My family moved to Austin the summer before my freshman year of high school, sparking my interest in traveling and sidequesting. A new environment meant new places to discover, and my love for exploring only increased as I added favorite restaurants and thrift shops to the list in my Notes app.

Now that I’m back in Houston, I’ve made it my mission to explore and familiarize myself with the city. Here are some of my favorite places and activities outside of campus:

Concerts
I’ve always been a music lover, but getting to hear my favorite songs live is an unmatched experience. By saving up money from my job as an Owl Guide, I’ve been able to see artists like Addison Rae, Djo and Baby Keem. I even got to see Cuco after winning a free ticket giveaway hosted by KTRU, Rice’s student-led radio station!

Going to these concerts allowed me to explore 713 Music Hall, White Oak Music Hall and Bayou Music Center. And the best part? Getting to these venues was completely free, thanks to Houston’s METRORail network and the student MetroCard provided by Rice.

Rice Village
As a college student on the grind, I’ve found that sometimes the most fun side quests are the spontaneous ones. 99% of my spontaneous side quests have occurred in Rice Village, which is located next to the football stadium. Shuttles run to the Village every weekend from McMurtry, and I can also drive my electric scooter there. Thinking about Rice Village brings up memories of study sessions at midnight, claw machine gambling and meetups with friends – it seems like half of my college life has been spent there!

Passport to Houston 
The Rice Program Council (RPC) has a program called Passport to Houston, which holds frequent ticket giveaways for various activities on and off campus. These giveaways are extremely competitive since there are so many students entering, but I was able to get free tickets for:

• Disney's Fantasia in Concert — this was hosted at Jones Hall, which is home to the Houston Symphony
• ARTECHOUSE —This interactive museum has over 18 exhibits filled with flowers, lights, and sound installations, making for an extremely aesthetic Instagram post.

POST Houston
POST Houston is one of my favorite spaces near campus due to its numerous food options, photo spots and accessibility via the METRORail system. I was blown away by the market-style ground floor when I first arrived. The second floor is home to a spacious lawn and a beautiful view of the Houston skyline.

Hermann Park
Across from Brown College is Hermann Park, one of the biggest parks in Houston! In early September, there’s a giant Japanese festival held there with lots of food trucks, small businesses and live performances. I actually performed with my dance team, BASYK, at the park this year! 

Passport to Houston also gave me the chance to see Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo, which is also located in Hermann Park. I love running into all the ducks there, and I have a whole album dedicated to them in my camera roll!

Looking Back on Freshman Year
Based on my freshman year experiences, I can confidently say that my mission to explore the city was fulfilled. Although my familiarity with Houston definitely grew over the past year, I still plan on sidequesting as much as possible when I’m back in the fall!

Coming to Rice made me realize that college isn’t only about the campus itself, but also the city and community surrounding it. Moving back to Houston has given me some of my favorite memories, and I can’t wait to continue to discover what the city has to offer!

-Leyana, McMurtry ‘29 (Published on 7/21/26)