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THE 10 BEST Bay Area Houston Boat Rides & Cruises

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1. Windward SeaVenture

2. Houston Pedal Barge

3. Sailaway Clear Lake Charters

4. South Coast Sailing Adventures

5. Get The Net Fishing Charters

6. Captain Kidd

7. Boardwalk FantaSea Cruises

8. Lone Palm Yacht Charters

9. Jet Ski Houston

10. Yachtcations

11. Boat Rental Galveston

12. Kayak Shack

13. All Points of Sail Sailing School

14. Galveston Trophy Charters

15. Clear Lake Texas Fishing Trips LLC

16. Captain Kidd Charters

17. Maximum Scuba League City Texas

18. Frazier's Guide Service

19. Reel Addiction Charters

20. Houston Party Boats

21. Jet Ski Texas!

22. Kemah Jet Ski Rentals

23. mad max cruises.

24. Kraken Sailing

25. Its Five O'Clock Here

26. New Wind Charters

27. Billy"s By the Bay

28. Bayou Boone Cycleboats

29. Brantley Walker Williams

30. Gulf Coast Party Barge

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Cruises from/to Houston, Texas

Houston, texas cruise port.

If you're cruising from a Gulf port, consider cruising from the largest city in the state of Texas through the port of Houston. Spend a few days before or after your cruise vacation in Space City, where you can find everything from the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center to a darn good barbeque. Houston is a fantastic place to start your cruise vacation, because the time you spend before embarkation will be spent in an amazing environment. Restaurants, bars, live music, movies and more line the streets, filled with intriguing personalities from all over.

• Musically inclined cruisers can check out some fine opera at the Houston Grand Opera, and dance lovers can attend a show at the Houston Ballet.  
• There is also a tremendously developed Museum District that includes the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and the Houston Zoo, among other attractions.  
• The Theater District in downtown Houston is a must-see as well, if you have the time before your journey to the Caribbean.  
• To get a taste of the cultural diffusion of Houston, you may want to check out either Chinatown or the Mahatma Gandhi District, both of which offer their own unique touch on Houston living.

Top 10 Cruises to Houston, Texas

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Galveston Island Hotel & Attractions

Open 365 days a year, Moody Gardens invites you to escape into a world of enchantment and exploration. Nestled on the beautiful Galveston Island in Texas, Moody Gardens is not just a premier destination for entertainment, it is a public, non-profit educational destination that aims to utilize nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research. With our lush tropical gardens, captivating wildlife exhibits, and thrilling attractions, we offer an extraordinary experience for visitors of all ages. Discover the immersive iconic pyramids, home to mesmerizing marine life, magnificent rainforests, and even an otherworldly discovery center. Immerse yourself in the wonders of nature, learn about conservation efforts, and embark on unforgettable adventures. Whether you're seeking family fun, educational experiences, or simply a tranquil retreat, Moody Gardens is your gateway to a world where curiosity knows no bounds. 

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Celebrate Mother's Day at Moody Gardens

Friday, may 10 thru sunday, may 12, brunch & buffet, palm beach, yaga's wild game bbq cook-off, weekend hotel & spa packages.

Pamper Mom with an unforgettable weekend retreat at Moody Gardens! Indulge in our lavish Mother's Day Brunch & Buffet. Extend the celebration with our one- or two-night weekend getaways, complete with upscale accommodations plus elevate the experience with our rejuvenating spa packages. Plus, enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Palm Beach and savor the flavors of the legendary Yaga's Wild Game BBQ Cook-Off, making this Mother's Day truly extraordinary.

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Colonel Paddlewheel Dinner Cruise

Saturday, april 13, sundown on the seas aboard a paddlewheel  .

Here's your chance to sail aboard an authentic replica of an 1800s Paddlewheeler. Enjoy beautiful views of Offatts Bayou, plus a dinner buffet and cash bar with dinner cruises. Boarding starts at 6:30pm to 7:00pm. Cruise will start at 7:00pm and return to port at 9:00pm. Reserve your spot today to experience this rare and unique opportunity. 

Fly Fishing Film Fest

Friday, april 26 - saturday, april 27  the only venue to see these two great film events featured on the largest screen in texas .

Don't miss the Moody Gardens Fly Fishing Film Fest on April 26th and 27th at the MG3D Theater, showcasing the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4™) and the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T). Join the fly fishing community for screenings, vendor booths, food, raffles, and more while supporting conservation efforts. So get ready to kick back, enjoy the cinematography, and get ready for the season ahead. Hotel packages and tickets are available.

An Evening With The Prisoner Wine Company

May 15 join us at shearns seafood & prime steaks restaurant.

"An Evening with The Prisoner Wine Company" promises an unforgettable experience for wine enthusiasts. Each course will be expertly paired with a selection from The Prisoner Wine collection, showcasing the versatility and artistry of these exceptional wines. Chef Bobby Ross has meticulously crafted a savory menu for the evenings' engagement. For further details, inquiries can be made by calling 409-683-4404.

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Stay at Moody Gardens Hotel and enjoy nearby attractions like the Moody Gardens Attractions and Moody Gardens Golf Course.

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With its stunning views, green fairways and gulf breeze, the Moody Gardens Golf Course has become one of the most popular golf courses in Texas.

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Experience the Rainforests of the World, Journey to New Depths in the newly renovated Aquarium Pyramid, Explore new worlds in the MG 3D and 4D Special Effects Theater, dive deep in 20,000 Leagues:An Interactive Adventure and more.

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Enjoy Moody Gardens all year long with an Individual or Seasonal Membership. Your membership includes unlimited admission to most Moody Gardens attractions and other fantastic benefits.

Educational efforts at Moody Gardens strive to provide learning experiences through Field Trips, Teacher Workshops, Birthday parties and more for our guests that will instill enthusiasm, appreciation and stewardship for the natural world and its inhabitants.

Enjoy some of the great events happening at Moody Gardens all year long including Beats on the Beach, Holiday in the Gardens, Colonel Paddlewheel Dinner Cruises, Air, Car and Boat Show and more! 

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Special Notice: We encourage you to purchase your tickets online.

Cashless Transaction Policy Propertywide: We now have a cashless transaction policy and we accept credit cards only property wide to further reduce physical contact. Cash payment and checks cannot be accepted.

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We enjoyed our visit to Moody Gardens and left feeling like there were still more things to do. The aquarium has some excellent exhibits; we especially enjoyed watching feeding time for the penguins and the seals. The rain forest was amazing, with free-flying birds and free-roaming monkeys, as well as a gorgeous collection of tropical plants. There was a selection of 3D and 4D films; we saw the 3D film about sharks. We also took the paddle boat tour. Being on the boat was enjoyable, although the bayou on which it sails is very developed and not very scenic. I didn't have the chance to visit the "discovery" pyramid, but my daughter did and liked that as well. We ate at the Garden Cafe, with a pleasant view of the water and plentiful good food. We definitely could have spent a lot more time at Moody Gardens if our itinerary had allowed. (Note: the beach and waterpark were closed for the season when we visited, so call ahead for seasonal hours if that's something you'd like to do.)

Took visiting family to MG and had a blast! It's very big and we got there in the afternoon, so couldn't see all of it. We saw the Aquarium & Rain Forest pyramids, spent some time in the Lazy River and saw a 3D movie about Coral Reefs. Plus - We hit the food court for a yummy lunch. Not sure who had more fun, us or the kid! :-) Will be back soon to see the rest.

I want to compliment you on your excellent customer service. Your responses to all my questions and concerns were very much appreciated. You are an asset to Moody Gardens, they are fortunate to have a representative like you. Also, want to tell you how impressed we were with the Thanksgiving dinner, the attention for safety precautions, the many stations and food selections were incredible.  The beautiful room, decorations & personal table attention were also appreciated. We enjoyed it all and plan to make it our new Thanksgiving tradition. The night was perfect, we also enjoyed the Festival of Lights. 

It was exceptional! All the staff were professional, polite and attentive. Hand sanitizer is located throughout the property, everyone wears masks and socially distancing is practiced. 

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• Cruising: Practice and Concept
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• 1930s: "Window Shopping"
• 1963: A Letter to ONE
• 1965: The "Phantoms" of Avondale
• 1970–1972: "Risky Crusing" and "The Heat"
• 1971: "Come and Browse, or Vice Versa"
• 1974: "Rough Trade"
• 1976: No Turns
• Cruising Toward Theory
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Cruising Grounds: Seeking Sex and Claiming Place in Houston, 1960–1980

Brian Riedel explores the role of cruising in queer territorialization and place claiming in Houston, Texas, in the twentieth century. Juxtaposing digital maps of queer businesses with an archive of cruising narratives, Riedel shows that while mapping business data offers one visualization of queer territory in Houston, archival narratives of cruising suggest that cruising areas have more complex relationships to commercialized spaces—sometimes directly connected, at other times peripheral and symbiotic, and at others seemingly divorced. These narratives, in parallel with the maps, point to multiple, contested queer territories spread across Houston in memory and practice.

Queer Intersections / Southern Spaces  is a collection of interdisciplinary, multimedia publications that explore, trouble, and traverse intersections of queer experiences, past, present, and future. From a variety of perspectives, and with an emphasis upon the US South, this series, edited by Eric Solomon, offers critical analysis of LGBTQ+ people, practices, spaces, and places.

All three authors also reference cruising, but offer little detail about how cruising works in their models. Using the city of Houston as an example, this essay attends to cruising as an underdeveloped aspect of those models. As Houston's Montrose neighborhood came to be identified as a "gayborhood" between 1960 and 1980, archival evidence shows that cruising narratives played a powerful role in that identification. At the same time, these narratives also show that queer territorialization in Houston was not a smooth process of collective place claiming and recognition. Rather, dissent and conflict over the practice of cruising in Houston shows queer place claiming to be fractured, contested, and structured in part through a politics of respectability inflected explicitly by class but curiously silent on race. Importantly, that fractured and contested structure is due in part to the converging efforts of a wide array of disparate agents: queer sex-seekers, Houston residents, local politicians, civic groups, queer organizations, national anti-pornography groups, and conservative political movements. These narratives also point to complicated relationships between cruising and other markers frequently used to define queer territory, specifically businesses serving a queer clientele.

Men seeking men for sex has never been the sole determinant of queer territory. For those who know how to read it however, both then and now, cruising marks public and semi-public spaces as at least temporarily queer(ed) territory. This marking is how cruising functions not only as a social practice but also as a concept. Through documenting the disparate networks of people who came to meet on Houston's cruising grounds—intentional sex-seekers, criminals exploiting stigmas attached to gay sex, ambivalent law enforcement officials, area denizens, and perhaps initially naïve passersby—I argue that the social distribution of knowledge about cruising illustrates that queer territories functioned in part because some who do not identify as "queer" also imagined those territories as connected to queer lives.

I first came to live in Houston in 1997. When I arrived, the Montrose neighborhood was the epicenter of a thriving queer community. It was home to the largest concentration of Houston LGBT bars as well as many non-profit organizations, from the Montrose Counseling Center to Pride Houston. There were two queer bookstores, a free monthly magazine, and several free weekly papers. Soon, I was working for one of those papers, distributing copies all over the city. That labor helped me question and reimagine my first assumptions about the distribution of queer life in Houston. In this car-addicted place, queer bars and businesses were not just in the trendy Montrose neighborhood, but in far-flung suburban strip malls as well. Even so, Montrose remained the symbolic core.

1930s: "Window Shopping"

"The 'gay circuit'—they didn't know the word 'gay'—was downtown Houston, between Franklin and McKinney and Main Street east to San Jacinto. You could not tell a queer or a fag (the words they used then) from the straight, which was the way the gays wanted it, being fearful for their lives and jobs." 26 Richard Van Allen, " Houston's Gay Thirties ," Montrose Voice , no. 410, September 2, 1988: 9. https://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/montrose/item/8166/show/8130. This article has echoed in Houston media since then. See also William Michael Smith, " Looking Back at Some of the Hurdles Houston's Gay Community Had to Overcome (Part 1) ," June 20, 2014, http://www.houstonpress.com/news/looking-back-at-some-of-the-hurdles-houstons-gay-community-had-to-overcome-part-i-6736836; " Houston's Earliest Gay scenes (Part 2) ," Houston Press , June 23, 2014, http://www.houstonpress.com/news/houstons-earliest-gay-scenes-part-2-6748546; " 'The Homosexual Playground of the South' (Part 3) ," June 24, 2014, http://www.houstonpress.com/news/the-homosexual-playground-of-the-south-part-3-6737870. tippy('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_18137_1_26', { content: jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_18137_1_26').html(), placement: 'bottom', theme: 'sosp', arrow: false, allowHTML: true });

"Of course, we didn't know the word 'cruising' then. We called it 'window shopping' and just like now, you know who was gay and who wasn't without asking. You could feel it, whether they had a limp wrist or not. There was this post down in front of Levy's department store. It had mirrors on four sides, and queers would stop and comb their hair there. Oh, you could spot them. If we did want to trick, we could get a room at the Milby or the Texas State Hotel. More often we went home to our apartments."

A striking way to situate this "window-shopping" area and the Montrose neighborhood in relation to the rest of 1930s Houston is to superimpose them on a now infamous Home Owners Loan Corporation map from the same era (see map above). The areas shaded red indicate the "hazardous" parts of town, where Black residents tended to live, and where the Home Owners Loan Corporation would not insure mortgage loans. The Montrose neighborhood, some two decades old at the time of this map and mostly shaded green, was the "best" type of neighborhood in which to live. Situated at the city's commercial core, the sixteen-block cruising area Van Allen's article described may well have provided opportunities for same-sex contact across both class and racial lines. And yet, Van Allen's narrators never mark race in their stories. The redlining map suggests at least one explanation for that absence, one that complicates any quick analogy to the kind of racial mixing found in Espinoza's memoir: the opportunistic use of public and semi-public spaces for cruising relied on an appearance of respectability that accounted for the persistence of racial as well as sexual lines in Jim Crow Houston.

Gay life in Houston seems relatively trouble-free as nearly as I can tell from my somewhat aloof perch (I don't patronize bars or attend parties or socialize much). A newly opened bar a few blocks distant is attracting great crowds on the week ends, with cars parked for blocks around, and always police watching especially toward closing time. The gay folks I meet seem delighted, and gloomily prophes[ize] that it is too good to last—I haven't heard of any trouble so far, though. Percentage-wise it seems to me this area has fully as many gay folk as any area in any of the larger cities in the North and West. Don't know of any other part of Houston where gay life is concentrated, though, except for a cheap theater downtown where the rough trade operates in amazing quantity and frankness—but could hardly call that gay life! 30 Craig M. Loftin ed., Letters to ONE: Gay and Lesbian Voices from the 1950s and 1960s (New York: SUNY Press, 2012), 114–5. To his credit, Loftin preserves the privacy of these letter writers by masking their precise addresses and substituting pseudonyms for their names. tippy('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_18137_1_30', { content: jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_18137_1_30').html(), placement: 'bottom', theme: 'sosp', arrow: false, allowHTML: true });

While the writer's self-described "aloof" lifestyle may constrain our estimation of his version of events, the details he provided remain evocative. He spoke to a consciousness that "gay life" could be concentrated, perhaps even that it should be so organized. He also seemed to see himself as living in that concentrated part of town; he did not "know of any other part of Houston where gay life is concentrated" (emphasis mine). Still, he recognized a larger bar scene, though he did not attend it. (The map below provides a visualization of the bars and other businesses of which the writer might have been aware in 1963.)

The letter also captured the writer's sense that, for its size, queer Houston was not so out of step with the larger cities of the "North and West." New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and perhaps Los Angeles were his likely referents. Given the date of his letter and his description of a recently opened and wildly popular bar, it is also likely that his referent was Bob Eddy's Showboat, opened in 1962 on Tuam Street in present-day Midtown (labeled on the map above). For the writer, cruising was a primary if ambivalent index for whether "gay life" was "concentrated" in a particular location. The "cheap" theater he referenced is challenging to specify today given the lack of detail. I have yet to find an advertisement or mention of such a downtown theater in the queer press archive of the time; perhaps its rough trade reputation circulated only through hearsay. Whatever theater it was, the letter clearly shows that as late as 1963, this author's imagination of queer space in Houston was explicitly linked to present day downtown and Midtown. Montrose did not figure in his letter at all, even though Art Wren's had operated there for about seven years and had in 1962 already appeared in a local publication in California.

Another key index for the writer's imagination of gay life comes in the phrase "rough trade," a term still in use today. Then and now, the "rough" of "rough trade" signals men whose affect and physical appearance are both more working-class and more masculine—men who are not just "straight" acting and appearing, but who also might actually be more dangerous to approach, though that risk might itself be part of the thrill of approaching them. "Trade" signals that these men may, in fact, see themselves as straight, and that they could be only "dabbling" in same-sex activity. It also signals that these men might be seeking male clients in exchange for money, regardless of their or their client's sexual preferences. The writer to ONE gestured to this sexual ambiguity of "rough trade" when he divorced the downtown scene from what he called "gay life." At the same time, we might wonder how the writer himself was aware of the theater scene. He may have participated in it, at least enough to know just how abundant and frank the rough trade was. In any event, he does not disclose how he came to have that knowledge, even in the pages of a homophile magazine.

Importantly, the writer is also silent on the subject of race, a silence that suggests Jim Crow culture continued to texture both "gay life" and "rough trade" in the 1960s just as it had "window shopping" in the 1930s. At the same time, respectability politics are both explicit and implicit in his "aloof" observations. He marks the scene around the newly opened bar with cars "parked for blocks" and patrons who presumably have disposable income to spend at a bar, all signs pointing toward respectable middle-class status. By contrast, the "rough trade" scene at the "cheap" theater points to lowbrow entertainment and potentially sex work; their "amazing quantity and frankness" also signals their divergence from middle-class respectability.

1965: The "Phantoms" of Avondale

By 1965, three bars had also opened near the Avondale area: Numbers on California, the 900 Club on Lovett Boulevard, and the Round Table on Westheimer. Business owners and newspaper editors whose livelihoods depended on steady commerce likely also understood that the safety of their customers ("the good people of our community") was a prerequisite for their reliable patronage: all the more incentive for Bob Eddy—owner of Houston's Showboat and editor of The Albatross — to launch his paper with the "phantoms" as front-page news.

1970–1972: "Risky Crusing" and "The Heat"

The round-robin at Lovett Boulevard, Roseland, Hawthorne, Stratford, California, Avondale—well, you know the area better than I. This is not risky but just dangerous as h—. There have been many, many crusy [sic] queens beaten, stabbed, robbed and almost killed from picking up tricks in this area. This bad news area is a definite "No-No."

1971: "Come and Browse, or Vice Versa"

Perhaps unsurprisingly, none of Martinson's letters or the police memos explicitly mention race.

1974: "Rough Trade"

For Davis, not all cruising areas come equally recommended. He specifically evaluates them in terms of their "roughness," with all the gender and class markers animating the 1963 letter to ONE . The cruise area section of Davis' article continues the pattern of past cruising narratives and gives no guidance about the racial mix of men frequenting any specific area. However, the individual bar listings within the article do occasionally reference race and nationality. The clientele of the country/western Golden Spur "includes some tough Latins and blacks"; the Gold Room gets a nod toward the end of the article as "an old established black bar"; the Athens Grill and Bar on the Houston Ship Channel is recommended as "the place to go for Greek sailors who, when a little drunk, swing either way," a variation on the theme of rough trade. None of these three bars are close to any of the cruise areas Davis names, however.

Of those cruise areas, Davis found the roughest one to be the Midtown corner of Bell and Main that hosts Simpson's Dining Car, the Exile Lounge, and, though he does not mention it in writing, the Woodrow Hotel. One hint toward the hotel's role comes when Davis notes "[o]nce Simpson's was a 24-hour restaurant; now it closes at 1 a.m. to avoid serving some of the hustlers and roughs who settle almost all night on the corner of Main and Bell." On the last page of the article, he also describes the Exile as "probably the most recommended of the rough bars."

To complete the implication, an examination of two accompanying photographs of Simpson's Dining Car and the Exile Lounge reveals the Woodrow Hotel looming in the background of both, boldly advertising "75 Rooms," "75 Baths" and "Air Conditioning" on the wall facing Main Street. Industrious Ciao! readers would also have seen that the Damron Guides for 1971 and 1972 also list the Woodrow Hotel.

For hustlers cruising for a living, that single block provided a ready-to-hand circuit of the necessities: food, drink, a steady stream of potential customers, and a private room and bath when it came to business. For out-of-town and local johns looking for the right place to go, Ciao! pointed the way. At Main and Bell, cruising and commerce commingled in a much more intense and intentional way than the Story Book on Alabama.

Such tactics aside, MCA's flyer campaign clearly required significant planning and volunteer effort, from designing and printing the flyers to the volunteer time of handing them out at multiple intersections on multiple nights. Although attorney Petronella is the sole name listed on the organization record, clearly he was not acting as a lone agent. Other community organizations were involved, perhaps even the Houston Police Department, especially if the new location for the Circuit would not also be subject to a police crackdown. Presumably, MCA also checked with the residents and business owners in the proposed new location to be sure cruising would not present a problem to them as well.

Other crimes catapulted into the national consciousness. As Montrose residents and cruising men were engaged in their turf wars, Dean Arnold Corll had already begun what would come to be known as the Houston Mass Murders or the Candy Man Murders, in a gruesome nod to Corll's family business. Between 1970 and 1973, he and his accomplices are believed to have abducted, sexually tortured, and killed at least 28 teenage boys. While most of these boys had deep connections to or were taken in the Houston Heights area, the symbolic impact of the murders extended to all of queer Houston when the case was finally exposed in 1973 after one of Corll's accomplices murdered him. At the time, it was the worst serial murder case in United States history. The denouement of the Candy Man Murders played out the same year the American Psychological Association removed its classification of homosexuality as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

The traffic begins increasing at dusk, is heaviest between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. and continues until approximately dawn [… ] Most of the vehicles circle 10 or more times, but some have circled 50 or more times in one night. Depending on the day of the week, there are between 10 and 40 cars circling the block […] It's not unusual for four or more cars to be queued at each stop sign, waiting to turn the corner.

Taken together, these seven narratives of cruising do not describe an uncontested process of place claiming and recognition as Levine's model implies. Instead, they show territorialization through cruising to be temporally bound, conflicted, and structured in part through a politics of respectability explicitly linked to class concerns but uniformly silent on race. Considered alongside the brick-and-mortar locations of commerce and consumption that informed my earlier ArcGIS animation , these cruising narratives show that queer territories often operate on very different scales within and across multiple spaces. In these stories, the most typical scales of urban territory described are specific street corners, a few adjacent blocks, or occasional larger areas. Sometimes, but not always, these cruising grounds are connected to the commercial spaces privileged in the animation.

As the narratives attest, the practice of cruising has proponents and detractors. Tension over this practice in Houston largely stemmed from the range of agents involved and the variety of positions these agents took up on cruising. Over the years of analysis, the queer press promoted a number of stances on the behavior: discretely framed warnings, explicit admonitions that conveniently double as instruction manuals, and almost celebratory accounts of where specific kinds of action are to be found, ranked by dangers not limited to the threat of an encounter with the police. Queer and non-queer agents also intervened in a coalition to curb cruising. The Montrose Citizens Association had some degree of cooperation from the Gay Political Caucus and the Metropolitan Community Church. That alliance of respectable, community-oriented organizations built on years of residential complaints of noise and traffic even as Houstonians learned about a murderous gay prostitute in Montrose. The City of Houston directly engaged through policing, constituent messaging, and posting signage. Resilient sex-seekers responding to all of these agents seem to have found other places to pursue the chase, in part through cruising grounds remembered from other times. They had many alternatives available in collective, living memory, from cruising spots in downtown, Midtown, Montrose, Memorial Park, the Galleria, and beyond, to the adult bookstores and video arcades across the Houston landscape. At the same time, sex-seekers persisted in cruising areas like the Montrose Circuit, despite continuous efforts to displace them.

As such, these seven cruising narratives present queer territory in Houston as a fractured and shifting network of sites imagined and contested by multiple populations, some of whom also participate in those scenes. Such an arrangement of queer territory strongly supports Ghaziani's concept of "cultural archipelagos" more than any model of a single, "gayborhood" enclave. Moreover, Gieseking's mental maps offer a well-attuned method to document the multiple social networks imagining those multiple cruising areas, at least for those living today. For the departed, the method of archival research present in works like this one will have to suffice.

Acknowledgments

In a note of gratitude, more people than I can name here contributed in meaningful ways to this essay. I am thankful for my writing group; Melissa Bailar, Anne Chao, and Robert Werth saw this work in its very first stages. I am indebted to the Rice University Feminist Research Group and Christina Hanhardt for formative feedback on what turned out to be the bones of this essay. I am also grateful to JD Doyle, Martin Sunday, and the editors and anonymous peer reviewers of Southern Spaces for their insights and commentary. All errors and omissions remain my own responsibility.

Many thanks as well to Southern Spaces staff member Stephanie Bryan, who helped create the digital maps published here.

About the Author

Brian Riedel is the associate director of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University, where he received his Ph.D. in Anthropology. His work has been published in the Journal of Mediterranean Studies , PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review , Somatechnics , CITE: the Architecture and Design Review of Houston , and in the anthologies AIDS, Culture, and Gay Men (University of Florida Press, 2010) and Homophobias: Lust and Loathing Across Time and Space (Duke University Press, 2009).

Espinoza, Alex. Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime . Los Angeles, CA: Unnamed Press, 2019.

Ghaziani, Amin. There Goes the Gayborhood? Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2014.

Loftin, Craig M., ed. Letters to ONE: Gay and Lesbian Voices from the 1950s and 1960s. New York: SUNY Press, 2012.

Sears, James Thomas. Rebels, Rubyfruit, and Rhinestones: Queering Space in the Stonewall South. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001.

Gieseking, Jen Jack. " LGBTQ Spaces and Places " in LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer History , edited by Megan E. Springate. Washington, DC: National Park Foundation, 2016. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lgbtqheritage/upload/lgbtqtheme-places.pdf.

Houston LGBT History.org . JD. Doyle Archives. Accessed December 4, 2020. http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org.

The Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project . (Houston, TX). Accessed December 4, 2020. https://olohp.org/index.html.

ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives . University of Southern California Libraries. (West Hollywood, CA). Accessed December 4, 2020. https://one.usc.edu.

Riedel, Brian. " CSWGS Where is LGBTQ Houston? " Rice University. Youtube video, 3:56. March 15, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baSgYQtkTSI&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=RiceUniversity.

Stone, Amy L. " The Geography of Research on LGBTQ Life: Why sociologists should study the South, rural queers, and ordinary cities ." Sociology Compass 12, no. 11 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12638.

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Cruises out of texas.

Sparkling skylines, dreamy deserts, balmy beaches — everything's bigger in Texas.

On your Texas cruise vacation, you can have it all. Start your day trip before or after your cruise gazing up at sparkling skyscrapers, and end it with sunset cocktails on the beach. Have an urban adventure exploring food trucks and art museums, then head out to a cattle ranch and trade your baseball cap for a cowboy hat. Whatever you do, make sure to come with an empty stomach. From meaty Texas BBQ and steaks to sumptuous Tex-Mex favorites, the only thing bigger than the Lone Star State itself is the appetite you'll need to savor all its flavors. Cruises out of Texas set sail from Galveston to discover the western Caribbean, from Mexico's famed Riviera Maya to Central American treasure troves like Belize and Honduras.

THE BEST AND BOLDEST SHIPS FROM TEXAS

The only thing better than the exciting destinations you can reach from Galveston is the world-class cruise ship that takes you there.

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Things to do in the Lone Star State

In a state as big as Texas, planning an adventure is guaranteed — and so is assortment on things to do. Cruise travelers visiting will love the energy of Austin and the art museums of Dallas-Fort Worth, while the true western enthusiasts can look forward to riding toward the setting sun. After all west Texas has more desert than most other states have total land!

The Best of Both Worlds

The volume of things to do in Texas is certainly one of the best reasons to take a cruise vacation getaway from Texas. Begin your travels in the heart of Space City learning the history of NASA at Space Center Houston, then explore the Museum District for exhibits at the Museum of Fine Arts or Children's Museum.

Double Take on Texas Culture

Enjoy the best Texas has to offer to cruise travelers. Immerse yourself in the history of The Alamo or experience the culture of downtown San Antonio River Walk before exploring a whole different side of history with a walking tour of the most haunted places in Austin.

An Entire Other (Hill) Country

Drive into the Hill Country, and take a dip in the otherworldly Hamilton Pool Preserve. Have more time? Continue all the way southwestward and camp in Big Bend National Park, the finest exemplar of desert majesty Texas has to offer.

Game changing OASIS CLASS MEETS TEXAS PRIDE

Texas is the perfect jumping-off point to the top-rated shores of the Western Caribbean . Wander to places like Mexico , the Bahamas , and even Honduras . All on 7-night adventures  onboard Harmony of the Seas®.

Caribbean Dreams

It's hard to say goodbye to Texas — and harder to choose just where you'll sail to when you leave. Book cruises from Texas to Mexico, and dock at captivating ports like Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya, as well as stop in postcard-worthy Roatán, Honduras.

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BEST CRUISES FOR TEXAS GETAWAYS

It’s time to reset adventure to a whole new level on the biggest, boldest ship to ever sail from Texas — Harmony of the Seas® . Twist, shout and let it all out down the tallest slide at sea. And when the sun goes down, the night heats up with AquaTheater spectaculars and the Broadway hit Grease. All while unlocking luxurious Western Caribbean destinations onboard this unmatched Oasis Class ship .

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WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO An insider's Guide to Texas Day Trips

The Texas tourism board wasn't kidding when they said the Lone Star State was "like a whole other country." Enjoy award-winning art museums and mouth-watering meals in dynamic cities like Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Before your cruise take a walk on Texas' wild side, whether you camp on the beach in Galveston Island State Park, create a cowboy experience at a cattle ranch, or sunbathe along its hundreds-of-miles-long coastline.

If you do happen to plan your Texas vacation during the "winter" (a term that's relative around these parts) months of January and February, just pack a jacket — and an umbrella. While temperatures in Texas rarely fall below freezing — especially not in coastal Galveston — you never know when a scattered shower will pass. Likewise, make sure to wear plenty of sunscreen and drink lots of water during Texas' long summer, which can begin setting in as early as April and can linger until October or November.

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RELATED PORTS

As hard as it'll be to say farewell to Texas, your next adventure is waiting onboard your vacation cruise. Board cruises from Texas to the Caribbean, for example, to head toward the glimmering ports of Belize City, Belize and Falmouth, Jamaica. Or consider Panama Canal cruises from Texas, stopping at the paradise beaches of Yucatan, Cozumel, Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, or at Honduras' hidden gem of Roatán.

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Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Belize City, Belize

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What Cruise Lines Depart From Houston

Published: December 21, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Angel Posada

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Introduction

If you’re looking to embark on a cruise vacation, the first step is choosing the right departure port. While popular ports like Miami and Fort Lauderdale often come to mind, you might be surprised to learn that Houston, Texas also offers a range of cruises to exciting destinations. Departing from the Port of Galveston, just 50 miles south of downtown Houston, several cruise lines offer diverse itineraries that cater to different preferences and budgets.

The Port of Galveston, conveniently located near the Gulf of Mexico, is a gateway to stunning Caribbean islands, Mexican cities, and even Central American destinations. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or a first-timer, there’s a cruise line departing from Houston that’s sure to offer the perfect vacation experience for you.

In this article, we’ll explore the top cruise lines that depart from Houston and highlight some of their outstanding features. From the adventurous to the luxurious, there’s something for everyone. So, pack your bags, get ready for some fun on the high seas, and let’s dive into the cruise lines departing from Houston!

Cruise Lines Departing from Houston

When it comes to cruise lines departing from Houston, there are several reputable companies that offer a wide range of itineraries to various destinations around the world. Let’s take a closer look at the top cruise lines:

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line is known for its vibrant atmosphere and fun-filled activities. With a fleet of modern ships, they offer a variety of itineraries from Houston to destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. Whether you’re seeking relaxation or adventure, Carnival Cruise Line has something for everyone.

Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International is synonymous with innovation and excitement. Their ships are packed with thrilling activities such as rock climbing walls, surf simulators, and even ice skating rinks. From Houston, Royal Caribbean offers voyages to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and beyond, providing an unforgettable experience for all types of travelers.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers a touch of elegance and sophistication. With their renowned “Movies Under the Stars” concept and luxurious amenities, Princess Cruises provides a truly indulgent experience. Departing from Houston, their itineraries include destinations like the Caribbean, Panama Canal, and even transatlantic voyages.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is all about freedom and flexibility. With their “Freestyle Cruising” concept, guests have the freedom to dine whenever and wherever they want. From Houston, Norwegian Cruise Line offers voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, giving travelers a wide range of options to choose from.

Disney Cruise Line

For families seeking a magical vacation experience, Disney Cruise Line is the perfect choice. Departing from Houston, Disney Cruise Line offers themed cruises with beloved Disney characters, Broadway-style shows, and unique onboard entertainment. Destinations include the Caribbean and the Bahamas, ensuring a memorable voyage for guests of all ages.

These are just a few examples of the cruise lines departing from Houston. Other notable options include Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Silversea Cruises, and Oceania Cruises. With such a diverse range of cruise lines and itineraries available, there’s something to suit every taste and preference. So, start planning your dream cruise vacation from Houston and get ready for an unforgettable adventure at sea.

Carnival Cruise Line is one of the most well-known and popular cruise lines in the world. With a fleet of modern ships and a reputation for fun and excitement, Carnival offers a wide range of itineraries departing from Houston. Whether you’re seeking relaxation, adventure, or non-stop entertainment, Carnival Cruise Line has something for everyone.

Departing from the Port of Galveston, Carnival Cruise Line offers voyages to a variety of destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. The Caribbean itineraries visit stunning islands like Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica, allowing guests to soak up the sun, go snorkeling or diving, and explore the rich local culture.

One of the highlights of a Carnival cruise is the abundance of onboard activities and entertainment. The ships are equipped with water parks, thrilling water slides, mini-golf courses, and even sky ropes courses for those seeking a thrill. There are also plenty of options for dining, from casual eateries to specialty restaurants and buffet-style dining.

For those looking to relax and unwind, Carnival offers serene spa and wellness facilities where you can indulge in a massage or enjoy a rejuvenating treatment. If you’re in the mood for some nightlife, the ships feature vibrant bars, lounges, and nightclubs where you can dance the night away or enjoy live music performances.

For families, Carnival Cruise Line offers a range of activities and entertainment for children of all ages. From dedicated kids clubs and pool areas to Dr. Seuss-themed activities and character meet-and-greets, there’s never a dull moment for the little ones on board.

One of the standout features of Carnival Cruise Line is their dedication to creating a lively and festive atmosphere. From deck parties and themed nights to live performances and comedy shows, there’s always something happening on board to keep guests entertained.

Overall, a Carnival cruise from Houston offers a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and entertainment. Whether you’re cruising with family, friends, or as a couple, Carnival Cruise Line is sure to provide an unforgettable vacation experience.

Royal Caribbean International is renowned for its innovative ships and exciting onboard experiences. Departing from Houston, this cruise line offers a wide range of itineraries to destinations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and beyond.

One of the standout features of Royal Caribbean is their commitment to providing thrilling activities for guests of all ages. From rock climbing walls and surf simulators to zip lines and ice skating rinks, the ships are packed with adrenaline-pumping adventures. Thrill-seekers can even take a ride on the North Star, a glass capsule that extends over the side of the ship, offering breathtaking views.

For families, Royal Caribbean offers a variety of experiences tailored to all age groups. Children can enjoy dedicated kids’ clubs with supervised activities and themed parties, while teenagers have their own exclusive hangout spots. Families can come together for exciting activities like mini-golf, bumper cars, and even skydiving simulators.

But Royal Caribbean isn’t just about action-packed adventures. The cruise line also offers a range of luxurious amenities and services for those seeking relaxation and indulgence. Guests can unwind at the Vitality Spa, indulge in a rejuvenating massage, or simply bask in the sun at the poolside retreats. Onboard dining options cater to all tastes, from casual buffets to upscale specialty restaurants.

A highlight of a Royal Caribbean cruise is the world-class entertainment. From Broadway-style shows to live musical performances and acrobatic spectacles, there’s no shortage of captivating productions. The ships also feature vibrant bars, lounges, and clubs where guests can enjoy live music, dance, or simply relax with a drink.

Another unique feature of Royal Caribbean is their private island, CocoCay. Located in the Bahamas, this exclusive destination offers a paradise-like oasis with pristine beaches, thrilling water slides, and a variety of water activities. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

With its innovative ships, thrilling activities, and exciting itineraries, a Royal Caribbean cruise from Houston promises an unforgettable vacation experience. Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation, or a combination of both, Royal Caribbean International has something to offer every kind of traveler.

Princess Cruises is known for its elegant and sophisticated cruise experiences, combining luxury with exceptional service. Departing from Houston, Princess Cruises offers a range of itineraries to destinations including the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, and even transatlantic voyages.

One of the standout features of Princess Cruises is their commitment to providing exceptional dining experiences. With a variety of dining options, guests can indulge in gourmet meals prepared by world-class chefs. From specialty restaurants to casual eateries and traditional dining rooms, food lovers will delight in the culinary offerings on board.

Princess Cruises also offers a unique “Movies Under the Stars” experience, where guests can watch Hollywood blockbusters and timeless classics while lounging by the pool on a comfortable deck chair. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a movie night under the open sky.

For those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation, Princess Cruises features exquisite spa and wellness facilities. Guests can enjoy luxurious treatments, including massages, facials, and body wraps, or take part in fitness classes and wellness activities.

Onboard entertainment is also a highlight of Princess Cruises. Guests can enjoy live performances, Broadway-style shows, and themed parties. The ships feature bars, lounges, and nightclubs where guests can socialize, dance, and enjoy live music into the late hours.

Princess Cruises caters to families as well, with dedicated kids’ clubs and age-appropriate activities to keep children entertained. From arts and crafts to outdoor games and sports, young cruisers will have a fun-filled vacation experience.

Princess Cruises also offers unique shore excursions, providing guests with the opportunity to explore each destination in depth. From guided tours of historic sites to thrilling outdoor adventures, there’s something for every type of traveler.

With its emphasis on luxury, exceptional dining, and elegant experiences, a Princess Cruise from Houston is ideal for those looking for a refined and sophisticated vacation at sea. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking a memorable getaway, Princess Cruises offers an indulgent experience from start to finish.

Norwegian Cruise Line, commonly referred to as NCL, is a popular choice for those seeking a more flexible and freestyle cruising experience. Departing from Houston, Norwegian Cruise Line offers a variety of itineraries to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, providing guests with the freedom to create their perfect vacation.

One of the standout features of Norwegian Cruise Line is their “Freestyle Cruising” concept. Guests have the freedom to dine whenever and wherever they want, with a wide array of dining venues available on board. From casual buffets to specialty restaurants offering gourmet cuisine, there’s something to satisfy every craving.

For those seeking entertainment, Norwegian Cruise Line offers a range of exciting shows and performances. Guests can enjoy Broadway-style productions, comedy shows, live music acts, and even interactive game shows. The entertainment options cater to all ages and interests, ensuring there’s never a dull moment on board.

NCL also caters to families with their dedicated kids’ clubs and activities. From splash parks and water slides to arts and crafts, children of all ages will have a blast on board. Teens have their own hangout spots where they can socialize and participate in age-appropriate activities.

For those looking to relax and unwind, Norwegian Cruise Line has a range of spa and wellness amenities. Indulge in a massage, treat yourself to a facial, or simply relax in the tranquil surroundings of the spa area. The ships also feature multiple pools, hot tubs, and sun decks where guests can soak up the sun and enjoy the ocean views.

Adventure seekers will also find plenty of thrilling activities on board. Norwegian Cruise Line boasts features like onboard ropes courses, rock climbing walls, and even go-kart tracks for those seeking an adrenaline rush.

Onshore excursions are another highlight of Norwegian Cruise Line. With numerous options available at each port of call, guests can explore the local culture, engage in outdoor adventures, or simply relax on beautiful beaches.

With its freestyle approach, a Norwegian Cruise Line vacation from Houston offers the perfect balance of relaxation, entertainment, and flexibility. Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or as a couple, Norwegian Cruise Line provides a carefree and enjoyable cruising experience.

For families seeking a truly magical and enchanting cruise experience, Disney Cruise Line is the perfect choice. Departing from Houston, Disney Cruise Line offers a range of itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, providing guests with the opportunity to sail away on a Disney-themed adventure.

One of the standout features of Disney Cruise Line is the inclusion of beloved Disney characters throughout the entire journey. From Mickey Mouse to Elsa and Captain Jack Sparrow, guests can meet and interact with their favorite characters, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Disney Cruise Line ships are designed with families in mind, offering a wide range of activities and entertainment for all ages. The ships feature dedicated children’s areas, where young cruisers can enjoy supervised activities, games, and splash zones. Teens have their own exclusive hangout spaces, while adults can relax in tranquil pools and indulge in adult-only areas.

Onboard entertainment is a major highlight of Disney Cruise Line. Guests can enjoy Broadway-style shows featuring Disney characters and stories, as well as live music performances and themed deck parties. The ships also offer 3D movie theaters, where families can watch the latest Disney films while cruising the high seas.

In addition to the exciting onboard experiences, Disney Cruise Line also offers unique shore excursions at each port of call. Families can explore stunning beaches, participate in water sports, or embark on cultural adventures, all curated with the Disney touch.

One of the standout areas on Disney Cruise Line ships is the AquaDuck water coaster, a thrilling ride that takes guests on a winding journey above the ship’s decks. The ships also feature pools, water play areas, and waterslides that are perfect for families looking to cool off and have some fun in the sun.

Disney Cruise Line is also known for its exceptional dining experiences. Guests rotate through different themed restaurants each night, providing a new and exciting atmosphere. From character dining experiences to fine dining options, the culinary offerings are sure to satisfy even the most discerning palates.

Embarking on a Disney Cruise Line vacation from Houston is like stepping into a world of magic and wonder. With its attention to detail, family-friendly entertainment, and exceptional service, Disney Cruise Line offers a truly unforgettable experience for guests of all ages.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises is known for its luxurious and sophisticated cruise experiences. Departing from Houston, Celebrity Cruises offers a range of itineraries to destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, providing guests with an upscale and refined vacation.

One of the standout features of Celebrity Cruises is their commitment to culinary excellence. Onboard, guests can indulge in a variety of dining options, ranging from casual bistros to specialty restaurants created by world-renowned chefs. The culinary experiences aboard Celebrity Cruises are designed to cater to even the most discerning palates.

When it comes to entertainment, Celebrity Cruises offers captivating performances and shows. Guests can enjoy Broadway-style productions, live music acts, and themed parties. There are also lounges and bars where guests can relax, socialize, and enjoy live music or DJ performances.

Celebrity Cruises offers a range of luxurious amenities and services for those seeking relaxation and pampering. The ships feature serene spa facilities where guests can enjoy massages, facials, and other rejuvenating treatments. There are also fitness centers, pools, and sun decks for guests to unwind and soak up the sun.

For those looking to enhance their knowledge, Celebrity Cruises offers educational and enrichment activities. Guests can attend lectures, workshops, and classes on a variety of topics such as art, history, and cooking. It’s a great way to expand your horizons while enjoying a luxurious vacation.

Onboard, Celebrity Cruises offers a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. From the stunning design of the ships to the attentive service provided by the crew, every aspect of the cruise experience exudes luxury and refinement. It’s the perfect choice for those seeking a more upscale and stylish vacation.

Celebrity Cruises also offers unique shore excursions at each port of call. Whether it’s exploring ancient ruins, snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, or immersing yourself in local culture, the excursions provide guests with unforgettable experiences and opportunities to discover the beauty of each destination.

A Celebrity Cruise from Houston promises an elegant and indulgent vacation experience. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking a luxurious getaway, Celebrity Cruises offers a sophisticated journey that combines exceptional service, culinary excellence, and enriching activities.

Holland America Line

Holland America Line is a renowned cruise line known for its timeless elegance and exceptional service. Departing from Houston, Holland America Line offers a variety of itineraries to destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, providing guests with a refined and enriching cruise experience.

One of the standout features of Holland America Line is their commitment to culinary excellence. The ships feature a wide range of dining options, from elegant specialty restaurants to casual eateries. Guests can indulge in expertly crafted dishes prepared with the finest ingredients, accompanied by impeccable service.

Holland America Line also offers a variety of onboard activities and enrichment programs designed to engage and educate guests. From cooking demonstrations and wine tastings to art galleries and lectures, there’s always something interesting happening on board. Guests can also enjoy live music performances, dance classes, and even digital workshops.

For relaxation and rejuvenation, Holland America Line offers exquisite spa and wellness facilities. Guests can indulge in a variety of treatments, from massages to facials, or enjoy the tranquility of the thermal suite and hydrotherapy pools. The ships also feature fitness centers, pools, and outdoor decks where guests can take in the breathtaking ocean views.

Entertainment on Holland America Line is diverse and captivating. From live music performances and Broadway-style shows to themed parties and dancing under the stars, there’s something for everyone. The ships also offer bars, lounges, and nightclubs where guests can mingle, enjoy a drink, and socialize.

Holland America Line also offers unique shore excursions at each port of call. Guests can explore historic sites, embark on outdoor adventures, or immerse themselves in the local culture and cuisine. The excursions are curated to provide a deeper understanding of the destination.

One of the hallmarks of Holland America Line is their elegant and spacious ships. From the sophisticated design to the attention to detail, every aspect of the cruise experience exudes a sense of timeless luxury. The staterooms and suites feature modern amenities and comfortable furnishings, ensuring a cozy and relaxing stay.

A Holland America Line cruise from Houston promises a refined and enriching vacation experience. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or a first-timer, Holland America Line offers a journey that combines elegance, culinary delights, engaging activities, and exceptional service.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is a leading cruise line known for its European elegance and Mediterranean flair. Departing from Houston, MSC Cruises offers a variety of itineraries to destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, providing guests with a unique and immersive vacation experience.

One of the standout features of MSC Cruises is their commitment to creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere on board. From the moment guests step foot on the ship, they are greeted with a sense of energy and excitement. The ships feature themed parties, live music performances, and entertainment options to suit all tastes and ages.

MSC Cruises also places a strong emphasis on providing a delightful culinary experience. The onboard dining options range from casual eateries to specialty restaurants, offering a variety of cuisines and flavors. Guests can savor delicious dishes created with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Onboard entertainment is diverse and engaging. Guests can enjoy Broadway-style shows, live music performances, and even interactive game shows. The ships also feature bars, lounges, and nightclubs where guests can dance the night away or simply relax with a drink.

For families, MSC Cruises offers a range of activities and amenities to keep everyone entertained. Kids can enjoy dedicated children’s clubs and play areas, while teenagers have their own designated hangout spots. Families can come together for fun-filled experiences like mini-golf and water parks.

MSC Cruises also places importance on relaxation and wellness. Guests can unwind at the onboard spa, indulge in a massage, or relax by the pool. The ships offer fitness facilities and outdoor spaces where guests can practice yoga or engage in outdoor activities.

One of the unique features of MSC Cruises is their commitment to environmental sustainability. The cruise line has implemented various measures to reduce its environmental impact, including energy-saving initiatives and recycling programs.

MSC Cruises also offers unique shore excursions at each port of call, allowing guests to explore the local culture, history, and natural beauty of each destination. Whether it’s swimming in crystal-clear waters, visiting ancient ruins, or indulging in local cuisine, the excursions offer a chance to create memorable experiences.

A cruise with MSC Cruises from Houston promises a vibrant and immersive vacation experience. Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or as a couple, MSC Cruises offers a blend of excitement, relaxation, and cultural experiences that will leave you with lasting memories.

Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises is a luxury cruise line known for its impeccable service, exquisite cuisine, and intimate ship experiences. Departing from Houston, Silversea Cruises offers a selection of itineraries to diverse destinations, ensuring a truly indulgent and unforgettable voyage.

One of the standout features of Silversea Cruises is their commitment to providing an all-inclusive experience. From fine dining and premium beverages to gratuities and onboard activities, guests can enjoy a worry-free vacation with no additional charges. The culinary offerings onboard Silversea Cruises are extraordinary, with gourmet menus created by renowned chefs and a choice of elegant dining venues.

With their smaller-sized ships, Silversea Cruises offers a more intimate and personalized cruising experience. The spacious suites are elegantly furnished, and most come with private verandas for guests to enjoy stunning ocean views. The attentive crew provides exceptional service, ensuring that guests’ needs and preferences are met with care and attention to detail.

Silversea Cruises also offers a range of enriching activities and entertainment options. Guests can enjoy live music performances, lectures, and destination-focused presentations that provide insights into the local culture and history of the visited ports. The ships also feature spa facilities where guests can indulge in luxurious treatments and wellness activities.

For those seeking adventure and exploration, Silversea Cruises offers unique shore excursions. From guided tours and wildlife encounters to thrilling outdoor activities, guests have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the stunning landscapes and vibrant cultures of each destination.

Silversea Cruises is known for its attention to detail and exceptional service. The ships have a high staff-to-guest ratio, ensuring that every guest receives personalized attention and that their needs are met with care and professionalism. From the moment you step on board until the time you disembark, you can expect a level of service and luxury that surpasses your expectations.

If you’re looking for a luxurious and unforgettable cruise experience from Houston, Silversea Cruises offers a true sense of indulgence and exclusivity. The combination of exquisite dining, personalized service, and intimate ship experiences ensures that your journey will be nothing short of extraordinary.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises is a premium cruise line known for its luxurious amenities, culinary excellence, and immersive itineraries. Departing from Houston, Oceania Cruises offers a diverse range of itineraries to several destinations around the world, providing guests with a refined and unforgettable cruise experience.

One of the standout features of Oceania Cruises is their commitment to culinary excellence. The onboard dining options are nothing short of extraordinary, with multiple specialty restaurants offering gourmet cuisine created by renowned chefs. From French delicacies to Asian fusion, guests can indulge in a culinary journey like no other.

Oceania Cruises is also known for its exceptional service and attention to detail. The attentive crew provides personalized service, ensuring that every guest’s needs and preferences are met with care and professionalism. From the moment you step on board, you’ll be treated to a level of service that exceeds your expectations.

The ships of Oceania Cruises are designed to offer an intimate and sophisticated ambiance. With spacious and elegantly appointed staterooms, guests can unwind and relax in luxury. The ships also feature a variety of amenities, including pools, fitness centers, and spa facilities, providing opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Onboard entertainment on Oceania Cruises is diverse and captivating. Guests can enjoy live music performances, engaging lectures, and even hands-on cooking classes. The ships also feature bars, lounges, and nightclubs where you can socialize, dance, or simply relax with a drink in hand.

For those looking to explore the destinations in more depth, Oceania Cruises offers immersive shore excursions. Whether it’s touring historic sites, visiting local markets, or engaging in outdoor adventures, guests have the opportunity to truly experience the culture and beauty of each port.

Oceania Cruises also caters to wellness enthusiasts with their focus on health and wellness. The ships feature fitness centers, yoga studios, and wellness programs designed to relax the mind, rejuvenate the body, and inspire a healthy lifestyle.

If you’re seeking a premium and refined cruise experience from Houston, Oceania Cruises offers an exceptional journey that combines culinary excellence, personalized service, and immersive itineraries. From the first-class dining experiences to the well-appointed accommodations, every aspect of an Oceania Cruises voyage is designed to create unforgettable memories.

Embarking on a cruise vacation from Houston offers a fantastic opportunity to explore the world and experience the joys of sailing on the high seas. With a variety of cruise lines departing from the Port of Galveston, there’s a perfect option for every type of traveler.

From the fun and vibrant atmosphere of Carnival Cruise Line to the elegance and sophistication of Princess Cruises, there is a wide range of choices to suit different preferences and budgets. Royal Caribbean International offers thrilling adventures and innovative amenities, while Disney Cruise Line provides a magical experience for families.

Celebrity Cruises offers a refined and luxurious cruising experience, while MSC Cruises provides a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Holland America Line caters to those seeking an elevated and sophisticated vacation, while Silversea Cruises delivers the epitome of luxury and personalized service. Finally, Oceania Cruises invites guests to indulge in culinary excellence and immerse themselves in immersive itineraries.

Regardless of the cruise line you choose, a cruise vacation from Houston promises a blend of relaxation, adventure, and captivating entertainment. Whether you’re seeking vibrant nightlife, world-class dining, thrilling activities, or serene relaxation, there’s an option for every taste and preference.

From the moment you embark on your cruise ship to the time you disembark, you’ll be treated to exceptional service, luxurious amenities, and breathtaking moments both on board and at each port of call. The cruise lines departing from Houston offer diverse itineraries that allow you to explore tropical islands, ancient ruins, vibrant cities, and picturesque coastal destinations.

So, pack your bags, leave your worries behind, and embark on an unforgettable cruise adventure from Houston. Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or as a couple, a cruise vacation is the perfect way to create lifelong memories and experience the joy of sailing the open seas.

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Museums in Houston

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Houston's Best Parks

10 Houston Parks to Visit

There are a lot of things bigger in Texas—the highways, the rodeo , the commutes—but few are as impressive as Houston’s green spaces. The city’s park system is made up of more than 38,000 acres of wildlife and recreation that are a mix of quaint neighborhood parks and sprawling oases. Here are some of the best.

Smither Park

Courtesy of Smither Park

Who says parks all have to be green? Smither Park is decked out in a wild mix of colorful mosaic, making it easily one of the coolest and most Instagrammable places in Houston. Everything—from play areas (including a bench swing and marble roll) to performance stages to covered spaces—is decorated with designs made with repurposed materials like bottle caps, seashells, and broken ceramic. The park’s signature feature is the Memory Wall. At roughly 400 feet, the wall spans with entirely length of the park and includes more than 60 different mosaic panels that are perfect backdrops for colorful photoshoots.

Courtesy of Levy Park Conservancy

Levy Park isn’t just one of the city’s newest urban parks; it’s also one of its most popular. The Upper Kirby space puts every square inch of the park to good use. The unique children’s area isn't like traditional playgrounds: it has a giant stone slide instead of several plastic ones, a spherical jungle gym in lieu of monkey bars. There are large tunnels and grassy mounds to crawl over and through that offer a natural-feeling alternative to a metal playset. The play space, however, is only a fraction of the fun. The park also features an activity cart, library, dog run, packed events calendar, and a rotating selection of food trucks that make it easy to stay all day (and come back the next).

Donovan Park

This Heights-area park is one of the few neighborhood playgrounds in Houston that was actually built by the neighborhood itself. In fall of 1996, families in the Heights pitched in to build the all-wooden playsets. It took just five days and has been a favorite gathering place for area families ever since. While the kids play, grown-ups can hang out at benches and tables or under one of the tall trees for shade. In addition to all the fun stuff inside, one of the best features of Donovan Park is its location. The park sits on Heights Boulevard, near the intersection of two busy biking and jogging trails and within walking distance to some of the neighborhood’s best restaurants.

Hermann Park

TripSavvy / Robyn Correll

There are a lot of great things to see and do in Houston’s Museum District (also called Museum Park), but Hermann Park tops the list. The space is home to some of the city’s favorite attractions—including the Houston Zoo and Miller Outdoor Theatre—as well as splash pads, a golf course, playgrounds, and a jogging trail. Both the Japanese gardens and the McGovern Centennial Gardens are a favorite place for family outings and photoshoots, and kids love to ride the Hermann Park Railroad or fly kites on the hill behind Miller.

Pro tip: Parking can be tricky on busy weekends, but the park’s METRORail stop and multiple BCycle stations provide nice alternatives to circling the grounds to find a space.

Exploration Park

Courtesy of Willow Fork Drainage District

Located out in the western suburb of Katy, Exploration Park is a bit of a hike from Houston’s downtown, but it’s well worth the drive if you have kids in tow. The children’s play area structures are versatile—there’s no one right way to use the equipment—making it a particularly popular hangout for families with a wide range of ages. Exploration Park is big on conservation; signage and an interactive water feature in the park help educate visitors about the water cycle.

Pro tip: Exploration Park is a great place for a birthday shindig, but it doesn’t take reservations. If you want to host a party, come early to snag a space in the pavilion.

Memorial Park

Courtesy of Memorial Park Conservancy 

At over 1,400 acres, Memorial Park is Houston’s largest park inside the Inner Loop, and a good bet for those looking for a more traditional park experience. It houses a golf course, community pool, tennis courts, soccer fields, hike and bike trails, countless picnic tables, a classic playground, and lots and lots of trees. Memorial Park is located near the intersection of I-10 and 610 (two of Houston’s busiest freeways), but it’s easy to forget how central it is. There are spots in the park, especially within the Houston Nature Center and Arboretum, that feel like you’re miles from the city—despite being right inside it.

Buffalo Bayou Park

TripSavvy / Vincent Mercer

Buffalo Bayou isn’t just the park’s namesake; it’s its most prominent feature. The park is narrow but long, filling in the thin stretch of land on either side of the waterway between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive. The entire length of the park goes from Shepherd Drive into downtown. Along the way, you’ll see lush landscaping, paved bike trails, sculptures, dog parks, skate parks, kayakers , and play areas. Perhaps the coolest inclusion, however, is the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern . The underground space used to be a part of the city’s water system before being decommissioned and renovated for public tours and art installations.

Emancipation Park

Emancipation Park was founded in 1872 by Reverend Jack Yates, a local minister and former slave in Houston. The park was originally created to celebrate the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in Texas, the last state to do so at the end of the Civil War, on June 19, 1865. The celebration at Emancipation Park in 1872 was one of the earliest Juneteenth events in the nation. Juneteenth, which is now a federal holiday in the U.S., is still commemorated every year at Emancipation Park.

Emancipation Park is rumored to be the oldest public park in Texas, and for a while, it was the only park open to Black people in Houston. Its long and rich history alone make it one of the most important public spaces in the city, but it’s also a great park having been completely renovated in 2017. With amenities like a recreation center, swimming pool, splash pad, walking trails, and playgrounds, the park has continued to serve as a meeting place for the community on June 19 and every day of the year.

Like many green spaces in Houston, this 100-acre East End park is dual-purpose: recreation and flood control. Roughly 3.5 acres of the park have been converted into wetlands, where ponds host plants and wildlife while at the same time protecting the nearby streets and homes from flooding after heavy rains. It’s also a neighborhood activity center, with sports fields and courts, a swimming pool, jogging trail, exercise stations, and a community center. Taken together, the two pieces create a fun, activity-filled space that’s surrounded by natural beauty.

Discovery Green

Courtesy of Discovery Green

Houston’s downtown might be known for its concrete skyscrapers, god-awful traffic, and ubiquitous parking garages, but it’s also home to one of the best parks in the city. Discovery Green offers a natural reprieve right in the heart of downtown. The 12-acre plot houses a lot of the things that make up a great park—a large green lawn, a small lake, and children’s playground equipment—but adds its own sophisticated urban flare. Interactive sculptures and frequent art installations provide a touch of culture, while performance spaces and a jam-packed events calendar ensure there’s always something fun going on.

Pro tip: Be sure to visit during the holidays when the park turns into a winter wonderland complete with an outdoor ice rink.

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RV Rental Houston (West), TX

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Houston West RV Rentals are available from Cruise America, and this makes traveling the Lone Star State a breeze! Our rental center on the west side of Houston is convenient for RV pickups. It's a great starting point for your Texas vacation.

There are a myriad of things to see and do in the city of Houston, Texas. You can start your adventure by making an educational visit to the Holocaust Museum Houston. Here you and your family will gain an understanding of the injustice that occurred. There is authentic film footage, artifacts, photographs and documents that editorialize the pre-war European life, the Nazi move toward the “Final Solution” and what life was like after the Holocaust. There is a 1942 Holocaust-era railcar and Danish rescue boat, which show how two different populations dealt with evil and injustice. While in Houston, be sure to enjoy a visit to Hermann Park, where you can get out and stretch our legs in the beauty of the wooded areas. Enjoy a picnic, take a run on the trails, or take your dog for a frolic in one of the on-leash dog areas. In this park you will also find the Houston Zoological Gardens, a golf course and an outdoor theater that serves as a venue for concerts and plays.

If you want to venture out of Houston, consider traveling west on I-10 for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes to Austin, the state capital and the home of the University of Texas. The downtown scene is an interesting mix of contemporary hippy-type restaurants, bars, music, museums and a wide variety of entertainment. The most famous street in the downtown area is 6th street (formerly known as Pecan Street). It is considered the heart of the entertainment and nightlife scene. The historical buildings along the street are now used as bars, music venues, cafes and art galleries. Your Houston experience would be incomplete without a visit to the Texas State Capitol, which is the oldest state office structure. Free tours are offered, and provide an educational look at the history of Texas. There are a host of great RV parks where you can station your rental RV for the night, week or month!

For another jaunt out of Houston, enjoy a visit to Lockhart, Texas. This town is commonly known as the "BBQ Capital of Texas. Some of the spots that rank highest in popularity are Black’s Barbecue, a family establishment that has been in business since 1932, Kreuz Market, and Smitty’s Market. The Lockhart courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, and you can have a picnic at Lockhart State Park. You can get there by taking I-10 W and I-71 W for about 2 ½ hours.

The Lone Star state is a big place, and the list of things to see and do there are practically endless. However, no matter where you decide to go in your Cruise America RV, you are bound to have an incredible time. Cruise America also offers RV rentals in 77082, 77339, 75104, 75007, 76022, 75235, 78753 and more. Book your RV rental in Texas today! If you're interesting in purchasing your own RV, check out some of our used  RVs for sale. There are options for all experience levels!

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Two 14-year-olds among 4 teens arrested in killing of beloved houston convenience store clerk, “this still hurts - some child has to grow up without her father.”.

Gage Goulding , News Reporter , Houston, TX

HOUSTON – Four teenagers, all ages 16 and younger, have been charged in the murder of Houston gas station and convenience store clerk, Steven Mendoza.

Mendoza was a beloved father, husband and friend. He was shot and killed while working the overnight shift at a gas station near Hobby Airport on March 20.

• Houston mother charged for abandoning children to go on cruise appears in court. Here’s what we know

The arrests took place over the last two-and-half weeks and were made public by the Houston Police Department today.

Two 14-year-olds were picked up by HPD’s Southeast Division Crime Suppression team about a week after the murder. One of the 16-year-olds was arrested April 6, and the other arrested just today.

• ‘I hope those 3 boys haunt you’ Houston Judge tells child murderer Brian Coulter who killed girlfriend’s 8-year-old son

All four are charged with capital murder, according to Houston police who say they tried robbing the Chevron gas station on the corner of Gulf Freeway and Monroe Road that night.

At some point during the robbery , one of the suspects shot and killed the man working behind the counter.

Steven Mendoza was 42 years old.

However, many people don’t know Steven’s real name. Instead, they know him by Fluffy.

“Most people know him as fluff or fluffy,” said Travis Heinrichs, a longtime friend of Fluffy. “Some people know him as the big guy.”

It’s a fitting nickname for a guy that has a personality larger than life and a smile a mile wide.

“Fluffy was never friend,” Heinrichs said. “That’s my brother.”

Not by blood, but Fluffy would give his own to protect the ones he lived.

• Houston store clerk murder marks 3rd deadly shooting in 5 months on same Gulf Freeway corner

The two met while working security gigs many years ago. Knowing his background in keeping himself and others safe is what makes this whole situation so hard for Heinrichs to understand.

“He’s always said, you know, this ain’t my first rodeo. I’ve been here before.”

Security camera video obtained by KPRC 2 News from several nearby businesses show a light-colored sedan pulling down the street near the gas station around 12:42 a.m.

You see one person get out and walk in the store.

Moments later, the vehicle turns around and parks outside of a closed business that shares a parking lot with the gas station. At least one other person got out of the car and went into the store.

Within five minutes, you can see the suspects run from the store, at least one gets in the car, and they take off.

• C lerk shot, killed at gas station near Hobby Airport overnight; 3 shooters still on the run

The Houston Police Department says Fluffy was killed during an attempted robbery .

“I hope and pray HPD is doing everything that they possibly can to find the three people that did this because they deserve the worst,” Heinrichs said.

Meanwhile, Fluffy’s friends and family, including his wife and young daughter, are left figuring out how to move forward knowing someone killed a man who loved others more than himself.

“It’s just, it’s not fair. It’s not fair for for his wife. It’s not fair for his kids. And it’s it’s just not fair for the friends and family that that now don’t have Fluffy.”

• Missing in Houston: 14 years later, Ali Lowitzer remains missing without a trace

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Gage goulding.

Gage Goulding is an award-winning TV news reporter and anchor. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, he comes to Texas from Fort Myers, FL, where he covered some of the areas most important stories, including Hurricane Ian.

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• child abandoned

29-year-old mother who left children alone while on a cruise has done it before, court records show

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 29-year-old mother who is accused of leaving her two young children home alone while she went on a cruise has allegedly done it before, according to court records.

Lakesha Woods Williams is charged with abandoning a child with intent to return and is being held on a $25,000 bond.

The Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office was called out to her luxury high rise in the Memorial City area for a welfare check on April 9. Neighbors had expressed concerns about children being unattended.

"Many of the residents were worried about the children and have said this is not the first time that something like this has occurred," Williams' charging document stated.

There, they found her 6-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son alone in the apartment, which they noted was in a state of disarray.

The children told deputies they had been alone since April 4 and that their mother was on a cruise. They said they did not know when she was coming home.

PREVIOUS STORY: Mom left her 6- and 8-year-old kids alone at their Memorial home to go on a cruise, records state

Deputies noted that the apartment smelled like urine, and it was apparent the children had attempted to prepare food for themselves. They also found a webcam she used to check in on them and a phone that the 8-year-old was using to communicate with Williams while she was away. It was confiscated by deputies.

Williams had flown to Miami five days prior and boarded a cruise to Puerto Rico, according to deputies.

When deputies contacted Williams, they said she was uncooperative and changed her story about where she was.

On Friday afternoon, Williams appeared before a magistrate, who said that the mother's bond would be set higher than usual on the charge because there are allegations that similar circumstances have occurred before.

If Williams posts her $25,000 bond, she will have to get a GPS ankle monitor and adhere to a curfew.

Her children are now in the custody of her sister, and the magistrate issued a protective order that prevents her from communicating with or being near her daughter and son.

She is due back in court on April 15 at 9 a.m. before Judge Brian Warren.

For more on this story, follow Mycah Hatfield on Facebook , X and Instagram .

Related Topics

• CHILD ABANDONED
• PARENTS CHARGED
• MOTHER ARRESTED
• CHILD HOME ALONE
• CHILD ENDANGERMENT

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