10 Best Family Things to Do in Houston

Peek into mission control of the United States’ crewed space flight programme at Space Center Houston. The special visitor hub of NASA’s Johnson Space Center has lunar mission exhibits, flight simulators and programmes where you can meet and listen to stories from real astronauts.

Immerse yourself in the wonders of space by watching compelling documentaries in one of America's largest 4K theatres. Out on Independence Plaza, check out the magnificent Independence space shuttle replica, piggybacking on a historical carrier jet.

Enjoy the exhilarating freefalling sensation of skydiving, all in the safe and controlled environment of a specially designed indoor chamber. Slip into a special flight suit, strap on a helmet and protective goggles and the fun begins. The minimum age limit is 3, but there’s no upper limit.

Skydiving is like trampolining, but on a constant upright flow of fan-blown air. You’ll be getting the hang of floating mid-air and doing all sorts of flips and manoeuvres under the guidance of a skilled skydiving instructor.

Most of the enclosures at Houston Zoo are designed to closely resemble the natural habitats of the animals in its varied collection. The McNair Asian Elephant Habitat has a herd of the gentle giants roaming and playing freely and you can get up close to and feed some of the giraffes.

Additionally, there are numerous exciting encounters for kids, such as learning about the animals directly from the knowledgeable zookeepers, participating in interactive educational sessions and even receiving a playful kiss from a friendly seal.

The Kidtropolis is the main attraction at the Children’s Museum of Houston. It has a bank, a market, a government and jobs that would make a city tick. Kids can choose whatever they want to be. It fosters creativity and a hands-on experience. They can become a mayor that other kids elect, while others can choose to become business owners and customers.

Other features in the museum are obstacle courses, 3D printing labs, an Invention Convention exhibit and an outdoor EcoStation where they can learn about nature and solar energy.

Families can have a great time at Houston’s Downtown Aquarium. It’s a massive leisure and dining complex, and its onsite aquatic attraction is home to over 300 species of marine life. You can enjoy a full-service restaurant with an upscale bar here, as well as shopping and amusement rides such as the eye-catching Ferris wheel.

The aquarium itself isn’t very large, but there’s enough to see to keep the little ones curious. Some kids will love the stingray tank, where you can feed and pet them.

Inspire your kids’ awe with the magnificent collection of dinosaur exhibits at The Houston Museum of Natural Science. The Morian Hall of Palaeontology features towering dinosaur fossils such as those of a T-Rex, a triceratops and other prehistoric beasts.

For stunning IMAX documentaries, check out The Wortham Giant Screen Experience. For a close-up view on nature, the Butterfly Centre features colourful living specimens. It showcases chrysalises and the intriguing metamorphoses of some of the world’s most beautiful butterfly species.

As Houston’s largest waterpark, SplashTown offers a collection of fun slides and pools to suit varying ages and thrill levels. The RipQurl is one of the top options for those wanting the ultimate thrills. Here 1 or 2 riders zoom through a dark tunnel 26 ft (8 metres) per second landing into a gigantic bowl, after which they are thrust through a corkscrew chute into a splash pool.

Younger kids can enjoy the Paradise River lazy river pool with mum and dad. The Hurricane Bay also offers fun for all ages.

The Jumping World Houston trampoline park is where your active kids can bounce to their heart’s content. It has an adjoining foam pit where young and old can jump in from ropes like Tarzan, into thousands of squishy foam squares.

You can also run, bounce high and score slam dunks into basketball rings, or team up and play some rounds of dodgeball. Jumping World Houston offers more than just bouncing. There’s a dedicated court for toddlers with inflatable castles, and a video game arcade as well.

Settle any rivalries you might have at the Andretti Indoor Karting & Games entertainment centre. This exciting venue has multiple neon-lit karting tracks where you can don a helmet, hop into a colourfully painted go-kart and put the pedal to the metal to fight for first place. The tracks are designed with different age groups in mind, with the mini Mario Kart track dedicated to drivers between the ages of 4 and 7.

Aside from karting, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games also boasts a 2-storey laser tag arena where you can spice up the competition, along with cool arcade games and cutting-edge VR games to keep everyone entertained. Head out to Katy, just west of Houston, for an adrenaline-packed adventure.

The massive grounds of Houston’s Memorial Park offer vast green spaces with tree-shaded pathways and hiking and jogging trails. There are also cool playgrounds where your kids can go climbing, sliding and balancing along rickety bridges. Come in springtime and you can find patches of the Texan state flower, bluebonnets, in full bloom.

Right next door to the park is the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, where you can enjoy birdwatching and nature walks. This combination of recreational activities and natural beauty makes it an ideal destination for families seeking outdoor fun and relaxation.