6 Must-See Sites in Houston, Texas

Spanning 160 acres, Buffalo Bayou Park has entertained Houston locals and visitors for more than a century. The park features a cultural events hall, miles of hiking and biking trails, a dog park, picnic area and more. © Nate Hovee | Dreamstime.com

Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park lies in Uptown Houston and consists of a multistory sculptural fountain and park. Located across the south face of Williams Tower, the waterwall often serves as the backdrop to events and concerts. The fountain operates 10 a.m.–9 p.m. daily. © Erik Lattwein | Dreamstime.com

Houston Museum of Natural Science, established in 1909, covers four floors of halls and exhibits. As one of the most popular museums in the country, visitors flock to the space to visit Cullen Hall of Gems & Minerals, Morian Hall of Paleontology, Foucault pendulum and more. © Pablo Hidalgo | Dreamstime.com

At Houston Zoo, explore different habitats the more than 6,000 animals call home. Exhibits include McNair Asian elephant habitat, African Forest, Texas Wetlands, Wortham World of Primates and more. The zoo also supports many conservation projects through the state and world to help endangered species and habitats. © Paul Sankey | Dreamstime.com

Within Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, explore more than 70,000 works across more than 6,000 years of history, all spanning different corners of the world. The museum consists of several buildings, all featuring different galleries, with some even including cafés and restaurants. One of the world’s most distinguished private collections of Persian art is currently on loan at the museum. © Valentin M Armianu | Dreamstime.com

Both a science museum and official visitor center, Space Center Houston includes NASA Johnson Space Center. The center features more than 400 space artifacts, including the Gemini 5 and Apollo 17 capsules. Here, visit the world’s only Space Shuttle replica, as well as Rocket Park and a Mission to Mars exhibition. © Ritu Jethani | Dreamstime.com