10 Things to do in Houston at Christmas

Christmas in Houston arrives at the end of November with the Thanksgiving Day parade , and it stays until 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'll describe these and other must-see activities during Christmas in Houston.

Moody Gardens is one of the quintessential places to go to see Christmas lights and decorations in Houston. Year after year Moody Gardens puts on a themed light and ice sculpture show 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 at Christmas time and a great place to take lots of pictures. The ice sculptures are usually placed in an enclosed space with very low temperatures to preserve their condition. What is most striking about these exhibitions is the colourfulness, which, in addition to the lights, can be seen on the different sculptures.

As for the decoration of the lights, they are also usually placed according to the chosen Christmas theme. Different figures of all kinds are made from aluminium skeletons and then decorated with multicoloured lights, as well as various animated light shows. The lighting of the light show is an event not to be missed.

Interesting details

• Location: The Moody Gardens light show takes place on Galveston Island.
• Hours: To see the Christmas lights and ice sculptures, you can visit the park until 22:00.
• Date: Christmas attractions are available from the second week of November until the first week of January.
• Price: Tickets are available from 29 euros per person for a single show. To see the full shows tickets can be priced from 65 and 95 euros per person per pass. For each of these tickets there are also reduced prices according to age.

If there's one thing you have to do in Houston at Christmas, it's enjoy the ice rinks, and one of the ones I recommend you visit is the one at Discovery Green. All the city's Christmas energy is concentrated here, where the ice skating rink is set up underneath the colourful light show.

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

Interesting details

• Location: Located on McKinney Street in Houston.
• Hours: Generally open between 17:00 and 22:00 Monday to Thursday and on Fridays between 17:00 and 23:00. 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, this is a great show put on by the Houston Ballet.

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

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

Details of interest

• Location: This show takes place every year at the Wortham Theater Center.
• Times: Performances may change from day to day, however, the most common time to see this show is around 7:30pm.
• 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 theatre where they choose to sit, however, prices can start from 27 euros per person.

NASA not only sends experiment and reconnaissance missions into space, they also put on a magical holiday show for locals and visitors to Houston each year. NASA' s light show includes a large number 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 can see model aeroplanes and rockets as they are launched into space, but fully illuminated. You can visit the Space Center with the Houston CityPass which takes you to Houston's most iconic sights.

All this is 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 every year at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
• Hours: The show is generally open from 18:00 to 22:00 each night.
• Date: Usually opens during the second week of November and closes during the first week of January.
• Price: The approximate price is between 16 and 20 euros per person.

All year round, the Houston Zoo is a great place to visit with the family, but come Christmas time, there's no better place to see the city's most beautiful lights up close than at the zoo. The zoo opens 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 am to 5:00 pm all year round. In December there are special evening hours from 17:30 to 22:30.
• Date: The exhibition 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 as tickets cannot be purchased at the ticket 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 spectacle made up 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 bring your pets to enjoy the entire Light Park. Some of the figures that can be seen inside include reindeer, Santa, candy canes and other iconic illuminated Christmas symbols.

Interesting details

• Location: The park is set up in various locations throughout Texas. In Houston it is located in the Parking Lot at Spring Interstate.
• Hours: Monday to Thursday it is open from 17:30 to 22:00. 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 spread out in areas within the park that truly offers a magical and unique light show throughout the park. These areas into which the exhibit is divided often 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 that the respective photo with Santa is included. Also included as an attraction is the Circus of Spain, which is a re-enactment of a 1920's Christmas Carol. The latter area may 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 17:00 to 22:00. On Thursdays and Fridays the closing hours are extended to 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 ticket office, although at the ticket office the entrance is more expensive. General admission can cost around 23 euros per person, while reduced tickets for children and young people aged between 3 and 15 and adults over 65 cost approximately 15 euros. Children under the age of 2 are free. Parking costs an additional 10 euros.

This Thanksgiving Day parade in Houston has become a tradition to enjoy year after year during the last week of November. It's a big parade that involves much more than just floats with beautiful and colourful motifs. In the show you can also see different music shows and, of course, performances by artists widely recognised in the artistic world.

It takes place in the city centre from early in the morning and is definitely one of those events that bring the city to a standstill. Basically this parade officially kicks off the Christmas season in the city, and is an activity that locals look forward to every year and visitors can enjoy from start to finish.

Details of interest

• Location: The parade travels down more than 20 streets throughout downtown Houston.
• Time: The parade usually starts around 9:00, the end time of the event depends on the mood of the crowd and, of course, the route that is set.
• Date: Held on Thanksgiving Day, which is the fourth Thursday in November each year.
• Price: There is no charge to enjoy the event as it is a public event.

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 theatre 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 specialised letter box. It is definitely a magical experience that will not only leave you with many experiences, but also beautiful photographic memories.

Details of interest

• Location: Located on HWY 6 South in College Station, Houston.
• Hours: Monday to Thursday 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: The village is generally 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, which costs around 17 euros per person. You can also buy a pre-sale ticket before the season starts, in which case you can get it at half price, with a general admission cost of approximately 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 centre 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 ice skating lessons. Although the rink is available all year round, Christmas is a great time to go skating on it thanks to the magic of the Christmas decorations you see in the mall, since the rink is located at the bottom of the rink.

Interesting details

• Location: Set 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 opening hours calendar is available on the official website, so it would be best to check it before visiting the place.
• Date: It is open all year round, but at Christmas time Christmas decorations fill the atmosphere.
• Price: The entrance fee to the rink is approximately 25 euros per person and you can skate as much as you like. But once you enter the rink you cannot leave and re-enter with the same ticket.