There’s far more to do in Houston than drinking. In fact, it’s easy to find alternative activities that are fun, social, and genuinely memorable.
Once you’ve decided to pursue sobriety, replacing alcohol-adjacent activities with alternative “dry” activities is wise. At first, this prospect can seem daunting. After all, how is it possible to have fun without drinking alcohol?
Far from being boring alternatives, these Houston activities are exciting and best enjoyed completely sober. If you’re building a new routine in recovery, you may also like our guides to zero-proof drinks in Houston, other things to do in Houston, and tips for finding sober roommates in Houston.
Need support while you build a sober lifestyle? If you’re in Houston, you can learn more about our Houston addiction and mental health rehab, explore flexible treatment options like IOP and Outpatient, or contact us for a confidential conversation. If you’re supporting a loved one, visit our Family Support page.
Quick List: Fun Sober Activities in Houston
- Take a Tex-Mex Food Truck Tour
- Visit Space Center Houston
- Check Out the Orange Show
- Kayak Buffalo Bayou
- Volunteer with Houston Habitat for Humanity
- Go Surfing in Galveston
- Enjoy a Film at the Rooftop Cinema Club
- Experience the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
- Explore the Art Car Museum
- Explore the Houston Museum District
- Reflect at the Rothko Chapel
- Get Messy with Houston BBQ
- Go to the Texas Renaissance Festival
- Volunteer with the Galveston Bay Foundation
- Tour the Battleship Texas State Historic Site
15 Exciting and Fun Sober Activities in Houston, Texas
Take a Tex-Mex Food Truck Tour
Houston’s Tex-Mex food scene is incredible. Food trucks have exploded onto the culinary scene in the last 15 years. Houston’s Tex-Mex food trucks offer convenient, restaurant-quality food at affordable prices. And the best part is that there are so many good ones from which to choose.
Pretty soon, you’ll be doing your meal planning based on where they’re going to park next.
Bonus Tip: Patronize El Ultimo, El Gato, and La Esquina. You won’t regret this.
Don’t Have a Problem at the NASA Space Center
“Houston, we have a problem” is probably the most quoted line in the history of really bad (but slightly funny) situations where Americans are present.
Although the quote is slightly different from the real one by astronaut John Swigert, it got relayed to the third floor of building 30 of the NASA Johnson Space Center. Today, the facility has been converted into a museum which hosts 1.25 million visitors annually.
The 400+ space exhibits focus on STEM educational content and will spark your sense of wonder and curiosity.
Bonus Tip: Geek out over the restored mission control room as part of the tour.
Check Out the Orange Show
The Orange Show Monument is the folksy brainchild of late Houston postal worker Jefferson Davis McKissack. It’s now a 501(c)(3) foundation.
The monument is part maze, art installation, museum, pond, and stage. Best of all, it’s all hand-painted orange. McKissack believed good health was the product of nutrition, working hard, and eating oranges.
As you pursue recovery, it’s nice to be reminded that small, daily habits can positively affect your health in a big way.
Bonus Tip: Explore the Orange Show Monument on the weekends from 10 am to 2 pm.
Kayak Buffalo Bayou
If you’re up for a pleasant river paddling experience, kayaking the Buffalo Bayou might be for you.
There are no “Class 5” river rapids here. The Buffalo Bayou is a slow-moving river that cuts through Houston on its way to Galveston Bay.
Kayaks are available for rent from outfitters like the Buffalo Bayou Kayak Tour.
Bonus Tip: If you let the Buffalo Bayou River take you, it can carry you from one end of Buffalo Bayou Park to the other.
Bless Local Homeowners with Habitat for Humanity
You might have heard of mortgage equity, but have you ever heard of sweat equity?
Houston Habitat for Humanity helps people repair and build their homes. They help people become first-time homeowners with a zero-interest mortgage as long as they contribute “sweat equity” (helping build their own home).
Volunteering can be a wonderful way to give back to the community during recovery. When you can spend time not obsessing over the tough days of recovery, it gives you perspective into the big picture.
Bonus Tip: Volunteer with a building crew and bring home new carpentry skills you can apply at your residence.
Go Surfing in Galveston
Just an hour away from downtown Houston is Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico.
You don’t usually associate Texas with surfing, but Galveston is perfect for beginners because the waves generally only reach 2 to 3 foot swells.
Bonus Tip: Go in the early morning or late evening for the biggest waves because this is when the tide will be the highest.
Enjoy a Film at the Rooftop Cinema Club
Imagine catching a great film surrounded by the iconic Houston skyline.
This isn’t just a pipe dream. It’s a reality. If you’re worried about city noise ruining it, don’t worry. Everybody gets their own pair of headphones.
Bonus Tip: Choose the Rooftop Cinema Club for a date and select the love seats for two.
Experience the Incomparable Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo worldwide. It takes place over approximately three weeks in March every year.
Bonus Tip: Stay for the superstar concert that concludes each day.
Experience Wonder and Confusion at the Art Car Museum
The Art Car Museum is dedicated to art made out of cars.
Bonus Tip: Find the original FruitMobile in the museum.
Explore the Houston Museum District
The Houston Museum District includes walkable zones with 20 different museums. Ten museums are always free; others offer free hours at specific times, often on Thursdays.
Reflect on the Sublime at the Rothko Chapel
Part of the Houston Museum District, the Rothko Chapel is an interdenominational space for reflection.
Get Messy with Houston BBQ
Bonus Tip: Start with Flossies BBQ, Lonestar Sausage BBQ, and Feges BBQ. Come hungry.
Grab Your Tunic and Sixpence at the Texas Renaissance Festival
Hear ye, hear ye. If a festival involving feasting, haberdashery, jousting, and the King’s English makes your ears perk up, secure tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival.
Bonus Tip: Know your limits. Alcohol is present, so plan ahead and keep your recovery first. If you’re working on boundaries, you may find this helpful: It’s time to get selfish for the sake of your sobriety.
Restore Fragile Ecosystems with the Galveston Bay Foundation
Consider volunteering with the Galveston Bay Foundation to support coastal habitat restoration and conservation.
Tour the Battleship Texas State Historic Site
Even while it is in dry dock undergoing extensive repairs, you can take guided tours to appreciate the magnitude of the ship and the conditions it took to live at sea.
Looking for Help Getting Sober?
Alcohol addiction can adversely affect your personal, familial, and professional life. It can be even more complex when combined with anxiety, depression, trauma, or other co-occurring mental health conditions.
On average, people with alcohol use disorder may have their lifespan shortened by about 24 to 28 years compared to the general population.[1] If you are feeling stuck, discouraged, or worried about the future, help is available and change is possible.
If you’re determined to end alcohol addiction, The Heights Treatment Center can support you with structure, clinical care, and a plan for what comes next. We offer individualized programming in Houston, including:
- Individualized Intensive Program (IIP)
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Outpatient Program (OP)
If you’re supporting a loved one, visit our Family Support page. If you are ready to talk through options, contact us for a confidential conversation. You can also learn more about our facility here: Houston addiction and mental health rehab.
