Houston, Texas- 2025

Our Texas adventure started in style at JFK Airport in the Centurion Lounge, where we grabbed lunch before takeoff. The lounge was beautifully decorated with Earth Day florals, which made the space feel fresh and vibrant—a peaceful start to what would be a jam-packed trip.

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We landed at Houston Airport, picked up our Hertz rental car, and hit the road. But instead of staying in Houston, we drove straight toward Galveston Island. On the way down, we made a very necessary stop in Texas City at Buc-ee’s. If you know, you know… Buc-ee’s is an experience. We completely lost self-control and loaded up on brisket sandwiches, jerky, candy, souvenirs, and postcards. We first fell in love with Buc-ee’s during our trip to Tennessee, and walking into one again felt like stepping into its own little world—clean bathrooms, wall-to-wall snacks, and all the quirky Texas charm you could want.

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We finally made it to the Hilton Hotel on Galveston Island, dropped off our bags, and went for a night swim. The pool wasn’t heated, but the water was surprisingly warm. The hotel had such a fun and relaxing atmosphere with giant lawn games, fire pits, and a perfect coastal vibe. We loved that even at night, people were still out enjoying themselves.

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The next morning, we started our day at the NASA Johnson Space Center. This place was fascinating. We explored the campus grounds, watched informative documentaries, and learned about the upcoming Artemis mission to the Moon. The Artemis program is the modern version of the Apollo missions, and its goal is to return humans to the Moon—but this time, with even bigger plans. Artemis aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, explore more of the Moon than ever before, and eventually prepare for future missions to Mars.

They’re building a new spacecraft called Orion, launching it with one of the most powerful rockets ever created, and even planning to create a small space station orbiting the Moon called Gateway. It’s exciting to see NASA taking huge steps again in space exploration—it made the visit feel like a glimpse into the future. We even got to see historic rockets, including the first SpaceX rocket. This was a huge milestone in space history because it was the first orbital-class rocket that was successfully landed and reused. Before this, rockets were one-and-done—launched and then discarded. But SpaceX changed the game by developing reusable rocket technology, which makes space travel more affordable and sustainable. Seeing it up close was wild. Also, did you know that NASA has their own cows on the property? Yes, NASA actually has cattle grazing on some of its land. It turns out that the Johnson Space Center in Houston sits on thousands of acres, and not all of it is needed for buildings and labs. So, to help maintain the grassland naturally, NASA allows local ranchers to lease the land for grazing. The cows help keep the vegetation in check, which can reduce the risk of wildfires and cut down on maintenance costs. Interesting right?

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After soaking in all things space, we were ready for food—birria tacos from a local food truck hit the spot and gave us the energy we needed for the next big stop: Collect-A-Con.

This was the real reason for our trip—my husband’s trading card convention. The vibe was all over the place but a lot of fun. There was a performance by rapper Waka Flocka Flame… Yes, we witnessed Waka Flocka headbanging on stage… with Pikachu…. What a sight!

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After the convention, we made our way to Whataburger for a late lunch. We both got mushroom burgers and banana cream shakes, and WOW. The portions were massive, and the flavor didn’t disappoint. That phrase “Everything’s bigger in Texas”? Yeah, now it made perfect sense—we practically rolled out of there.

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We had originally planned to check out a line dancing session, but unfortunately, most of the local dance spots only offer them on Friday nights (we were a day too late.) We made up for it with a visit to Boot Barn—and let me tell you, it was boot heaven! For those who haven’t been, Boot Barn is a massive Western wear store that sells everything from cowboy boots and hats to jeans, fringe jackets, belt buckles, and workwear. It’s basically a one-stop shop for anyone living the Western lifestyle, or just trying to channel their inner Texan. I already own a couple of boots, but I wanted something different this time… and I found it: electric blue boots. Yep, bright, bold, and totally me. I fell in love! Even got myself a hat!

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On the way back to the hotel, we spotted a giant Adirondack chair that made for the perfect photo op, saw wild cows on the side of the road, and passed the vibrant Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier. The town had a fun and lively feel—a quaint little beach town full of life. The beaches weren’t very large, but there were people out with chairs, blankets, and coolers enjoying the sea breeze. We decided to stick to the pool, but it was still nice to see so many people out and about.

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That night, we had 9:30 PM dinner reservations at Rainforest Café, and let me tell you—this one came with a twist. The Galveston location has its own indoor river ride! Think dark ride meets jungle cruise, complete with animatronic animals, sound effects, and themed surprises. What many people don’t know (and we wish we had known sooner) is that you don’t need a dinner reservation to book the ride. You can do it separately. So, if you’re ever there just for the experience, save yourself the wait and go straight for the ride booking!

We’ve been to Rainforest Café before—in Canada, actually—and we noticed a consistent theme: great food, not-so-great service. But we’ve learned to make the most of it. Our tip? Skip the entrees and go for the appetizer sampler and the chocolate volcano cake. One order of each can feed two people and totally satisfies those theme-park-style cravings.

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On our final day, we returned to Collect-A-Con for a bit so Pablo could pick up a few last-minute cards and boxes. Then we made our way to the final tourist stop of the trip: Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park in Houston.

This was honestly one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. First of all, it’s free and open to the public. As you walk under the archway into the space, you’re greeted by misty air and the thunderous sound of a 64-foot-tall semicircular wall of cascading water. It’s such a peaceful, photogenic spot. We saw people taking graduation photos, pregnancy announcements, and family portraits all around us. When we visited the day before, the waterfall was turned off due to renovations, but we lucked out the next day—it was fully flowing, the sun was shining, and the skies were bright blue. It was a perfect way to wrap up the trip.

Important tip: Don’t park on the side of the road—even if you see others doing it. We witnessed three cars get towed while we were there. Just park in the garage up the block—it’s only $3 and saves you a huge headache.

After that, we dropped off the rental car and had our final meal of the trip back at the Centurion Lounge at the airport, bringing everything full circle.

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Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed our quick trip to Texas. Galveston was a hidden gem—laid-back, beachy, and full of charm. Houston had its moments too, but for me, it’s probably a one-and-done kind of visit. I’m definitely curious to check out Dallas or Austin next. I hear they’re full of energy, fun, and most importantly… line dancing!

Until next time, Texas. You were big, bold, and full of brisket beef.