Season guide · Houston · United States
Houston in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rasar90, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hot, humid and stormy; best spent in museums, Space Center Houston and air-conditioned malls. Expect highs up to 35°C (95°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 34 rainy days across June–August.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 23°C (73°F) to 35°C (95°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 34
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 33°C (91°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 12 | 14 h | 2/5 |
| July | 34°C (93°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 11 | 13.9 h | 2/5 |
| August | 35°C (95°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 11 | 13.2 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 34°C (93°F) against a yearly 26°C (79°F), and 34 of the year's roughly 116 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Juneteenth celebrations, including Emancipation Park in the Third Ward (around 19 June)
- June: Houston Pride (usually June)
- July: Independence Day festival and fireworks downtown (4 July)
Good choices for summer
Museum · Museum District
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Book butterfly centre and planetarium add-ons with your main ticket to avoid queuing twice.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Museum · Montrose
Menil Collection
Dominique and John de Menil's collection of Surrealist, modern, ancient and Byzantine art is shown free in a calm, naturally lit Renzo Piano building set among grey bungalows and lawns.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Museum District
Children's Museum Houston
Go on a weekday morning; weekends and school holidays bring long queues for the popular exhibits.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Market · Uptown
The Galleria
Texas's largest shopping mall has hundreds of stores from department stores to luxury boutiques under glass vaults, built around an indoor ice rink.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Clear Lake
Space Center Houston
Head straight for the tram tours when you arrive; queues build quickly from late morning.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
Day trips in summer
- Kemah Boardwalk (About 40 minutes by car) — A waterfront boardwalk on Galveston Bay with seafood restaurants, amusement rides and a roller coaster.
- Brazos Bend State Park (About 1 hour by car) — Lakes, marshes and live-oak woods south-west of Houston where alligators are commonly seen sunning beside the trails around Elm and 40-Acre lakes.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Houston?
It is a trade-off: Hot, humid and stormy; best spent in museums, Space Center Houston and air-conditioned malls. The best months overall are March–April and October–November.
+What is the weather like in Houston in summer?
Highs of up to 35°C (95°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 34 rainy days over the season.