10 Things to do in Houston at Christmas

Christmas in Houston arrives at the end of November with the Thanksgiving Day parade , and settles in well into January. It is one of the most beautiful and magical seasons for the city.

If you want to enjoy some of the best things to see and do in Houston at Christmas, you have to include in your itinerary a visit to the Zoo, the NASA lights and of course the skating rinks. That's why I will describe these and other must-see activities during Christmas in Houston.

Moody Gardens is one of the top places to go to see the Christmas lights and decorations in Houston. Year after year Moody Gardens offers a themed light show as well as ice sculptures for the Christmas season. The themes are always varied, so you won't see the same show year after year.

It's a great place to visit with the family during the Christmas season and to take lots of pictures. The ice sculptures are usually located in an enclosed space with very low temperatures to preserve their condition. What is most striking about these exhibitions is their colorfulness, which, in addition to the lights, can be seen in the different sculptures.

As for the decoration of the lights, they are also usually placed according to the theme chosen for Christmas. Different figures of all kinds are elaborated with aluminum skeletons and then decorated with multicolored lights, in addition to various animated light shows. The lighting of the light show is an event not to be missed.

Details of interest

• Location: The display at Moody Gardens takes place on Galveston Island.
• Hours: To see the Christmas lights and ice sculptures, you can visit the park until 10:00 pm.
• Date: Christmas attractions are available from the second week of November to the first week of January.
• Price: Tickets are available from 29 euros per person for a single show. To see the complete shows tickets can go up to 65 and 95 euros per pass per person. For each of these tickets there are also reduced prices according to age.

If there is something you have to do in Houston at Christmas time, it is to enjoy the ice rinks, and one of the ones I recommend you to visit is the one installed at Discovery Green. All the Christmas energy of the city is concentrated precisely in that place, whose ice skating rink is installed under the show of lights of all colors.

Many times it is possible to witness a live ice carving show, but above all this is a very fun ride for anyone who decides to participate, as you can enjoy a large ice rink. Every year part of the money raised from the entrance fees to this attraction is destined to the conservation and safeguarding of the park and all its attractions.

Details of interest

• Location: Located on McKinney Street in Houston.
• Hours: Generally open between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on Fridays between 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. On Sundays it is open between 11:00 and 20:00. Sometimes the schedules and itineraries may change according to the maintenance that must be done to the track.
• Date: From the second week of November to the last week of January.
• Price: General admission can be priced from 17 euros per person. Tickets must be booked and purchased online, tickets cannot be purchased at the door.

The classic Christmas show of all time is definitely The Nutcracker and Houston is no exception, in this city a great show is offered by the Houston Ballet.

This is a family show suitable for all ages, with multiple attractions to see. This show by Tchaikovsky and presented by Stanton Welch in Houston will infect you with the magic of Christmas through the unique characters in the work.

You will also enjoy snowflakes, sword fights and above all the great Christmas tree with an impressive height. You can go to this show after taking a private driving tour throughout the city of Houston to see the lights that decorate the city during the Christmas season.

Details of interest

• Location: This show is held each year at the Wortham Theater Center.
• Schedule: Performances may change from day to day, however, the most common time to see this show is around 7:30 pm.
• Date: Performances generally begin the third week of November and run through the last week of December.
• Price: Prices vary according to the age of the spectator and the place in the theater where he/she decides to sit, however, prices can be from 27 euros per person.

NASA not only sends experiment and reconnaissance missions into space, they also gift a magical holiday show to locals and visitors to Houston each year. NASA' s light show includes lots of LED lights that make a spectacle in the sky, displaying movements in perfect sync.

Also on display are large LED-lit figures with different space-related motifs. You will be able to see model airplanes and rockets like the ones launched into space, but completely illuminated. You can visit the Space Center with the Houston CityPass that takes you to the most iconic places in Houston.

All this accompanied by the illuminated and decorated Christmas tree that stands at the entrance of the Space Center in Houston, and is one of the best things to see and do in Houston at night during the season.

Details of interest

• Location: The show takes place each year at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
• Hours: The hours to see the show are generally from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. each night.
• Date: It usually opens during the second week of November and closes during the first week of January.
• Price: It has an approximate price of between 16 and 20 euros per person.

Throughout the year the Houston Zoo is a great place to visit with the family, but come Christmas time, there is no better place to see the city's most beautiful lights up close than this zoo. The zoo opens during special nighttime hours to welcome thousands of locals and visitors every day who want to tour the Christmas decorations.

Some attractions that are repeated year after year are: the tunnel of lights, the spectacular enchanted forest in 4D lights and the large amount of snow in Winter Wonderland. From the moment you enter you will begin to hear the sounds of Christmas, while enjoying hot chocolate and appreciating the different lights and decorations that are scattered throughout the gardens.

Details of interest

• Location: The Zoo is located in Houston's Hermann Park, with the main entrance being through the park.
• Hours: The Zoo is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. year round. In December there are special evening hours from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm.
• Date: The exhibit is open to the public from the second week of November until the second week of January.
• Price: The entrance fee is usually between 20 and 30 euros. It is important that you book your tickets online because tickets are not accepted at the box office.

This is one of the most visited Christmas theme parks year after year during the Christmas season. To enter the park you will have to pay an entrance fee per vehicle and once inside you will be able to see the show composed of millions of lights throughout the park.

You will also be able to enjoy the Christmas music show throughout your visit and the park is pet friendly, which means that you can also bring your pets to enjoy the entire extension of the Light Park. Some of the figures that can be seen inside are: reindeer, Santa, candy canes and other iconic illuminated Christmas symbols.

Details of interest

• Location: The park is set up in several locations throughout Texas. In Houston it is located in the Parking Lot at Spring Interstate.
• Hours: Monday through Thursday it is open from 17:30 to 22:00. On Fridays and Saturdays it is open from 17:30 to 23:00.
• Date: From the first week of November to the first week of January.
• Price: Tickets can vary in price, although they usually cost around 29 euros per car, regardless of the number of people inside.

The Magical Winter Light offers a set of lights distributed in areas within the park that truly offers a magical and unique light show all over the place. These areas into which the exhibit is divided usually feature themed Christmas decorations. Generally the themes that run through the exhibit are: sea, space, Houston, ice, dinosaur, village and kingdom.

Other attractions such as entertainment with special characters are also offered, in fact it is in this area where the respective photo with Santa is included. Also included as an attraction is the circus of Spain, which is a representation of a Christmas story from 1920. This last space could have an additional cost to the one needed to enter the place.

Details of interest

• Location: Located in Bayton, Houston.
• Hours: The general opening hours of this exhibition are from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. While on Thursdays and Fridays the closing hours are extended until 23:00.
• Date: It is open to the public for approximately 45 days, between the second week of November and the first week of January.
• Price: Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office, although at the box office the entrance is more expensive. General admission can cost around 23 euros per person, while reduced tickets for children and young people between 3 and 15 years old and adults over 65 years old, cost approximately 15 euros. Children under 2 years of age are free. Parking has an additional cost of about 10 euros.

This Thanksgiving Day parade in Houston has already become a tradition to enjoy year after year during the last week of November. It is a big parade that involves much more than just floats with beautiful and colorful motifs. In the show you will also see different music shows and of course, presentations of artists widely recognized in the artistic environment.

It takes place in the center of the city from early in the morning and it is definitely one of those events that paralyze the city. Basically, this parade is the official start of the Christmas season in the city, and it is an activity that locals look forward to every year and visitors can enjoy from beginning to end.

Details of interest

• Location: The parade travels more than 20 streets throughout the length and breadth of downtown Houston.
• Time: The parade usually starts around 9:00 a.m., the ending time of the event depends on the mood of the public present and, of course, the itinerary that is established.
• Date: It takes place on Thanksgiving Day, which is the fourth Thursday of November each year.
• Price: There is no fee to enjoy the event because it is public.

Imagine a Christmas village with endless attractions to enjoy in the best style of western culture and traditions, where you can also enjoy delicious food and live music shows, all set according to the season and with lots of lights around; well, such a village exists and it is in Houston, its name is Santa's Wonderland.

A natural skating rink, light displays, carriage rides, a movie theater in a barn with traditional Christmas movies, horse stables and other traditional Texan activities such as corrals with cowboys performing their shows. It's all part of the fun at Santa's Wonderland.

This experience is mostly dedicated to include among the things to do in Houston with children, who will have the opportunity to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as being able to leave their letter to Santa in the specialized mailbox for that purpose. It is definitely a magical experience that will not only leave you with many experiences, but also with beautiful photographic memories.

Details of interest

• Location: Located on HWY 6 South in College Station, Houston.
• Hours: Monday through Thursday is open from 18:00 to 00:00. Fridays from 18:00 to 00:00. Saturdays from 15:00 to 00:00 and Sundays from 15:00 to 23:00.
• Date: Generally the village is open from the second week of November to the last week of December.
• Price: General admission can cost around 47 euros per person, not including some attractions inside such as the ice skating rink, for the enjoyment of which you must pay around 17 euros per person. You can also buy the ticket in presale before the season starts, in that case you could get it at half price, with an approximate general admission cost of 27 euros per person.

Ice skating rinks are a sure bet for a good Christmas plan in Houston, and one of the best places to go ice skating is definitely the rink set up at Galleria Mall. What I like most about this place and why I recommend it, is the big decorated Christmas tree located right in the center of the rink.

But this is more than just an ice skating rink, because if you don't know how to skate they also offer skating lessons. Although the rink is available all year round, Christmas is a good time to go skating on it thanks to the magic of the Christmas decorations you see in the mall, since the rink is located in the lower part.

Details of interest

• Location: It is located in the Galleria Mall which is located in West Alabama.
• Hours: The hours may vary according to the day, but it generally opens from 8:00 and closes at 21:00. The earliest it can close is 17:00. The schedule of hours is available on the official website, so it would be better if you check it before visiting the place.
• Date: It is open all year round, but at Christmas the Christmas decorations flood the atmosphere.
• Price: The entrance fee to the rink is approximately 25 euros per person and you can skate as much as you want. But once you enter the rink you cannot leave and re-enter with the same ticket.