Tours

Houston City Tour ($35)—Sold Out

Monday, May 5
8:30 a.m. - Noon

Now you can sample the excitement of this truly international city. From the impressive downtown theater district to the historic Rice University Campus, this tour highlights some of the green spaces and skyscrapers that coexist in downtown Houston.

A stop at the Houston Visitor Center on the ground floor of the recently renovated City Hall offers more than just an opportunity to grab a map or some brochures. You can watch a short Houston overview film in the center’s theater or utilize touch-screen computers to locate great restaurants, exciting attractions, and unique events.

The tour passes the affluent River Oaks area, where stunning homes of the rich and famous abound. This neighborhood is often referred to as Houston’s "Satin Slipper Suburb." The tour passes one of River Oaks’ most famous residences, Bayou Bend. It currently serves as the decorative arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Anchored by the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the museum district includes 16 different institutions.

The tour also passes the Houston Children's Museum; the Museum of Health and Medical Science; and the Houston Holocaust Museum. The "Magic Circle" with the Galleria, a luxurious 3-story shopping extravaganza sporting a center ice-skating rink and the impressive Williams Tower, is another of the city’s highlights. And you don’t want to miss the dynamic 64-foot high "Water Wall" – the focal point of Williams Park. On this tour, you’ll see some of the diverse neighborhoods, parks and commercial areas that meld Houston together forming a fascinating city of contrasts and contradictions.

National Oilwell Varco Plant Tour ($30)

Tuesday, May 6
8:30 a.m. − 1:00 p.m.

Take a comprehensive quality tour and learn the quality practices and tools of a leader in the oil and gas industry. National Oilwell Varco is the leading provider of oilfield products and services for the worldwide oil and gas industry and has been more than 140 years. National Oilwell Varco is the single source for rig equipment, integrated systems, downhole tools and supply-chain solutions. From a spare part to a comprehensive drilling system, National Oilwell Varco delivers unlimited customer solutions. You’ll see how National Oilwell Varco constantly develops and acquires new technologies and services to better serve future customer requirements.
(Tour note: In order to participate in this tour you must wear closed toed shoes and no photography/video recording is allowed.)

Space Center Houston ($42))—Sold Out

Tuesday, May 6
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Space Center Houston is a must-see for visitors of all ages! As the official visitors’ center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, it is the only place where guests will experience the thrill and adventure of the manned space flight program firsthand.

Space Center Houston lets visitors share in the accomplishments of NASA while exploring the past, present, and future of space flight.

  • Mission Status Center − See what happens in Houston's Mission Control, at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center launch pad and aboard the actual space shuttle during missions. (30 minutes)
  • Starship Gallery − Journey through the history of space and view what the future holds for this exciting field. Peruse the world’s largest display of moon rocks – with one that you can touch. (60 minutes)
  • NASA Tour − Board a comfortable tram and enjoy a guided, behind-the-scenes tour at Johnson Space Center. View the mission control center used to maintain contact with our astronauts on actual missions. (60-90 minutes)
  • Space Shuttle Mock-Up − Tour an exact duplicate of the mid-deck and flight deck of the space shuttle. Afterward, try the “Land the Shuttle” simulator. (45 minutes)
  • Space Center Theatre − See a film shown on a screen that is 80-feet wide and five stories tall. (60 minutes)