The sweet spots are spring (March to May) and fall (October to November), when daytime highs sit in the comfortable 70s and 80s Fahrenheit and humidity eases. Summer (June to September) is hot and sticky, with highs in the 90s and afternoon thunderstorms, though hotel rates dip and museums stay blissfully air-conditioned. Winters are mild and short. Time a visit around the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (late February into March), the largest rodeo on earth with major concert headliners, or the Art Car Parade in April. Note that June through November is Gulf hurricane season, so keep an eye on forecasts.

Most visitors fly into George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), about 22 miles north of downtown, or William P. Hobby (HOU), closer in to the southeast and a hub for Southwest. From either, a ride-hail to downtown runs roughly $30 to $55 depending on traffic. Houston is car country: distances are long and a rental is the easiest way to reach Space Center Houston, the Heights, and day trips. The METRORail Red Line is genuinely useful for connecting downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, and the medical center, and Uber and Lyft are plentiful everywhere. Skip the idea of walking between districts; they are farther apart than they look on a map.