Galveston (Gulf seafood) ★ 4.3
Famous for: Gulf shrimp, oysters and fried-fish piers
Galveston, 50 miles south of Houston on I-45, is the Gulf-port seafood day trip with Strand-area pier shacks, Gaido's since 1911 and the BLVD seafood pier.
Food destinations within easy reach of Houston. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Worth the trip
Brenham (Blue Bell Creameries) ★ 4.2
Famous for: Blue Bell ice cream factory tour and Hill Country small-town dining
Brenham, 80 miles northwest of Houston on US-290, is the Blue Bell Creameries factory tour day trip with the Visitor Center scoop, plus Truth BBQ's original.
Lockhart (Texas barbecue trail) ★ 4.7
Famous for: Central Texas barbecue: Black's, Smitty's, Kreuz Market
Lockhart, 165 miles west of Houston via Austin, is the Texas barbecue capital day trip with Black's (since 1932), Smitty's Market and Kreuz Market.
Round Top (antique fair plus farm-to-table) ★ 4.4
Famous for: Round Top Antiques Fair plus Royer's Cafe pies and Hill Country farm-to-table
Round Top, 85 miles northwest of Houston on US-290 and TX-237, is the twice-yearly antique fair (spring and autumn) day trip with Royer's Round Top Cafe.
Beaumont (Texas Cajun country) ★ 4.0
Famous for: Cajun and Creole at the Louisiana border
Beaumont, 85 miles east of Houston on I-10, is the Texas-Louisiana-border Cajun country day trip with boudin, etouffee, gumbo and the closer-to-Louisiana.