tourism news

Houston rises on new list of best summer travel destinations

Here come the tourists.

IdeasLaboratory.com

Not even triple-digit heat will deter tourists from visiting Space City this summer: The Houston metro has climbed into the No. 35 spot on WalletHub's list of the "Best Summer Travel Destinations" in 2025.

The report annually ranks 100 U.S metros based on attractions, safety, activities, weather, local costs, and travel costs and hassles. Factors that determine each city's ranking include flight costs, the number of affordable restaurants with high ratings, crime rates, and more.

The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area in Florida is the No. 1 most sought after summer travel destination this year.

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land moved up 10 spots from its 2024 rank, and it previously ranked 38th in 2023.

Here's how WalletHub broke down Houston's ranking in each of the six main categories:

No. 7 – Attractions rank
No. 16 – Local costs rank
No. 26 – Activities rank
No. 50 – Weather rank
No. 88 – Safety rank
No. 89 – Travel costs and hassles rank

Houston ranked the highest in the attractions and local costs categories, proving that the city's affordability is a major benefit for visitors as well as locals. There's surely no shortage of things to do in the city, from dining at a new steakhouse, to checking out a local bookstore, or enjoying a summer concert series at Meow Wolf.

But there's so much more that goes into choosing the right place for a memorable summer trip, says WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. Creating and sticking to a vacation budget that considers all costs of a trip, such as meals and local transportation costs, is a good place to start.

"[C]hoosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining, and activity costs have surged so much in recent years," Lupo says. "It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip."

The study's scope isn't just limited to just Houston proper, which also means tourists may flock to suburbs like The Woodlands to explore its inviting new restaurants. It also includes Conroe, where tourists can relax with a drink in hand at the popular Margaritaville resort.

Other top Texas summer travel destinations
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown (No. 5) and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington were the only two Texas metros to earn spots in the top 10 summer travel destinations.

Surprisingly, El Paso (No. 31) ranked four spots ahead of Houston. The final two Texas metros that earned spots in the study are Corpus Christi (No. 80) and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (No. 97).

The top 10 best summer travel destinations in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 2 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
No. 3 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
No. 4 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
No. 5 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 6 – Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
No. 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 8 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
No. 9 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

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SHUCK AND AWE

Texas farm's massive corn maze honors the late Dolly Parton

Photo courtesy of The MAiZE Inc

San Antonians can find the corn maze near Corpus Christi.

A Robstown, Texas farm is giving a larger-than-life salute to Dolly Parton. Rockin’ K Farms, about three-and-a-half hours from Houston near Corpus Christi, has built a massive corn maze in tribute to the country music icon, who passed away in late August.

The maze is one of 20 U.S. attractions designed by Utah-based The MAiZE Inc. The corn maize consulting company has gone viral in recent years for its campaigns honoring some of Nashville’s biggest stars, including Reba McEntire in 2023, Luke Bryan in 2024, and Lainey Wilson in 2025.

"We are beyond humbled to honor Dolly's legacy, joining the world in mourning the passing of a true American treasure," said MAiZE founder Brett Herbst in a release. "Dolly's impact on the world and her love for farming is immeasurable, and our corn maze tributes now take on new meaning and significance.”

The Robstown maze features a profile of the late singer sporting her signature big, blonde hairdo. A guitar and butterfly — Parton’s personal symbol since childhood — complete the image.

Once inside the labyrinth, guests at Rockin’ K will be able to hunt for clues and play an interactive trivia game testing their knowledge of all things Dolly. Throughout the fall season, visitors will also be able to pose for photo ops, take part in storytelling sessions, and listen to live music.

Fittingly, the corn maze honor Parton’s philanthropic work as much as her musical legacy. Each participating site will donate a portion of their proceeds to Imagination Library, the singer’s nonprofit literacy program that provides free books to children from birth to age five.

The charitable contribution might have been one reason Parton gave the project her blessing, even though she sometimes shied away from tributes.

“I’m grateful for the support of my Imagination Library and am excited to invite people out to get lost in this year’s country music corn maze for a little fun, laughter, and a real good reason to get lost,” Parton said in a statement prior to her death.

In addition to the Dolly corn maze, visitors to Rockin’ K will also find plenty of other family friendly fun, including mini golf, slides, a petting zoo, paintball, and backyard games. There’s also festival food and a pumpkin patch for those who want to carve out their own Parton homages at home.

The Dolly Parton corn maze is open September 26 through November 7 and included in regular Rockin’ K admission ($19.61 online). Hours are noon-10 pm on Saturdays and noon-7 pm on Sundays, except for Halloween night, when the farm closes at 5 pm. Rockin' K Farms is located at 5385 County Rd 52 in Robstown.

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