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    Weekend events planner

    Here are the top 9 things to do in Houston this weekend

    Marcy de Luna
    Nov 22, 2017 | 3:35 pm

    While your Thanksgiving Day is likely booked, there’s still Friday through Sunday to think about. From a brew fest to a shopping extravaganza to a blowout Sunday brunch, here are the top nine things to do in Houston this weekend. For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

    Cheers
    Friday, November 24-Sunday, November 26
    Foam-filled weekend, the BrewMasters Craft Beer Festival at Moody Gardens features a tequila tasting, samples of more than 400 craft beers, a best beard contest, Sunday Brew-B-Que event, and lots more. (various times; tickets: $8-$165 per person)
    1 Hope Blvd., Galveston; 713-557-5732

    Listen up
    Friday, November 24-Sunday, November 26
    From international stardom to a life-threatening tragedy, On Your Feet! at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts takes you inside the real story of record-making husband-wife duo, Emilio and Gloria Estefan of Miami Sound Machine. (various times; tickets: $35-$175 per person)
    800 Bagby St.; 713-315-2525

    A night at the symphony
    Friday, November 24-Sunday, November 26
    Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducts Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Scheherazade" at Jones Hall. Inspired by "1001 Nights," the orchestrated tone poem takes listeners along on the voyages of Sinbad, ending with an electrifying festival at Baghdad. During the performance by the Houston Symphony, Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes presents his interpretation of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1. (various times; tickets: $42-$125 per person)
    615 Louisiana St.; 713-227-3974

    Art film
    Friday, November 24-Sunday, November 26
    Playing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Bill Cunningham New York, a film about legendary New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham (1929–2016), showcases the Schwinn-riding cultural anthropologist, who obsessively and inventively chronicled fashion trends and charity soirées for the Times Style section in his columns “On the Street” and “Evening Hours.” (various times; tickets: $9 per person)
    1001 Bissonnet St.; 713-639-7300

    Black Friday shopping
    Friday, November 24-Sunday, November 26
    Flea at Silver Street Studios is a three-day shopping experiencde that boasts 100 vendors with handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, vintage, artisan, and collectible items. You can also expect food trucks, a bar, music and a pet adoption event. (10 am; tickets: $5 per person)
    2000 Edwards St. 832-356-3274

    Concert fun
    Friday, November 2
    Blue October performs at Revention Music Center in support of their 2016 album, Home. Originally from Houston, the alternative rock band, which consists of Justin Furstenfeld, Jeremy Furstenfeld, Ryan Delahoussaye, Matthew Ostrander, and Matt Noveskey, has lots of fans in the Bayou City. (7 pm;tickets: $35-$45 per person)
    520 Texas Ave.; 713-230-1600

    More concert fun
    Friday, November 24
    Former American Idol winner Fantasia heads to Arena Theatre to perform festive songs from her first Christmas album, Christmas After Midnight. (8:30 pm; tickets: $65-$154 per person)
    7326 Southwest Fwy.; 713-772-5900

    Family time
    Saturday, November 25

    Live show “Peppa Pig’s Surprise” at Revention Center encompasses the charming, colorful nature of the popular television series and features new songs and interactive, life-size puppets. (5 pm; tickets: $29-$110 per person)
    520 Texas Ave.; 713-230-1600

    Sunday funday
    Sunday, November 26
    Blow it out with at Bitches Who Brunch at downtown's Prohibition Supperclub and Bar, complete with a campy show by burlesque troupe, The Moonlight Dolls, midday fare, and mimosas. (two seatings: 11 am and 2 pm; tickets: $15-$35 per person for admission and $30 per person brunch buffet requirement)
    1008 Prairie St.; 281-940-4636

    Blue October performs at the Revention Music Center on Friday night.

    Blue October band
    Blue October/Facebook
    Blue October performs at the Revention Music Center on Friday night.
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    The Hot List

    Houston shines among best summer vacation destinations for 2026

    Amber Heckler
    May 14, 2026 | 6:30 pm
    downtown Houston skyline at night
    Photo by © Debora Smail Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
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    Nearly three quarters of Americans are planning on going on vacation this summer, and Houston is climbing up the national hot list of the best summer destinations of 2026.

    The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro ranked as the No. 20 best summer travel destination in WalletHub's annual study, which compared 100 of the largest U.S. metro areas across 41 metrics based on travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, and activities and safety.

    The U.S. metros that scored the top three spots are Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia (No. 1); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida (No. 2); and Texas neighbor Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (No. 3).

    Houston's 2026 ranking is up 15 spots from last year's report when the city was the 35th best summer travel destination.

    Here's how H-Town stacked up in the six main categories:

    • No. 7 – Attractions
    • No. 13 – Local costs
    • No. 24 – Activities
    • No. 50 – Weather
    • No. 84 – Travel costs and hassles
    • No. 90 – Safety
    Summer activities may draw in more tourists, but that shouldn't stop Houstonians from exploring their own city. From Fourth of July celebrations, to a one-night only hip-hop show, there are plenty of things to do to keep occupied and beat the summer heat in the city. And a trip to the Johnson Space Center, Houston Museum of Natural Science, or the Houston Zoo are always options for locals that want to pretend to be tourists for the day.
    Other top Texas summer travel destinations
    The Austin metro ranked as the third-best summer travel destination in the U.S., and it's the most conveniently located neighbor from Houston that's less than three hours away.
    The study found air travel to Austin — though not entirely cheap — has plenty of short nonstop flights from other major cities, making it an easily reachable destination compared to most other U.S. cities. Austin's reputation as foodie city and its outdoor recreational activities also bring in a lot of summer tourism.

    "One reason why Austin is a great destination is that it’s really easy to find affordable restaurants that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp," the report's author wrote. "Austin offers a mix of culture and outdoor fun, boasting a high number of attractions including the Bullock Texas State History Museum as well as shopping centers, music venues, food festivals and hiking trails."

    The suburbs also attract tourists looking for fun things to do that aren't just in central or downtown Austin, like checking out new restaurants in Round Rock and Georgetown.

    Visitors taking an extended trip to Texas can also visit San Antonio-New Braunfels and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, which also ranked among the top 25 and landed in the No. 11 and No. 21 spots, respectively.

    The top 10 best summer travel destinations in 2026 are:

    • No. 1 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
    • No. 2 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
    • No. 3 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
    • No. 4 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
    • No. 5 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
    • No. 6 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
    • No. 7 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
    • No. 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah
    • No. 9 – Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
    • No. 10 – Richmond, Virginia
    wallethubreportssummer vacationtravel
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