6 Houston Summer Activities To Help You Embrace The Heat

6 Houston Summer Activites To Help You Embrace The Heat

When you ask a Houstonian how they spend their summers, you don’t always get the usual answers of beach trips, family vacations, and barbeques. Rather you’ll find they tend to steer towards staying in the pool or staying indoors. BUT there are plenty of great activities to do to get out and enjoy the sunshine during a Houston summer.  Sure, everyone may be covered in a teensy layer of sweat, but around here we just say that you’re “glistening.”

Today we’ve rounded up for you the top activities to do in Houston during the summer.

Snag some fresh produce at the farmer’s market

The Urban Harvest farmer’s market on Richmond takes place every Saturday, rain or shine. There are dozens of vendors there selling local produce, dairy, meat, fresh cut flowers, and more. Grab a cup of coffee (you might need it- the market opens at 8, and closes up shop at 12), and enjoy strolling through the booths to see what Houston farmers have to offer. Before you go, make sure to grab some peaches or tomatoes, which are in season in the summer and will taste amazing.

Once you’re done with your shopping (or browsing), head on over to Kirby Ice House across the street to cool off and enjoy one of their 51 beers on tap or signature craft cocktails. They are strictly a 23+ spot, so you can be sure you’ll enjoy your day surrounded by an older, more mature crowd.

Book a staycation at Houston Marriott Marquis downtown

This hotel has been the talk of the town for a while now- namely for its famed Texas-shaped lazy river rooftop pool. It might seem a little touristy, but even native Houstonians can’t resist at least one night’s stay, just to check out this water feature. It’s a great way to enjoy the skyline views, and beat the infamous Houston summer heat.

Of course, the hotel’s also got a lot of other great amenities, including a full spa and wellness center (pro tip: book a session, and get access to the lazy river, without dedicating to a full night’s stay), a restaurant, sports bar and wine bar. And of course, its central location is another perk too, with the hotel being just a few minutes from Minute Maid Park (Astros game, anyone?) and Toyota Center.

Enjoy some live music at White Oak Music Hall

White Oak Music Hall is always a great venue to check out year round. But over the summers is when lawn show season starts! The Lawn at White Oak is their outdoor venue, and it’s about what it sounds like- a lawn, with mostly standing-room, general admission only tickets. Depending on the show, they offer upgrades like hilltop seats, or even hilltop cabanas you can rent out with your tickets.

Check out the Market at Sawyer Yards

The Market at Sawyer Yards happens the second Saturday of every month. Explore the vendor carts selling locally made goods, folk art, artisan crafts, and speciality foods and beverages. Even if you don’t plan to buy, there are tons of cool things to look at. It’s a fun reminder of just how diverse this city is, and how much culture we have here. You can find things there from Texas-based wineries, to Texas roasted South American coffee, rugs, glass art, prints, custom stationary, and so much more.

The Market is also surrounded by five different studio spaces- the highest concentration of working artists in Texas. These artists open their studios to the public on Market days, as well. So make sure to pop into a few! When people think of Houston, they don’t tend to think of a thriving art community, but the community at Sawyer Yards proves otherwise!

Chill out with a snowcone

Snow cones, snowballs, shaved ice, Hawaiian ice… whatever you want to call them, we don’t discriminate. This cold, sweet treat is a Houston summer necessity!

Check out the newly-opened Bebidas Shaved Ice Stand in River Oaks for a modern take, featuring all organic syrups. The flavors range from the typical ones, like watermelon and cherry, to more unique ones like lavender and mint. And the brightly-colored exterior is worthy of a few shots for the ‘gram.

Maybe you’d prefer the more traditional route.

If so, Mam’s House of Ice in the Heights offers New Orleans style snoballs. With over 50 flavors, specialty combo flavors, and a long list of extra toppings to add to your snoball, this place has something for everyone. Bring your pups, too, and treat them to a Doggie Cone for just $1.

Wear white for a night

When August rolls around, and Fall is almost, sorta, kinda around the corner (but don’t get your hopes up), that means it’s time for White Linen Night in the Heights!

Originally started by Hurricane Katrina transplants, White Linen Night is meant to help drive traffic to local businesses on the historic 19th Street. Window shop in some of the boutiques, or enjoy some of the many pop up shops along the street. There’s also food, drinks, music, and even after parties at some of the surrounding bars. This event is a Houston summer bucket-list requirement, and a great way to start wrapping up the season.

The thought of a Houston summer doesn’t have to send you screaming for the hills (or at least your super air conditioned house). There’s plenty of outdoor activities to do that will be so fun you might even forget about the 80% humidity. We hope this post shed some light on just a few of those!

Of course, for those days you just can’t bear it, our showroom is always nice and cool and open Monday-Saturday, if you’d like to pop in to beat the heat.

A Houston summer doesn't have to leave you running to hide in the safety of your air conditioned home. We've rounded up 6 of our favorite summer activities to help you enjoy the sunshine instead!