Houston sports and stadium days

Houston is a serious sports city, with major league baseball, basketball, football and soccer all within a few kilometres of each other, and it is the city that built the world's first domed stadium and then cooled it with air conditioning. Match days are a lively way to meet locals, and in a place as hot as Houston, the retractable roofs and indoor arenas make them comfortable too. We have set out the venues by team, with advice on getting there.

Astros at Daikin Park

The Houston Astros play baseball downtown at Daikin Park, a ballpark with a retractable roof that has been a landmark since 2000. Its entrance is built inside the old Union Station, and left field features a short wall known as the Crawford Boxes, which turns routine fly balls into home runs. The ground sits beside downtown Houston, a few blocks from the bars and breweries of the East End.

The roof means rain cannot cancel a game, and the air conditioning inside is a relief in July. Arrive early to walk through the station hall and look at the old train shed turned into a sports museum, then settle into the seats with a hot dog or a plate of barbecue.

Rockets at Toyota Center

The Houston Rockets play basketball at Toyota Center, an arena in downtown Houston a few blocks from the ballpark. The team's two championships in the 1990s, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, still colour local pride. Games run through the cooler months, so an evening at the arena fits neatly with dinner nearby and a walk through the Theater District.

The arena also hosts big concerts, and the same transport advice applies: take the rail or a rideshare, and leave the car in the suburbs.

Texans and the Astrodome at NRG Park

American football fans head south to NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans, a retractable-roofed venue within NRG Park. The same grounds hold the old Astrodome, which opened in 1965 and was nicknamed the Eighth Wonder of the World. The Texans' season runs from autumn through winter, and tailgating in the car parks is a big part of the fun, with grills, flags and family cookouts on the tarmac. See our Rodeo Houston and NRG Park guide for the complex's other events.

Dynamo, Dash and college days

Houston's men's club, the Dynamo, and the Dash, a women's team, both play at Shell Energy Stadium in EaDo. The ground is compact, loud and easy to reach on foot from the neighbourhood bars. Orange is the club colour, and the supporters' sections bring drums and flags.

The University of Houston Cougars, based in Third Ward, and the Rice Owls, on their oak-shaded campus, bring college football and basketball into the calendar. A Saturday at TDECU Stadium feels like a campus party, and tickets are easier to find than at professional games.

Match day logistics

The METRORail Red Line is the smartest way to reach several venues: it stops near the downtown arenas, serves the EaDo stadium and runs south to the NRG Park area, avoiding highway congestion and parking queues. Our METRORail guide gives more detail. In summer, drink plenty of water and use whatever shade you can find, because the Gulf Coast sun can sap a fan before the first pitch is thrown.

Book tickets ahead for big fixtures and playoff games, and if you travel in the hurricane season, keep an eye on the forecast, as tropical storms can postpone matches. We always carry a light waterproof, because a quick storm after the final whistle is part of the Houston experience.