It’s no secret that Downtown is one of best places to experience Houston’s thriving nightlife. The dynamic neighborhood has a variety of activities accommodating the city’s diverse inhabitants. Whether you have the family in tow, you’re a sports fan, or you love food and cocktails, you can curate a Downtown itinerary for a memorable night on the town.

Family Night

Houston Aquarium photo by Shutterstock

Families looking for a fun night out in Downtown have a few options. The Houston Aquarium, home to over 300 species of marine animals as well as white tigers, has hands-on exhibits and a variety of carnival games and rides including a train ride through a tunnel surrounded by sharks. When hunger strikes, families can dine at the in-house restaurant as sea creatures swim past. Top the off night with a ride on the dazzling Ferris wheel that spins high above the cityscape, offering sweeping views. 

For free family fun, Downtown’s urban park Discovery Green hosts a variety of kid-friendly programming like concerts, game nights, and outdoor movie screenings. Bring a blanket and enjoy picnic with a view towering skyscrapers under the stars.

Dinner Date

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Whether you’re on a first date or celebrating an anniversary, Downtown’s dining scene is unparalleled. Hearsay Market Square, one of the city's most buzzed-about restaurants, has everything needed for an unforgettable evening. Housed in an historic brick building from 1889, this restaurant provides an intimate, chandelier-lit dining experience.

In Houston, Tex-Mex is standard, but for a taste of authentic Oaxacan cuisine, try Xochi. Helmed by renowned chef Hugo Ortega, Xochi serves mezcal, moles, and colorful masa dishes in a modern, bright setting. 

Carnivorous couples frequent Vic and Anthony’s, an elegant steakhouse with white tablecloths and an extensive wine selection. Vic and Anthony’s is highly lauded and was named one of Houston’s top 100 restaurants by the Houston Chronicle this year.

Art and Theater

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Downtown encompasses Houston’s Theater District, which provides residents with a myriad of world-class cultural venues and performances. With upwards of 12,000 seats, the Houston Theater District has the second-highest concentration of theater seats in the country behind New York City. 

The city’s cosmopolitans can watch Broadway shows and musicals at the illustrious Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and the historic Alley Theater. Music and dance aficionados can attend performances by the Houston Grand Opera and the graceful Houston Ballet in Wortham Theater and by the Houston Symphony Orchestra in Jones Hall.

Sports Fans

Minute Maid Park photo by Shutterstock

Downtown is a stomping ground for two of Houston’s major sports teams, making it a playground for avid sports fans. The Astros and the Rockets play Downtown at Minute Maid Park and the Toyota Center, respectively. Passionate fans have the opportunity to cheer on their home teams steps away from all the action.

If you’re hoping to watch a game at a sports bar, you have plenty of options Downtown. One hangout that’s popular among locals is Live, a rooftop bar furnished with tiki huts and multiple big screen TVs. Fans can surround themselves with friends and neighbors and enjoy the bar’s cold brews and Downtown views.

Soccer lovers can attend Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash games at BBVA Compass Stadium, located on the edge of Downtown in EaDo (a neighborhood formerly part of Downtown). Dynamo legend Brian Ching recently opened Pitch 25, a massive bar and indoor soccer complex steps away from the stadium. Pitch 25 airs professional soccer matches on their numerous TVs and was a major neighborhood venue during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 

Cocktail Tour

Cocktails / Shutterstock

Four of the city’s prominent craft cocktail bars are clustered on a Main Street block in Downtown. In order to sample a selection of the city’s best drinks, embark on a self-guided cocktail tour. Newcomer High and Dry spotlights an often overlooked spirit: rum. The bar includes a variety of carefully crafted rum-based libations and over 50 different types of rum for sipping neat. From there, enter Moving Sidewalk, a quaint lounge with exposed brick interiors and inventive concoctions.

The next two places are a bit trickier to locate; don’t fret when the GPS leads to an unassuming law office entrance. Enter and ascend the staircase where you’ll find Capt. Foxheart’s Bad News Bar, a speakeasy with a rooftop patio overlooking Main Street—the perfect place for people watching with an expertly made Old-Fashioned in hand. Lastly, locate the neon-lit Pastry War. An unmarked door past the bar encloses Tongue Cut Sparrow, one of Houston’s most alluring establishments. Tongue Cut Sparrow’s reputation precedes it, and since there are only 25 seats in the “Mad Men”-esque lounge, you’ll likely have to make a reservation. While waiting, enjoy a smoky mezcal-based margarita downstairs.