The Best of Houston Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Houston, USA
- 1 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Embark on the ultimate Houston adventure in 2 to 3 hours with a self-guided driving audio tour. Explore everything from historic districts to magnificent parks, and even the Space Center. Immerse yourself in the rich history of Houston as you reimagine battles unfolding along the bayou and visit Emancipation Park. Be amazed by the towering skyscrapers that define the city's skyline. Download the tour app, enter your password, and let the audio instructions lead the way.
- See everything that makes Houston special on this tour
- Visit stunning parks and admire city skyscrapers, take photos
- Learn about the city's heritage at the Space Center
- Convenient, central meeting point, easy to navigate
What's Included
- This tour is NOT a ticket to any attraction or site
- This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app
- NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)
- Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)
- Offline GPS-enabled route map
- Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions
- Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)
- Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)
- Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Lamar St @ La Branch StHouston, TX 77010, USA
Begin from Lamar St @ La Branch St, Houston, TX 77010, USA. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
End point
- NASA Johnson Space CenterClear Lake, 2101 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058, USA
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 05/05/2020 - 05/14/2027
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 11:30 PM
Itinerary
1
Buffalo Bayou Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Sam Houston Park (Pass By)
2
Houston City Hall
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Pennzoil Place (Pass By)
3
Market Square Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
JPMorgan Chase Tower (Pass By)
4
Christ Church Cathedral
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Daikin Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Emancipation Park (Pass By)
6
Houston Museum District
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Hermann Park (Pass By)
7
Rice University
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
8
William Marsh Rice Statue
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape (Pass By)
9
MacGregor Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
10
MacGregor Park / Martin Luther King, Jr.
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Old Spanish Trail
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
San Jacinto Street (Pass By)
12
Discovery Green
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
13
Houston Graffiti Building
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
14
Holocaust Museum Houston
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
15
The Houston Museum of Natural Science
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Pass By)
Children's Museum Houston (Pass By)
James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape (Pass By)
The Health Museum (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
3.1
based on 47 reviews
Anonymous, May 2026
Difficult to use, not very interesting or relevant, route is not clear, lots of driving time with no info
Response from Host, May 2026
I’m sorry to hear that my Houston Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour felt difficult to use and that the route wasn’t clear. I’d like to understand more—was the difficulty with setup, following the map, or getting the audio to trigger at the right locations? The tour plays automatically as you follow the route, though there may be quiet stretches between points of interest. I’d also appreciate knowing which type of information you found more relevant or interesting. Please feel free to reach out—I’m available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM EST and happy to help.
Fawn_W, Jun 2025
It was hard to follow the directions and the map wouldn't load. Market square had construction so there was nothing set up there. We did this on Juneteenth and unfortunately there was nothing going on at Emancipation park either. A bunch of driving around unless you get out and walk the area and take pictures. There was also a detour on the rice university, so didn't see the statue. I would just put the places in your map and go see them for yourself. Save time from wrong turns, detours, etc.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Fawn, I’m sorry to hear about the issues you encountered during my tour. I understand that detours and construction can make things frustrating. My app is designed to work offline, offering detailed GPS navigation. I recommend downloading the tour in advance to avoid any connectivity issues. I would love to know more about where the map wasn’t loading or what happened with the directions so that I can assist and improve your experience. Please feel free to reach out to me directly, and I will be happy to assist with a refund or help you find an alternative tour in a different location if needed.
Paula_R, Jun 2025
Very easy to use. Clear driving instructions and interesting facts and stories. I will definitely use this app again in other cities I visit by car.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Paula, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Best of Houston tour. It’s great to know the clear directions and stories made your drive smooth and enjoyable. I appreciate you taking the time to share. If you're planning more Texas adventures, don’t miss my other tours, such as those in San Antonio, Big Bend National Park, Austin, or the JFK Assassination tour in Dallas.
Gerald_M, Apr 2025
In theory this should be an incredible app. The last part took us at least an half an hour to get out to NASA. You pull up and the tour is over. Which means driving another half an hour back to the city. I thought it missed some important highlights of the city p
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Gerald, I’m sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations. This kind of issue usually occurs if the tour isn’t started from the designated starting point. Once you're there, the stories will trigger automatically based on your GPS location, as long as you follow the route and adhere to the speed limit. The tour is valid for a whole year, allowing you to revisit and catch any missed highlights at any time. And if you need help setting things up or have any questions, my support team is always here to assist.
JamesM_S, Apr 2025
Car Play map does not work on this app. Very distracting having to watch iPhone in a city like Houston.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
James, I’m sorry to hear the experience felt distracting. My app doesn’t currently support a CarPlay map display, but you can always connect to your car stereo for a smoother experience. I truly appreciate the feedback—CarPlay map integration is something I’m actively working on for future updates. In the meantime, using a phone holder can help. If you need assistance, my support team can help with setup, a replacement, or a refund.
LEVI_M, Sep 2024
We had a difficult time keeping track on this app, it kept dropping out and was very confusing to follow. The narration was not very informative and street signs were missing at various turns! Not what we were expecting!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Levi, I’m sorry to hear the app was difficult to follow. Just a reminder, the app and tour must be downloaded beforehand since it works offline. If you need help, my support team is available—contact details and a tutorial video can be found in the confirmation email, the app, and our FAQ. The tour is valid for a year, so you have plenty of time to listen to the stories at home or on your next visit. Feel free to email my team if you have any more questions!
Mary_L, May 2024
Easy to use and follow with interesting commentary. Liked that it took is to the space center for the last stop!
Response from Host, May 2024
I'm glad you enjoyed exploring Houston, Mary! The Space Center is a highlight. For more adventures, check out my 150+ Self-Guided Driving and Walking Tours—there's something for everyone, from history buffs to nature lovers. You can find them all on the site you booked this tour from. Happy travels!
Salina_H, Jul 2023
DON'T waste your time & money!! This Houston TX tour... AWFUL! NOT user-friendly AT ALL!! NO WAY anyone can honestly give this one 5 stars. It's just impossible.
Roads we were supposed to turn on had closures 3 times & wasted us 5-10 mins each time detouring to figure out how to get back on the tour route. It was HORRIBLE & frustrating! At least twice it said to turn & the turns weren't allowed. Another 3-4 times stories were going on & on and we were supposed to turn but no instructions were given... and we were driving slow!
It would be better if this app did like regular GPS & automatically re-route you to get back on tour when u miss turns. This tour is a good "idea" but needs A LOT of work & not ready to be sold!!! We were basically cheated... Save yourself the headache & just don't do this one!
Response from Host, Jul 2023
I'm sorry to hear that you experienced road closures and navigation challenges during your tour, which resulted in frustration and wasted time. Unfortunately, I have no control over the incidents that occurred along the Houston tour route, as they were last-minute occurrences. However, I value your feedback on the need for automatic re-routing and clearer turn instructions. Thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Kirk_P, May 2023
when we came to the 10-14 trip notice, there was a cistern stop, which we tried to locate but could not....then could not get back on the right track, we kept getting looped around the parkway next to Sam Houston's....after three attempts we broke it off and moved to a different spot in the map. The information and narrative was very dull and the navigation map was a mess. We've used other programs which where much better in HI and Yellowstone ...GYPsy far superior.
Response from Host, May 2023
I greatly appreciate your feedback regarding my tour. I am truly sorry for any inconvenience that you may have experienced, and I would like to ensure that these issues are addressed promptly. Kindly provide me with more details via email so that I can assist you accordingly. Your input is highly valued, and I will make use of it to enhance the tour's information, narrative, and navigation map. Thank you for bringing these concerns to my attention.
Erick_P, Mar 2023
Great tour! Pretty thorough view of the city! Covered lots of ground, ending up at the Johnson Space Center.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thanks Erick! I’m thrilled that my tour of Houston added to your learning and that you enjoyed it. Thank you for choosing our tour, and I look forward to welcoming you back in the future!
Myndee_C, Jan 2023
We are from Austin TX and this was first time visiting Houston. Was so interesting, we had no idea how much history was in Houston
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m delighted that my tour of Houston added to your learning and that you enjoyed it. I also have 100 other self-guided tours for other parks, scenic drives, cities, and historic sites in the US — hopefully, you’ll get the chance to try them next time! Also, to remind you, the tour you bought is yours for a lifetime. So, you can listen to it at home or on your next visit.
Carmen_Z, Oct 2022
I was extremely confusing to use. It force to use goggle maps, the app would not synchronized with the map. We keep driving around the same loop for ever.
No other languages besides English were avilable
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Carmen, please confirm that you are following the app's route while taking the tour — this is critical for our self-guided driving tour to function properly. If you do not follow the provided route, synchronization issues will occur, and Google Maps is only an option (It gives you an overview of the next stop to visit also may give you a different route.)
I have 100 other self-guided tours for other parks, scenic drives, cities, and historic sites in the United States that you should try the next time you visit! Also, keep in mind that the tour you purchased is valid for life. As a result, you'll be able to listen to it at home or during your next visit.
Melody_S, Sep 2022
Very hard to fallow. We made a stop on tour and could figure out where to go next. Drove around blocks trying to get back on tour. Finally just gave up.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Do you remember where you were having trouble? Please notify me so that I can resolve the issue. In any case, I will gladly exchange the tour for any of my other 100 tours in the United States. Please notify me.
Sharon_B, Jul 2022
We liked seeing the Emancipation park, Rice University, battle against Santa Ana and NASA Space Center. Only issue was getting around construction.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Thanks Sharon! The constant construction in Houston is definitely the worst… but it sounds like you guys saw a whole lot of the city beyond that! So glad you enjoyed the tour!
Pam_M, Jul 2022
No detours included on routes. Followed steps to download, but still had connection issues. Did not enjoy
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Hi Pam, not sure what detours I should have included? The tour route is laid out pretty clearly, both in the description and within the app.
Marcie_S, Jun 2022
The tour was difficult to follow. There were two of us in the car, and I was busy trying to follow the directions and the driver was busy following the directions, and neither one of us could enjoy looking at the sights. There was one street on the tour that we never did find… went around the park three times.
Response from Host, Jun 2022
Thanks for the feedback Marcie. Driving in Houston can definitely be a struggle, especially when there’s traffic in downtown. If you have the chance to check out the second half of the tour, you may find it a lot easier — it’s pretty much straight roads and simple turns, ending with a drive over to NASA.
Keith_L, May 2022
Sharing Houston with visiting family.
Several of stops were blocked off because of events being held.
Not notified adequately on how to correct.
Several important sightseeing stops —athletic stops and historic areas not included
Took longer than 2-3 hours to complete.
Response from Host, May 2022
Thanks Keith! We keep the tour as updated as possible but the city does have all sorts of daily events which can’t get included. Happy to add any major stops and stories to the tour — if there’s anything specific we missed, please let us know!
Gregory_D, Apr 2022
Live GPS and Off-Line Navigation.
It took a little while to get accustomed to using it. But after a few trys found it easy navigate through stops.
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Thank you! Navigating Houston can be tough so I’m glad this tour was able to show you everything that the city has to offer. I have more self-guided tours across the country and hope you get the chance to check them out for your future travels. Thanks again!
latoya_f, Mar 2022
Download did not work on my phone and on my husband's phone an hour later it had only reached 40%. We did not use the guide and were out of money
Response from Host, Apr 2022
We’re happy to help with all downloads and are super easy to reach via chat, call, or e-mail!
Laura_C, Feb 2022
Great way to see Houston at your leisure! Price is good! Disappointed that the tour did not take us to the Big Water Wall! Did not have to go so far out of town towards the Space Center…. Just mentioning it would be fine! Would have enjoyed seeing a few of the cities famed murals! Would try in another city…preferred over the bus tours and the historic info shared was very interesting!
Response from Host, Feb 2022
Thanks Laura, I’m so glad you liked the tour! Now that some roadwork in Houston has been wrapped up, we’ll be adding some of the popular sights you mentioned back in. Thanks for the insight about the Space Center -- will definitely consider that during our next tour update. We have tons of self-guided tours in other cities (Boston, SF, Miami, etc) as well as national parks (Great Smoky, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc) -- all available on ActionTourGuide.com. Thanks again!
Kathie_M, Feb 2022
I actually ran out of time so I didn’t do most of the tour, but I listened to the entire thing and looked at the pictures which helped me to determine what to go back and see further.
Response from Host, Feb 2022
Thanks Kathie! I’m thrilled that you were able to flexibly use the tour to work for you — and you can use it again, as needed (it’s available forever). We also have more tours for your future travels at ActionTourGuide.com. Thanks again!
Kevin_F, Dec 2021
Minute Maid Park, NASA, Museum District, Hermann Park, Emancipation Park, we’re all very interesting
Response from Host, Jan 2022
Thanks, Kevin, glad you enjoyed the tour! We also have more tours at ActionTourGuide.com for your future travels. Thanks again!
rrc2rxcmgx, Oct 2021
This was such a great tour. I even like how the app picks up where you left off and helps you navigate to each destination.
Response from Host, Oct 2021
Thank you so much! Houston has so much to offer and we love being able to tell all of its wonderful stories at each spot around town. We have more self-guided tours across the country (details at ActionTourGuide.com) and I hope you get the chance to check them out for your future travels. Thanks again!
Amanda_i, Aug 2021
It's a good idea of a tour however I personally would have liked a bit more of sites to see within the city or downtown. Versus historical parts which some we could not find. The information for the sites and spits were very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Sep 2021
Thanks for letting us know! We’d love to know what additional spots you had in mind — we’re always looking to add to and improve the tour! Please shoot us an email or call/chat (links in the original email). Looking forward to hearing back. Thanks again!
Alexandra_S, Jul 2021
It was great!! Maybe would be great if the route can be marked in google maps to follow it in carplay
Response from Host, Aug 2021
We’re thrilled that you had a great time in Houston! CarPlay is sadly off-limits to us but we are brainstorming other ideas. Thank you for your feedback! We hope you’ll consider using Action Tour Guide for your next trip—just visit ActionTourGuide.com to see our full selection.
Jennifer_J, Mar 2021
We enjoyed the fun facts, but navigating between the tour app and Google maps was a bit frustrating. We were lost several times, and after 2 hours of looping around we gave up.
Response from Host, Mar 2021
Thanks for letting us know! It sounds like using both the tour and Google Maps (presumably with the Go To button) was difficult. Could you tell us if you were able to follow the route on the app’s map without using the Go To option? I personally find that more convenient because there’s no toggling required. We are considering taking away the Go To button entirely since following the route is a better experience anyway. Would love to hear your thoughts — please email us. Also, since you didn’t have a great experience, we’d be more than happy to issue a refund.
From $16.99
per group (up to 4)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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