Winter Wanderland

Where to find the most Instagrammable holiday spots in Houston

During the holidays, more than 100,00 LED lights take over Bagby Street as part of Winter Wanderland.

Of course, this means there are several spots for snapping the best Instagram pic, all while listening to roaming carolers and other live musicians sing holiday favorites and snacking on roasted chestnuts from various vendors.

Here's where to stop and pose:

The tunnel
Step into the 80-foot-long tunnel of LED lights across from the Hobby Center — it is the perfect backdrop for a group or single photo.

The angel wings
For the perfect shot of these Illuminated wings at Central Library, sit on the block at the wings to create the perfect perspective.

Santa’s Village
Take a stroll down Main Street from Dallas to Commerce, where you will stumble upon Santa’s Village. Pictures with Santa happen every Friday and Saturday from 6-9 pm, and if Santa isn't there, then take a picture in front of the Illuminated "NOEL" sign.

Mistletoe Square
Head to Market Square Park to share a smooch under Texas' largest mistletoe. It's a 150-inch ball of greenery hanging from a giant, 15-foot candy cane that needs to be seen to be believed!

Land of Sweets
This year's famed chocolate masterpiece in the Hilton Americas Hotel lobby is Minions themed. Take a seat on the red couch in front of the display for the perfect Instagram shot, but try not to drool from the scent of all that chocolate. There's also a beautifully decorated tree in the lobby.

Texas Winter Lights
This impressive display runs through January at Marriott Marquis Houston and gathers 20-plus Instagram-worthy spots in one place. Tickets start at $25 and include such magical sights as a light-up swing, disco ball, archway of lanterns, and a grove of lit trees that come complete with a nightly snowfall.

Don't forget to pause at the giant snow globe in the hotel's lobby or check in for a chance to float the famous, Texas-shaped lazy river that's heated to 80 degrees all winter.

Solstice by by Studio Iregular
Discovery Green is hosting an interactive art installation comprised of a series of mirrored and LED arches that reflect the transformation of Earth when the sun is at its closest and furthest from the equator.

The explorative experience invites you to stroll inside the space as the frames change colors at dusk or dawn. Guests can also choose to change the speed and direction of the sun, influencing the sound and color.

Photo courtesy of VisitHouston.com

Experience Solstice at Discovery Green.

HLSR facts and figures

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo breaks all-time attendance record

A female barrel rider performs at the 2025 Houston LIvestock Show and Rodeo.

Photo courtesy of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

An astounding 2.7 million people attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2025

After the final hums of Luke Bryan's amplifiers faded and the scent of Bun B's chicken tendies wafted deliciously away, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo counted its gate receipts. The 2025 rodeo set an all-time attendance record over the course of its 23-day run with 2,735,695 visitors. If the rodeo were a U.S. state, it would be the 37th most populated after Mississippi. More people came to the rodeo this year than attended every San Diego Comic Con since 2000 combined. It's a lot of folks.

"The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continues to represent the very best of our Texas traditions, bringing together our diverse community through exceptional entertainment, thrilling competitions, and educational experiences.” said Chris Boleman, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president and CEO. “The incredible year 2025 has been a testament to what we can achieve together. None of this would be possible without the unwavering dedication and help from 35,000 volunteers across 109 committees, alongside our incredible donors and sponsors who share our vision of celebrating Western heritage while investing in the future of Texas youth and education. We are profoundly thankful for our community whose enthusiasm and support make this iconic celebration possible year after year.”

Nor was the gate the only place that the rodeo shattered records. At the annual school art auction, Sophie Zhou sold her painting "Nurture" for $276,000. The money raised in the auction goes to scholarship and education opportunities for those entering fields related to ranching and agriculture. Junior livestock auction sales totaled $29,652,317, another new record, which include new milestones in barrows, broilers, goats, lambs, steers, and turkeys.

The sports competitors also did well, though none walked away with a record-breaking purse. A combined $2,533,500 was awarded to various riders and ropers, with individual champions taking home between $69,000 and $73,500. The top winner was Riley Webb of Denton, Texas in the tie down roping event.

The sheer scale of the rodeo is hard to believe sometimes. For instance, the popular carnival was delivered by the RCS company by driving a combined total of 420,000 miles, more than 14 times the circumference of the Earth. The new Virtual Chuck Wagon game station hosted 12,600 players, meaning they traversed a digital distance nearly three times the length of the Mississippi River.

Now that it's over, all that's left is to plan the next year's records to break, proving that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is truly as big as Texas.

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