If you’re looking for something fun to do this holiday break, check out these ideas for free and cheap things to do in Houston during Thanksgiving week
Top Pick – Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
Discovery Green is bringing back ice skating on the green for the whole winter. Enjoy open-air skating with updated safety protocols, including online ticket sales and plenty of seating to change into skates. This event makes our list of the top things to do this week in Houston.
When: Monday – Friday: 5-10 pm (Fridays open until 11pm), Saturday & HISD School Holidays*: 11 am-11 pm, Sunday: 11 am – 8 pm
Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010
How Much: $15 ($8 on select Mondays)
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Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Cheap Skate Mondays at Discovery Green
courtesy Discovery Green
On Cheap Skate Mondays, Discovery Green offers skate rentals and rink time for the low price of $8, down from the usual price of $15. Enjoy open-air skating with updated safety protocols, including online ticket sales and plenty of seating to change into skates.
When: Monday, November 29th–Monday, January 30th
Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010
How Much: $8 on select Mondays
Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Skating with the Stars at Discovery Green
If you’re in the mood for open-air skating at Discovery Green, there’s an extra treat for skaters who go on Tuesdays. You’ll get to see Houston’s top figure skaters perform demonstrations on the ice.
When: Tuesday, November 23rd, from 7 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010
How Much: $15 to skate
Turkey Pardon at Children’s Museum of Houston–
Turkey farm in Dorchester England
Watch a live turkey get pardoned, just like at the White House!
When: Tuesday, November 23, 2021, 10 am-2pm
Where: Children’s Museum Houston, 1500 Binz St, Houston, TX 77004
How much: $12 (only children under 1 are exempt of charges)
Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24
Selfies with Santa at the Children’s Museum Houston
Visit the Children’s Museum Houston for a chance to meet the big man himself and get a nice picture as a keepsake. Don’t forget to tell him how good you’ve been all year!
When: Wednesday, November 24th, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Children’s Museum Houston, 1500 Binz St, Houston, TX 77004
How Much: $12 (general admission)
Tribute to The Woodlands Music Festival
courtesy Inspire Productions
On Thanksgiving Eve, celebrate in the Woodlands with a day-long festival featuring food trucks, a kids’ zone, artists and vendors, and live music courtesy of the group Already Gone playing a tribute to The Eagles. The festival will also include six other tribute bands performing as favorites like Selena, David Bowie, Pearl Jam, The Doors, Foreigner, and Guns N Roses.
When: Wednesday, November 24th, from noon to 10 p.m.
Where: Town Green Park, 2099 Lake Robbins Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380
How Much: $10 (general admission)
Check out Early Black Friday Deals in Houston – Beauty, Dining, Experiences & More
Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Happy Thanksgiving!!! Check out our verified list of restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day in Houston!
BakerRipley Houston Turkey Trot
The Turkey Trot is in person and back this year again to bring people together in the spirit of giving back to the community. Register today for the run–choose between a 5k or 10k, timed or untimed, and get ready to run bright and early to raise money and awareness. There’s a special run just for kids, as well. If you’re not comfortable getting together in a big group or you just can’t make it on Thanksgiving Day, no worries–you can still sign up for a virtual run and participate between Thanksgiving and December 9th!
When: Thursday, November 25th, starting at 7:25 a.m.
Where: Near 4925 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77056
How Much: $15 for kids, $35-45 for adults
72nd Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade
courtesy houstontx.gov
Don’t miss the 72nd annual Thanksgiving Day Parade! One of the oldest in the country, this parade will cover more than 20 city blocks and include floats, marching bands, balloons, and more. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Cirque du Soleil Alegria, TSU Ocean of Soul, and Bun B are all among the participants. If you plan to be seated during the parade, you can purchase tickets for the seating area. Seating will begin at 7 a.m. Entertainment will begin at 8 a.m.
When: Thursday, November 25th, at 9 a.m.
Where: Starts at the corner of Smith and Lamar
How Much: $28.25 for seating area admission
Thanksgiving Buffet at the Downtown Aquarium
If you’d like to avoid washing dishes and have a chance to see some aquatic exhibits this Thanksgiving, check out the Thanksgiving buffet at the Downtown Aquarium. Starting at 10 a.m. Thanksgiving day, you can enjoy holiday favorites or branch out to seafood, pasta, or freshly carved meat. There will also be a kids’ buffet. When you’re done, you can always take a walk through the aquarium to see the sharks.
When: Thursday, November 25th, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: 410 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
How Much: Reservations Required. Check out ways to save on admission at Houston Aquarium.
Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26
Christmas Train in Alvin
The holiday season is here again, and a great way to celebrate with the entire family is to enjoy an old-fashioned train ride while experiencing hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and displays.The ride includes a modern retelling of the traditional Christmas story and Nativity. In addition to the main attraction, there’s a lighted walking trail with tons of fun photo opportunities, Guests can also enjoy the Great Elf Show, an hourly interactive performance, as well as special events such as food drives.
When: Select nights starting from November 26th to December 23
Where: 1407 Victory Lane, Alvin, Texas 77511
How Much: Train tickets are $10 for weekdays and $12 on weekends and peak nights leading up to Christmas. Discount tickets are available on December 9th and 16th for rides after 8 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended to avoid lengthy wait times. Click here to buy your tickets today!
Texas Renaissance Festival
Come celebrate Celtic Christmas. Father Christmas, Mother Christmas, and all the Christmas elves welcome children of all ages to our final three-day celebration of the coming Yule-tide season.
When: November 26, 27, 28
Where: 21778 Farm to Market 1774 in Todd Mission, Texas
How Much: Varies
Black Friday Holiday Flea
A curated marketplace where 75 vendors will display the best of their hand-crafted art, jewellery, clothing, beer, wine, clothing and much more.
When: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: M-K-T Building 1, 600 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77007, USA
How much: General Admission Free. RSVP here.
Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27
BRICKLIVE Houston – Animal Statues, Photo-friendly backdrops and lots of fun!
When: Saturday, Sunday 1 pm – 9 pm
Where:8200 Washington Ave #300 Houston, TX 77007
How Much: Adult Explorer (Ages 13+) $12, Child Explorer (Ages 4 – 12) $7, Children (Ages 4 and under) Free when accompanied by an adultTickets are on sale now at EVENTBRITE, and group packages will also be available at a discounted rate!!!
Holiday In The Plaza – City Center
Kick off Christmas festivities early–meet Santa at the City Center from 12 to 5 PM on Saturday, 27 November 2021.
When: 27 Nov 2021, 12-5 pm.
Where: 800 Town and Country Blvd. Houston, TX, 77024
How much: Free
Things to do this Thanksgiving Week in Houston – SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Holiday Lighting – City Place Plaza
Revel in the beauty of a floating Christmas Tree unveiled at City Place Park’s pond system.
When: Sunday, 28 Nov 2021, 4:00pm to 7:30pm
Where: City Place, 1250 Lake Plaza Dr., Spring, TX 77389
How Much: Free
Things to do during Thanksgiving Week & Beyond – Everyday Fun
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Courtesy of The Houston Museum of Natural Science
Reopening at a reduced capacity, The Houston Museum of Natural Science has a great deal with tickets for only $11.10 (regularly $25!). The exhibits are fantastic, and the museum has taken steps to keep guests safe and socially distanced during these challenging times.
When: Any date through Dec 31, 2021.
Where: Houston Museum of Natural Science
How much: Check here for discounts!
Lightscape at Houston Botanic Garden
Head over to the Houston Botanic Garden for the visual treat of an internationally acclaimed holiday light show. The light show is created by local artists and will feature previous Lightscape favorites along with new illuminations. For more details on what to expect, click here.
When: November 19, 2021 – January 2, 2022, 5:45 – 11 p.m.
Where: East of I-45 South on Park Place Blvd., at One Botanic Lane, Houston, TX 77017
How Much:
Adults: $23-$25 ($21-$23 for members)
Children (3-12): $16-$18 ($14-$16 for members)
Infants (0-2): Free
Note: Not operating Nov. 22-23, 29-30 ; Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 24-25
Have a Family Movie Night with Disney+
Disney+ is quickly becoming one of the most popular streaming services around. The service offers some of the top film franchises from Disney Princesses to Marvel Superheroes to Pixar’s best flicks and plenty of other fun things in between. So, have a family movie night this weekend by trying Disney+!
Zoo Lights
TXU Energy Presents Zoo Lights returns to the Houston Zoo now through January 9, 2022, with two million Christmas lights illuminating throughout the area. The Houston Zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland each night from 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm.
When: 15 Nov 2021 – 9 Jan 2022, 5:30-10:30 p.m., last entry at 9:30 p.m.
Where: The Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
How Much: Between $17- $22, prices may vary according to the day and offer, it is recommended to check their website and make bookings before your visit.
The Light Park – Katy, TX
A family-friendly drive-thru Light Show that will open to spectators every night until 2 January 2022 and show a dazzling symphony of lights and music.
When: 3Nov 2021 – 2 Jan 2022
Where: Typhoon Texas (Parking Lot), 555 Katy Fort Bend Rd, Katy, TX 77494
How Much: $40 – $80. Check detailed prices here.
Moody Gardens Festival of Lights & More–
Moody Gardens Light Show Courtesy of Facebook/Moody Gardens
Now through January 2, you can get a load of eight special holiday attractions at Moody Gardens, including Festival of Lights, Ice Skating, Train Rides, photos with Santa, and much more. It’s a great place to see Christmas lights!
When: 20 Nov 2021 – 2 Jan 2022, 10 am – 5pm
Where: One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77554
How much: 22 $ for the Festival of Lights ($18 on value days) & $39 for the Holiday Pass ($29 on value days).
Santa’s Wonderland in College Station–
It’s a bit of a drive, but it’s totally worth it to visit Santa’s Home Town! Stroll through a variety of attractions and amazing light displays. Prices vary.
When: 12 Nov 2021 – 30 Dec 2021
Where: 18898 Hwy 6, College Station, TX 77845
How much: General admission: $49.95.
What are you up to Thanksgiving Week? Let us know if we missed something!
If you go to the Renaissance Festival, I highly recommend you do 2 things. The first is, if someone approaches you selling cinammon almond packets. Buy them! They were the most delicious treat I’ve had in years! Second, is go sit with the harp player. She is amazing, and listening to the harp is truly soothing and relaxing.
Are the cookies and cocoa free at the four seasons tree lighting.
Great question! I called and found out the cookies, cocoa and champagne are free, along with free valet parking for the tree lighting!