A Photo Lover’s Guide to Houston in a Day

I’ve officially been living in Houston for eight years, and I can’t believe I am just now getting around to sharing my favorite spots! Our team has actually been spending the last month or so creating the perfect Instagrammable guide to Houston landing page, which I’ll be sharing very soon. In the meantime, I thought I’d share some sneak peeks and an itinerary for a photo lover’s guide to Houston in a day!

If you’ve never had the chance to visit, you should probably know Houstonians aren’t big on walking from place to place. We’re much more known for activities like eating and honking, ha! For that reason, I was super excited when Uber approached us about partnering for a Houston guide. It’s the perfect way to avoid having to navigate the interstates and parking situation in a very spread out Houston.

Consider this guide the ultimate 24 hours for food lovers, Instagram junkies, and generally pretty things. Plus, I included rough estimates for Uber fare’s to give you an idea of what navigating the city will be like.

A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TXA photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX

One of my favorite ways to start off the day is stopping by Bebidas for a coffee and light breakfast. It also doesn’t hurt that there are pink walls, palm prints, a classic neon sign photo op.

Paloma Nails in the Galleria area (estimated Uber fare is $7) just opened this year and is super cute! Grab a car to take you there and treat yourself to some all-natural nail care.

I’m a big fan of  Eloise Nichols Grill for brunch, but it’s an equally cute spot for lunch (estimated Uber fare from Paloma is $8). It’s super pretty and the perfect spot for an afternoon cocktail, too.

A Photo Lover's Guide to Houston by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX.A Photo Lover's Guide to Houston by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX.A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX

I always recommend heading to the Montrose area, too. Dunlavy Street (estimated Uber fare from Eloise is $7) is known for its cute shops, coffee, and fun environment. I always make sure to pop into Common Bond for a pastry and caffeine.

Plus, Montrose Shop has the cute home goods and clothing goods. Biscuit Home is right down the road and is home decor heaven for those that love patterns and all things girly.

You’ll also be close to the Biscuit Paint Wall and Paint Stroke Wall on Westheimer, so don’t forget to pop over for a photo!

A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TXA Photo Lover's Guide to Houston by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX.A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX

My favorite vintage shop, Cheeky Vintage (estimated Uber fare is $5.50 from Biscuit Home), is also a quick ride away! So many fun patterns and colors in this treasure trove of vintage finds.

Don’t forget to also hit up The Menil Collection (est. fare $6) while you’re still in the Montrose Area! Admission is free for all visitors and it’s become one of my favorite museums in Houston. It also has a cafe attached to it that’s worth a stop.

A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX

Happy hour lovers will be in heaven at my favorite spot, State of Grace (estimated Uber fare is $6 from Menil) It’s in the River Oaks area and can be a pricier spot, but their happy hour deals are perfect for a late afternoon stop. Be sure to ask for a seat in the oyster room! Their brussel sprouts are my favorite.

Jared and I always take visitors to Coltivare (estimated Uber fare is $8 from State of Grace) for dinner. The best pizza in Houston, plus a really fun outdoor environment.

It’s in the Heights area and a quick ride from State of Grace and Montrose area. The wait can be long and they dont’ take reservations, but I’m always happy to sit in the garden with a cocktail while we wait.

If you’re not a big Italian food fan, Good Dog and Field + Tides are two other great recs for dinner in the Heights neighborhood!

A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX

For post-dinner drinks, Lei Low (estimated Uber fare is $6 from Coltivare) is my favorite unexpected stop in the Heights. They make the craziest tropical drinks and we love the vibes!

On the nights when we get a wild hair and decide to break our Netflix addiction, we usually head to downtown’s Main Street area (estimated Uber fare is $9 from the Heights)! There are a ton of cute bar options, but we especially love Honeymoon Cafe for a fun cocktail a bite, Dean’s for $5 old fashioneds at happy hour, or Public Services for relaxing with a drink.

You’ll also be a short ride away from Part & Parcel (estimated Uber fare is $5 from Main Street), which has a fun outdoor bar area and light bites.

A photo lover's guide to Houston - Favorite Houston photo ops & cocktails by Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth, a lifestyle blog in Houston, TX

What do you think? Did I convince you that Houston is cooler than it gets credit for?! Would love to hear your favorite local spots in town, too!

A big thanks to our friends at Uber for partnering with us on this post! You can see our first Uber post as part of a Guide to Helsinki right here. Sugar & Cloth is donating 5% of all sponsored campaigns to charity, which you can read about right here!

Please note that we may earn a commission for some of the above affiliate links. However, products featured are independently selected and personally well-loved by us!

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13 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing some of the new places! I live in a suburb of Houston, Richmond, & before that I lived in west Houston. The Heights & River Oaks also have wonderful art galleries, like Archway Gallery on Dunvale. Plus I love that The Menil is open until 7:00pm.

  2. We have so many of the same favorites! Eloise Nichols is totally underrated (I don’t know how it isn’t always packed… but I have to say I like it that way!), Public Services is the best, and the Menil is my go to happy place. Awesome list!

    1. Awww! So glad to hear it, Julia! I completely agree, it’s just the best when your favorite place isn’t crazy packed. :)

  3. What a great guide! I’ve yet to make it to Texas, but I have family in the houston area and I’m hoping to head down there in the next few months. bookmarking this guide:)

    1. So happy to hear that Kerri! I hope you have a wonderful time when you make it down here! Would love to hear what ends up being your favorite spots after you visit! xo

  4. Love the list! I need to venture downtown more often. I haven’t heard of Dean’s or Part & Parcel and am dying to try the new Chapman and Kirby. Lei Low’s Houston’s best kept tiki secret!

    1. Thanks so much, Molly! Lei Low’s drinks are the best! Would love to hear what you think when you visit them!

    1. So glad! We’re always on the hunt for new places to check out! Would love to hear your favorites, too! xo