. The museum features the artwork of the modern-age local, national, and international artists. The teenagers are going to love it for the quirky arts, colorful presentations, and the overall charming atmosphere of the institution.
Art Car Museum
Address: 140 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007, USA
Website: Art Car Museum
Opening hours: 11 am - 6 pm (daily)
Price: Free admission
Must Read: 32 Best Things to do in Houston, Texas
3. Play retro arcade games at Joystix Classic Games & Pinballs
This classic game shop is located in downtown, very close to the Minute Maid Park. This shop had come to existence in the year 1987 and boasts the largest showrooms in the country. Nowadays, it has the largest collections of new and refurbished games. This shop not only features products from most of the major manufacturers, but it also provides onsite gaming opportunities. Teenagers are going to love the onsite gaming options, which feature a range of arcade games. It also has a selection of table games like air hockey, ping pong, etc.
Joystix Classic Games & Pinballs
Address:1820 Franklin St, Houston, TX 77002, USA
Website: Joystix Classic Games & Pinballs
Opening hours: 11am – 6pm (daily)
Price: 11 - 30 USD
4. Go to the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark
The Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark offers an excellent view of the cityscape. The public skate park is free for every visitor, where one can try skating without spending a dime. It serves the need of skaters of every level. Just bring your skateboards and helmets and enjoy a good dose of skating experience.
Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark
Address: 103 Sabine St, Houston, TX 77007, USA
Website: Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark
Opening hours: 9am – 10pm (daily)
Price: Free admission
5. Experience hands-on science at the Nature Discovery Center
The learning experience gets another dimension wherein one can try it first-hand. The city of Houston gives the opportunity to learn science amidst nature. The Nature Discovery Center is the home of native plants, migratory birds, and various other animals. Teenagers can join the science and nature education programs which can give an opportunity to learn first-hand. Children and teenagers can learn a lot through nature and make contact with the wildlife here, like screech owls, pocket prairie, and turtles.
Nature Discovery Center
Address: 7112 Newcastle St, Bellaire, TX 77401, USA
Website: Nature Discovery Center
Opening hours: 12pm – 5:30pm (daily)
Price: 5 USD
6. Visit the Johnson Space Center
A trip to the city of Houston cannot be complete until you have seen the NASA Space Center. As the major part of the space station is not open for the public visit, you can take a chance to visit the official visitor center of NASA Johnson Space Center. It is actually a Smithsonian Affiliate museum and the place for mission control and astronaut training. Teenagers can learn about space science through the 400 space artifacts–some permanent or traveling exhibits. There are live shows on the human spaceflight program of America, defining its history. An extra tour can be taken to see how the astronauts are trained in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. Overall, this place is sure to give an excellent glimpse of the world of NASA.
Johnson Space Center
Address: 2101 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058, USA
Website: Johnson Space Center
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
Price: 29.95 USD
Houston: NASA Space Center Visit with Admission
Duration: 6 hour
7. See bats at the Waugh Bridge
Amidst the lush greenery of the Buffalo Bayou Park, the Waugh Drive Bridge lies in the top of the Buffalo Bayou. The bridge is famous for watching the Mexican free-tailed bats which are resided here. The park is located very close to downtown. It is indeed an incredible experience to watch the bats flying towards the glittery skyscrapers of downtown.
Waugh Bridge
Address: Waugh DrHouston, TX, USA
Website: Waugh Bridge
Opening hours: 6am – 11pm (daily)
8. Visit Houston’s Orange Show to see the Beer Can House
A visit to the Orange Show Monument is a must to get a glimpse of the Beer Can House, one of the most important folk-art icons of this city. The Beer Can House is technically made with the flattened beer cans, beer bottles, bottle caps, etc. Over 50,000 beer cans were used to create this amazing art house. A visit to this icon is a must for the teenagers to inspire their creative streak.
Beer Can House
Address: 222 Malone St, Houston, TX 77007, USA
Website: Beer Can House
Opening hours: Sat & Sun: 12pm - 5pm
Price: 5 USD
9. Check out David Adickes’ workshop
Posted by Hilary Schuhmacher Photography on Wednesday, 9 August 2017
The workshop of the artist David Adickes is indeed a work of art. This 90-year old artist is well-known for creating giant-sized sculptures. His workshop, which is open to the public, still contains some of his excellent works. From the huge giant heads to huge sculptures of Beatles, these works are sure to entertain and at the same time inspire the teenagers.
David Adickes’ workshop
Address: 2401 Nance St, Houston, TX 77020, USA
Website: David Adickes’ workshop
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
10. Go for a scavenger hunt (from USD 12)
Imagine walking in a real-life experience of a treasure hunt in a real city with various clues provided through your smartphone. The scavenger hunt is a fun activity organized by Viator to find various destinations through the clues, with guidance provided through your smartphone. This two-hour long activity is not only adventurous, but it also gives a chance to use your brain. The activity can be really entertaining for teenagers, as they will get to use their brain, get to know the city better, and also have lots of fun.
Self-Guided Houston Scavenger Hunt
Duration: 2 to 3 hours
Houston, a city to inspire teenagers
The city of Houston is sure to entertain and at the same time inspire the teenagers. There are plenty of fun activities as well as enchanting places which can inspire them to the fullest. So, if you are planning a trip with a cheerful and lively teenager, undoubtedly select this enchanting city for your next trip.
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