Houston Visitors Guide for Muslim Travelers

After traveling through 3 major states of the United States of America, I came to the conclusion that Texas, and especially the city of Houston is the most Muslim-friendly of them all. Not that other states treated us badly, but Houston sure made us feel like home.

For Muslim tourists, the term “feel like home” or “Halal-friendly” usually refers to the level of comfort and ease they experience by being in any locality. In short, a place that doesn’t make them feel alienated.

Houston is definitely one of the best culturally diversified cities to live in the US for Muslims; what’s more, is that it is loaded with amazing tourist attractions too, that you might haven’t heard about. Starting from world-class museums, to beautiful botanic gardens, endless Halal food options, to wonderful amusement parks, the city has something to offer everyone.

So here’s a comprehensive 3-day halal guide in Houston:

Day 1 – Houston Skyline, Museum & Aquarium Day

 

Tip: Reserve Day 1 plan for a Thursday (if you have any Thursday available during your stay) since all museums in Houston museum district are free to enter every Thursday evening from 5 pm onwards, and are open till late.

Morning:

Cycle, boat or walk around Buffalo Bayou Park to find the best views of Houston Skyline. Take a picture with Houston downtown skyline for your cover photo.

Breakfast:

The Kitchen at Dunlavy – the most beautiful restaurant with a luxury dining setup, overlooking Buffalo Bayou

(Not Zabiha, but you can choose from their vegetarian menu, or have meatless items such as avocado toast, etc.)

Address: 3422 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TX 77019
Hours: 7 am – 2 pm

Or

Aga’s Restaurant & Catering – for Halal Indian/Pakistani style breakfast

Address: 11842 Wilcrest Dr, Houston, TX 77031
Hours: 11 am – 10:15 pm

Day Activity:

Downtown Aquarium

Address: 410 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
Hours: 10 am – 8:30 pm

Lunch:

Downtown Aquarium restaurant – for snacks

Or

Just Falafel – for Halal middle-eastern wraps and falafel

Address: 500 Dallas Street, Suite t20b, Houston, TX 77002
Hours: 10:30 am – 2:30 pm

Evening Activity:

Choose any museum of interest. My recommendations are:

1. Houston Museum of Fine Arts
   Address: 1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005
   Hours: 10 am – (check Google, timings vary)

 

1. Houston Museum of Natural Sciences
   Address: 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
   Hours: 9 am – 5 pm (except Thursdays)

Note: If you’re NOT visiting on a Thursday, then check museum hours and switch Downtown Aquarium with your museum visit; as the aquarium is usually open until late, however, museums close down between 5-9 pm (varies from day to day).

Nearby Mosque:

Islamic Daw’ah Center

Address: 201 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002
Hours: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Dinner:

M&M Grill – for the best Halal juicy burgers, tacos, and burritos in Houston

Address: 6921 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX 77021
Hours: 11 am – 10 pm

Day 2 –Space Center & Waterfront Amusement Park

 

Breakfast:

Eggcellence– for delicious Halal meaty breakfast combos including bacon, sausages, salami

Address: 514 S Mason Rd, Katy, TX 77450
Hours: 6:30 am – 3 pm

Or

Cheesecake Factory – for delicious cakes, coffee, shakes and regular (no meat) breakfast

Address: 1450 Bay Area Blvd, Friendswood, TX 77546
Hours: 11 am – 11 pm

Tip: Leave early morning, as the distance from Houston to Galveston is about 1.5 hrs. Have breakfast in Galveston

Morning Activity:

Johnson Space Center

Address: 2101 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058
Hours: 10 am – 5 pm
Ticket: $30

Tip: Do not miss the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility tram tour that’s included in the ticket.

Lunch:

Chipotle – (Not Zabiha), but you can ask them to skip adding meat in their burrito bowl, which is must-try food of Texas

Address: 304 Bay Area Blvd #600, Webster, TX 77598
Hours: 10:45 am – 10 pm

Evening Activity:

Kemah Boardwalk – Beautiful waterfront amusement park with lots to do

Address: 215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565, United States
Hours: 12 pm – (check Google, timings vary)
Ticket: $24.99 All-day pass / option of buying separate tickets for each ride also available

Nearby Mosque:

Galveston Islamic Center
Address: 921 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, TX 77550

Dinner:

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. – for the best seafood chowder and fish n chips

Address: 5, Boardwalk, Kemah, TX 77565
Hours: 11 am – 9:30 pm

Or

Afghan Village – for best Afghani Pilaf & grilled Halal food from Afghani cuisine

Address: 6413 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77081
Hours: 11 am – 10 pm

Day 3 – Nature & Parks

 

Breakfast:

Café Poetes  for the most delicious éclair and French-style brunch, breakfast or high-tea
(Requires advance table booking)

Address: 122 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019
Hours: 10 am – hours vary

Or

Sleek Creperie + Café – for the best sweet or savory crepes you’ll ever have in Texas

Address: 5868 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057
Hours: 10 am – 12 am

Morning Activity:

Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park – Man-made waterfall, top tourist attraction of Houston

Address: 2800 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056, United States
Hours: 8 am – 9 pm

Day Activity:

Tip: There are a number of great activities to do around this part of Houston; however, your choice should depend on the season you’re visiting in. It gets too hot during daytime in summers, and almost impossible to walk around parks during rains, therefore pick and plan accordingly.

1. Arboretum & Nature Center
   Address: 4501 Woodway Dr, Houston, TX 77024, United States
   Hours: 7 am – 6:30 pm
2. Discovery Green
   Address: 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
   Hours: 6 am – 11 pm
   Ticket: Free

 

• Houston Zoo
  Address: 6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
  Hours: 9 am – 6 pm
  Ticket: $18

Nearby Mosque:

Islamic Da’wah Center
Address: 201 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002

Evening:

Smither Park – A beautiful mosaic art park, perfect for taking some awesome Instagram worthy photos

Address: 2441 Munger St, Houston, TX 77023

Dinner:

Avesta Persian Grill – The best Halal and authentic Persian Kabobs and rice I’ve ever had in my life.

 

Address: 2691 Wilcrest Dr suite a, Houston, TX 77042
Hours: 11 am – 10 pm

Where to Stay in Houston

The best 3 areas to stay in Houston, recommended by tourists are:

1. Galleria – Good for shopping
2. Midtown – Good for enjoying nightlife and walking
3. Downtown – Good for business travelers and people who don’t have a car

How to Get Around Houston

Areas such as Mid-town and Up-town, around downtown Houston are well connected with Houston Metro train and bus service, however, if you wish to visit tourist attractions that are in suburbs, then renting a car or hailing Uber are two convenient options.

If you only have a day or a few hours to see Houston, then the best thing to do is to take Houston Hop on Hop off city tour that covers a lot of major tourist attractions without much hassle.

 

I hope you enjoyed my Muslim-friendly Houston travel guide.
Let me know if you found this article helpful, or about any other amazing attractions of Houston that should be on the bucket list.

Also, check out mosques available in Texas: here.

Good luck with your trip, and happy planning!

 

Mariam Ahmed is a Muslim Pakistani mother who loves to plan family vacations. Moreover, she enjoys sharing travel planning advice and genuine reviews on her blog i.e. guiltymamaonthego ; aiming to make vacation planning easy and doable for Muslim millennial parents.
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