5 Houston things

5 things every Houstonian should do before they die, according to the guy who wrote the book

The Art Card Parade is a quintessential Houston activity.

Photo by Morris Malakoff

William Dylan Powell just "wanted to get out more," explaining what made him write his just-released book, 100 Things to do in Houston Before You Die, 2nd Edition.

Even though he's lived in Houston for 20 years and has previously written books about the city (Lost Houston, Houston Then & Now), Powell used writing a guidebook to explore all the nooks and crannies of this town. "When you live in a place where there are things all around you, you do get in a rut," he says. "I wanted to do a way to get out more."

The book is useful visitors and a must for locals: "Don't be the kind of Houstonian who only goes out when entertaining people from out of town," the book admonishes. "It's important to go and do cool things for yourself, for no particular reason."

While Powell, who's promoting his tome, has compiled his list of 100 things, we wanted to know what are the top five, must-see attractions, the things that truly make Houston the city that it is? He offers up this list:

Houston Art Car Parade
The Art Car Museum's yearly display of visually souped-up automobiles is a favorite of Powell's. "I really look forward to the Art Car Parade," he says. "It really brings together creativity and ingenuity, which Houston does very well." He knows the parade is coming up when he spots the participating vehicles rolling all over town. "You just see them leading up to the parade, and it's really swell."

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
While people may argue bitterly about where to go to get the best fajitas, most people would have to agree that Texans might've never heard of fajitas if it wasn't for Ninfa's — or, more specifically, founder Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo (aka Mama Ninfa) bringing them here. "It's just one of those quintessential Houston places," says Powell. "People love the restaurants, but they really love the idea of Mama Ninfa too. She's sort of an icon."

Wiess Energy Hall
Powell has an affection for this place, especially considering his father was in the oil and gas industry. "That place is incredible," he says. "You can learn all about the energy industry, and it's really the only place of its kind. It's, like, 30,000 sq. ft. and costs $40 million and has all kinds of exhibits. It sounds boring, but I swear it's super fun."

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo/RodeoHouston
"Houston was never really a big cattle town," says Powell. "When this comes around in mid-February, suddenly everybody's a cowboy." Despite its contradictory nature, Powell finds the city's signature event to be a consistently entertaining, down-home blast. "The barbecue is a super-exclusive event where everyone fights to get a wristband. The concerts are amazing, and it's more than just country music. It's a diverse lineup of artists."

Miller Outdoor Theatre
Looking for a cheap-but-still rewarding date night? Powell feels you can't go wrong with packing a picnic and checking out a free show at this damn-near-century-old amphitheater. "It brings together two things: a picnic and theater," he says. "So, for free, you can totally go out there and have some wine and some food and enjoy the show."

tex-mex theater

closing the gaps

Texas no longer leads U.S. for racial progress, new report says

Photo by Jerry Kavan on Unsplash

WalletHub's report is released annually ahead of MLK Day.

Texas has been overtaken as the No. 1 state that has made the most racial progress, according to a new study.

The Lone Star State led the nation in 2025, but now ranks in third place behind Georgia (No. 1) and Mississippi (No. 2). It also ranked No. 5 nationally in the list of states with the most racial integration.

WalletHub's "States That Have Made the Most Racial Progress" study is released annually ahead of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The report compares all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 22 relevant metrics divided into two main rankings: racial integration (which the study defines as "the current integration levels of white people and Black people") and racial progress (defined as "the levels of racial progress achieved over time").

The report's author clarifies that the study focuses only on the racial integration between Black people and white people "in light of racial tensions in recent years that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement."

"We released this report ahead of the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement to end segregation and discrimination against Black people," the report says.

The study further divided each ranking into four main categories measuring the gaps between white people and Black people over time; spanning employment and wealth, education, social and civic engagement, and health. Texas performed the best in education and health, ranking No. 4 nationally in both categories, and it ranked in sixth place for its social and civic engagement. The state ranked 16th in the category for employment and wealth.

According to WalletHub, Texas has "done a lot" to reduce gaps in health outcomes for white and Black residents, such as reducing gaps in health insurance coverage, and reducing the share of Black Texans suffering from "poor health" and diabetes. It also notes that Texas "made the second-most progress when it comes to obesity," but it did not acknowledge the racial bias in body mass index (BMI) that has been increasingly flagged in recent years.

The report further praises Texas for reducing the gap in business ownership between white and Black Texans, and for its improvement in reducing discrimination in the parole system. WalletHub does not offer data behind the parole claim.

"It’s encouraging to look at the data and see that some states have made significant strides toward racial equality over the past few decades," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo regarding the overall report. "This change demonstrates that state-level policies and residents’ attitudes regarding equality have grown considerably better."

Though racial disparity gaps are closing between white and Black people, racial profiling and discrimination is still a major issue affecting Black people and other people of color across the country.

In 2023, a senate bill banned public Texas universities from having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs, prompting warnings of discrimination against Black, Hispanic, and other marginalized students, including those with disabilities.

The top 10 states with the most racial progress in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Georgia
No. 2 – Mississippi
No. 3 – Texas
No. 4 – North Carolina
No. 5 – Maryland
No. 6 – Florida
No. 7 – New Jersey
No. 8 – Massachusetts
No. 9 – Louisiana
No. 10 – New Mexico

wallethub texas report mlk day