Houston is a city with endless possibilities. From 10 Can’t-Miss Stops in Houston to 10 Places to Eat After Midnight, you will find it all here! With 10 different neighborhoods and 10 unique personalities, there are so many things for everyone to explore. Whether visiting or living in the Bayou City, Live Be Yoga has your back with 10 stops that are not only fun but offer great ways to relax too.
1. BIG Power Yoga
When you walk through the doors of one of the two Big Power Yoga locations in Houston, be prepared to sweat with the best of them. BIG offers mostly Baptiste-style classes, but with a few other, less intense classes thrown in, should you decide to take it a bit slower for the day. On the day we arrived, Nick Zogg taught a fantastic class to over 100 enthusiastic, mat-to-mat yogis, and the energy was magnetic! Pro tip: BIG Power Yoga is one of the only studios we’ve visited so far that has dedicated classes just for kids!
2. Joy Yoga Center
In a world of endless hot yoga options, it’s nice to see a studio like Joy Yoga Center proudly offering comfortable, room-temperature yoga. And because Joy emphasizes diversity in yoga types and especially in the yoga community itself, they offer classes in 13 different styles of yoga, so you’re sure to find something that speaks to what you need. Pro tip: If you don’t have time to make it into the studio, Joy Yoga Center Livestream all of their classes through the Joy Yoga Center app.
3. Yoga One Studios
Another Texas-sized turnout of nearly 100 students showed up to flow with us for Davina’s class at Yoga One Studios. We could see why: Davina’s energetic and thoughtfully put-together sequence was fun and felt great—just what we needed! With Vinyasa, hot yoga, and Forrest Yoga on offer, Yoga One has a nice array of diverse classes on the schedule. Pro tip: Make sure you try out their in-house juice shop, One Love Juice Bar and Cafe (read more in the next slide).
4. One Love Juice Bar and Cafe
Prominently located in the midtown location of the previously mentioned Yoga One Studios, One Love makes some of the best healthy juices and smoothies around. In fact, we came back twice! All raw, vegetarian, and gluten-free means you can be sure your delicious beverage of choice is good for you, too! Pro tip: One Love provides fresh juices for all of the Yoga One locations, so even if you can’t get a fresh-made one from the midtown location, just reach for the cooler at any other Yoga One.
5. Siphon Coffee
Our favorite Houston-based coffee was definitely Siphon Coffee. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating awaits as you watch the seriously talented baristas prepare your Siphon Method coffee with locally roasted beans. Pro tip: It’s not just the java that shines at Siphon—make sure to try their Big Breakfast Taco with house-made chorizo!
6. Ninfa’s on Navigation
It’s not quite Texas fare, it’s not quite Mexican food, it’s Tex-Mex! If you’re looking to sample this South Texas tradition, look no further than Ninfa’s On Navigation. Credited with popularizing fajitas in the U.S., Ninfa’s has been serving up delicious dishes since 1973. Pro tip: Headed to an Astros or Rockets game? You can park or valet at Ninfa’s, eat and drink your fill, and then take their free shuttle right to the stadium!
7. The Pit Room
Any Texas pitstop is worth rigorous investigation into the barbecue scene. You know, for science. At the top of Houston’s game is The Pit Room on Richmond. Consistently voted one of the best in town and recently making TexasMonthly’s Top 50 Best Barbecue Joints, you know you’re in store for a messy-fingered masterpiece. Pro tip: Skip trying to figure out what you want on the menu and instead find a few friends to share with, then order the Feast No. 1 and get a platter with just about everything on The Pit Room menu.
8. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
I often judge a city by how much it seems to appreciate and protect its art and its history. To see Houston’s impeccably curated efforts, look no further than the Museum District. We were lucky enough to spend an afternoon strolling the exhibits and permanent collection at The Museum of Fine Arts. Spanning three buildings, the impressive collection is as prodigious as it is diverse. Pro tip: Check the museum’s website for its many ways to gain free entry, including free admission every Thursday courtesy of Shell.
9. Beer Can House
“I guess I just thought it was a good idea. And it’s easier than painting.” – John Milkovisch, creator of the Beer Can House, a modest home in Houston decorated with more than 50,000 beer cans. Part of the fun of getting to visit all these cities on the Live Be Yoga Tour is searching out the things that are unique to that place. In Houston, nothing is more so than the Beer Can House. The casual brainchild of Milkovisch, it started in the 1960s as a way for him to entertain himself in his retirement. He never intended for it to bring attention or make a statement; it was just fun. But something amazing happens when someone who doesn’t set out to be an artist still manages to create art. Walking around the house today, you truly get a feel for a man who was curious about life and not afraid to do what just seemed like a good idea. A true must-visit for a unique piece of Americana. Pro tip: Make sure you stop in the office in the old garage of the house—for $5 you can get a personal tour and see videos about the history of the house and John’s family.
10. Buffalo Bayou Park
Seeing cities’ recent efforts to clean up, redevelop, preserve, and beautify waterfront areas for public parks has been a heartening part of this trip. Cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, and Houston have taken once polluted and industrialized waterways and turned them into nature preserves, parks, and recreation areas. The recently completed, 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park in Houston is a fantastic way to get a feel for the city and some exercise at the same time. It’s packed with public art, memorials, hiking and biking trails, and water access. Pro tip: While beautiful in the midday sun, the Houston heat can be brutal. Head out to the Buffalo Bayou Park around 5 or 6 p.m. to see the sunset along the water, and then head to the famous Waugh Bridge to see the bat colony come out of their nest to feed!
11. Hugger Mugger
We also want to take a second to extend a big thank you to Hugger Mugger for supporting the 2017 Live Be Yoga Tour. When it comes to yoga and meditation essentials, you really want to trust a company that doesn’t just follow the trends, but actually has years of experience in creating and developing products that will outlast the trends. Hugger Mugger has been doing exactly that for over 30 years. We’re so happy to work with a company that is proud of its time-tested products, and we can’t wait to show everyone why we love to use them!
Conclusion:
Thank you for supporting the 2017 Live Be Yoga Tour! We’re grateful to have partnered with Hugger Mugger, a company that values quality and experience over trends. Their products are time-tested and perfect for yoga and meditation. Stay tuned for more about our partnership and what we love about using their products! Namaste.
