Valentine's Day looming and you don't know what to do? Houston has options.
Houston may not be top of mind when it comes to romantic cities, but there's a lot to do with your significant other—or on your own—if you're here for the holiday. From indulgent cruises to Bordeaux wine classes to even some offbeat activities, there are many ways to celebrate this year.
There's nothing better than enjoying fine foods, drinks, and possibly dancing the night away underneath the stars. Houston has two options for taking your love aboard. You can book a ride on the Spirit of the Bayou for their Cupid's cruise, where $40 gets you sweet treats, bubbly, and ambiance fit for a royal couple, with spectacular views of downtown Houston. If you're looking for something a little more unique, head to Hermann Park for the "Valentine's Day Dinner and a Cruise." For $50, enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner for two on Pinewood Café's patio, followed by a half-hour cruise in a pedal boat on the lake.
Starting February 1, guests of the Houston Museum of Natural Science can name anyone of their choosing after a roach through the museum's website. Receipients will receive a certificate via email announcing that a cockroach was named in their honor, and their namesakes will live in the Cockrell Butterfly Center, if they want to visit and say hello.
In a newly budding relationship, and want to take the pressure off of your Valentine's Day date? Bring your date to the Museum of Fine Arts, where they'll be screening Beauty and the Beast, Jean Cocteau's sublime adaptation of Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy-tale masterpiece, as part of its Restorations and Revivals program.
The city's culinary scene is continuously regarded as one of the best in the nation, so it's worth braving the crowds on this holiday. At Hugo's, a special menu features duck carnitas, shrimp with hibiscus mole, and a hazelnut-mandarin chocolate bomb ($75 per person). Holley's Seafood is a perennial favorite for its oysters and caviar service—not to mention the sleek setting. Looking for a sure thing? Harold's in the Heights always delivers with its polished take on Southern comfort food, and while critic's darling Underbelly isn't offering a special menu for the holiday, the n'duja dumplings, braised goat, and Singapore sweet chili blue crab always make the experience feel like a special occasion.
On Saturday, February 13, David Temple, Associate Curator of Paleontology at the Houston Museum of Science, will delight the audience with a look at 'dino' love and other odd paleontology facts from the digs of Seymour, Texas, and beyond. This spectacular evening will include a reception in the exhibit halls and a three course seated meal with wine pairings. Tickets are $150 per couple for members or $170 per couple for non-members.
