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City Cast Houston

Feeling stressed out and looking for a place in Houston to take a deep breath? Although we live in a bustling city, there are quiet places where you can escape and exhale. Keep reading for our relaxation recs 😮‍💨

 reflection pool. One of my favorite places is sitting on the bench looking at the Broken Obelisk statue. The gentle breeze from the wind and lapping sounds of the water instantly make me relax.

City Cast Houston Executive Producer Laura Isensee loves taking a break at 

, which has multiple locations all over Houston.They offer donation-based yoga classes.

 where you can watch tons of improv shows by both professionals and students. They also feature pay what you want shows on Saturdays at 9:30 p.m. Feeling brave? 

? This park has hike and bike trails, soccer fields, dog parks, softball and baseball fields, and picnic spots. With so many summer days ahead, you have to check it out!

Feel yourself instantly unwind as you take in breathtaking scenery at Houston Botanic Garden. They also have fun events to get you immersed in nature, like their 

 with extended hours and special programs.

City Cast Houston Host Raheel Ramzanali enjoys listening to his favorite music while strolling around 

 inside Hermann Park. You can also grab your favorite book, blanket, and hang out inside the gardens.

Splurge on a massage, facial, or mani-pedi at 

The best places to relieve stress in Houston. 

Houston's Best Places to Relieve Stress in 2025 

The Best Places to Relieve Stress in Houston

Find the best of everything that Houston has to offer.

Houston’s Best

Houston's Best

Images and stories from Kerrville are seared in my mind.

There were the parents, shell-shocked and almost in a daze, waiting for news of their missing daughters, many of whom were swept away in flash flood waters. 

Some fathers even visited Camp Mystic themselves

, searching the cabins for trinkets, friendship bracelets, anything they could to find to remember their children, and looking for bodies along the riverbank. Hundreds of other parents waited anxiously at reunification centers for their children, scattered among the dozen-or-so sleepaway summer camps that dot the Hill Country, many of which closed early for the summer after the flood.

, who began to acknowledge that rescue operations were winding down, and only bodies would be recovered, for the most part at least, going forward. Tears filled the eyes of elected officials 

 who visited the area every Fourth of July like so many other Texans in RV parks, hotels, and campsites along the Guadalupe River.

Countless others looked for friends and family members who were swept away in the early morning hours on Saturday, 

when 10-12 inches of rain fell on the Guadalupe River

I was there on Saturday, watching families reunite and first responders digging through debris in Kerr County after being called out to the area to report on the devastation for the 

I heard about the teenage counselors who pushed their campers to safety, the camp directors who died saving counselors and campers, the 

man who bled to death from an injured arm after he broke through a window to save his family

, and the hundreds of first responders who rescued more than 850 people.

Flash flooding is nothing new to this area, known unfortunately as “

,” and officials have said that the rain and rising water just came too quickly for people to have enough warning. The rushing water uprooted enormous trees, overturned vehicles, and swept people downstream — 

 — leaving swaths of debris on the riverbank.

It was all so quintessentially Texas: The kids spending their summers 

 learning how to be independent, trying new things, and making friends. All around them were people enjoying the holiday weekend away from their city lives. Then came the rising water and now, the absolute need for help.

As we head into a new week, officials are asking folks to stay away and let first responders continue to search for the missing. Questions have already been raised over whether officials could have done more, like installing alarm systems or ordering evacuations sooner, and getting answers will undoubtedly take time. But soon, we’ll get the chance to help out as the area rebuilds, and then, I’ll see you back in Kerrville.

Catastrophic flooding killed dozens of people over the July Fourth weekend in the Texas Hill Country. 

Heartbreak in Hill Country

On the City Cast Houston podcast, we break down some of the biggest Houston news of the week. Find new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.


Houston's News Podcast

Houston News

Ready or not, it’s officially hurricane season! Whether you’re new to Houston or have hunkered down through previous storms, I’m sharing tips that will help you prepare for hurricane season. Let’s get to it!

Hurricane season begins on June 1 and lasts all the way until Nov. 30. The peak season for the Texas coast 

usually falls between August and September

. It’s time to start preparing now because the storm season can be unpredictable. For example, last year, Houstonians experienced Hurricane Beryl on July 8. It was the 

earliest time on record for a Category 5 hurricane

 to develop in the Atlantic. By the time it made landfall near Houston, it had weakened to a Category 1. But as Matt Lanza with Space City Weather recently told City Cast Houston, one big lesson from Beryl is that “there is no such thing as 

 a Category 1.” Beryl knocked out power for over 2 million people and caused billions in damage.

Throughout the summer, you may hear that Houston has been issued a tropical storm warning. What is the 

difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane

? Primarily, their wind speed. A hurricane needs a couple of ingredients to begin to form: warm ocean water and moist, humid air. As the storm strengthens, it can go through different stages. It can start as a tropical disturbance and then strengthen to a tropical storm if wind speeds reach between 39 to 73 miles per hour. Once wind speeds reach 74 miles per hour or higher, then we have a hurricane on our hands. Still, a tropical storm can still wreak havoc, like 

Tropical Storm Allison that dumped over 30 inches

Check out this checklist from Harris County on 

what to do before, during, and after the storm

. Some key items to take care of right away:

Check in with your elderly loved ones and neighbors 

Think about your power outage plan. Make sure you have what you need if you lose power for days.

Stock up on water and non-perishable items now.

Have more questions? Check out our full conversation with Space City Weather’s Matt Lanza on 

How should you prepare for hurricane season in Houston in 2025? 

What To Know About  Hurricane Season 2025 in Houston

What To Know About Houston's Hurricane Season

What Houstonians have been wondering. We break down why things in Houston are the way they are and how they work.

Houston, Explained

Sunny skies, humidity-free days, and patio weather can only mean one thing in Houston: bluebonnet season has arrived! And, only in H-town can you spot people parked in weird spots (usually on Allen Parkway!) with a phone in hand, trying to capture that perfect photo for bluebonnet season. So, why do we go crazy for bluebonnets every spring?

Texans have adored bluebonnets for decades even 

before it became the official state flower in 1901

. One legend of the bluebonnet dates back to the 1700s, and involves a Christian missionary 

who wore a blue cloak over her nun’s habit

. She mysteriously appeared to the Jumano tribe in Texas and shared her faith. When she appeared to them for the last time, the fields suddenly filled with flowers the same color as her blue cloak. Fast forward to 2025, there’s something about bluebonnets that Houstonians still can’t get enough of. Is it their striking blue petals? Is it the rare experience of finding them before they shrivel up with the summer heat? Is it the satisfaction of capturing the perfect photo with your loved ones?

For me, bluebonnets always symbolize the hope of spring. A new beginning. The winter doldrums have faded, and now there’s the promise of a new season. Last spring, I visited a friend in San Antonio. She had just bought a new house with a pool, so we were going to hang out in the backyard. Her husband made us cocktails and left us to spend hours in the backyard catching up. But, when I stepped in the backyard for the first time, I was shocked that it was full of bluebonnets! I joked with her that she should turn her yard into a bluebonnet photo op, and she would make bank. She laughed, and we spent the rest of the afternoon in our own personal bluebonnet oasis.

I think one reason why Houstonians love bluebonnet season is that we know it flies by fast, so we have to enjoy it while we can. The flowers 

 and are only around until mid or late April, depending on the weather. So, if you’re driving behind a Houstonian who haphazardly pulls over to snap a photo in the bluebonnets, let them. If you pass by someone else happily frolicking in the bluebonnets at Buffalo Bayou, leave them be. If you see a family posing for a photo, offer to take their picture. We know that this season is fleeting. Just like our humidity-free weather 😅

Where to see bluebonnets in Houston right now

Sunny skies, humidity-free days, and patio weather can only mean one thing in Houston: bluebonnet season has arrived! Why do we go crazy for bluebonnets every spring?

Bluebonnet Season in Houston

Only in H-Town: Bluebonnets

Have you explored the breathtaking grounds of 

 tucked away in River Oaks is filled with history. Spring is the perfect time to take in the beautiful flowers and the grounds of the former home of Ima Hogg, also known as the “First Lady of Texas.”

was born near Tyler in Mineola, Texas, in July 1882

. Her father, James Stephen Hogg, served as the governor of Texas from 1891 to 1895. She loved music at a young age, starting piano lessons at only 3 years old, and studied music in New York, Vienna, and Berlin. She helped establish the Houston Symphony Orchestra in June 1913. However, in the late 1910s, Hogg and her family’s life changed forever 

when oil was discovered on land the family leased

 in Brazoria County. Afterwards, Hogg and her brothers became extremely wealthy. In the 1920s, a two-story, twenty-four room house that cost $217,000 was custom built for Hogg and her two bachelor brothers on Memorial Drive, on the cusp of Buffalo Bayou.

Ima Hogg lived at the home with her two brothers until one got married and the other died. Over time, she transformed her home into a living museum filled with unique antiques, artwork, and objects. Her collection began with a mid-18th century American armchair in 1920. Over the next three decades, she collected more decorative arts from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, creating a rich legacy of Americana. It's still displayed at her home today, because Hogg donated the house and her collections to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 1956. The home officially opened as a museum to the public in 1966.

 and take in each room that Ima Hogg decorated to honor different periods of history. Bayou Bend also hosts events throughout the year, 

, where kids can participate in music and art activities. Next month, enjoy mint julep cocktails and live music at 

. Also, we’re bummed that the Azalea Trail isn’t happening this year, a storied tradition in Houston dating back 88 years. In 2021, the event 

Bayou Bend Collection and Garden remains a rich part of Houston's history. 

Why Bayou Bend is a Houston Gem

People, places, and scenes from Houston's past.

Houston History

One of our beloved state animals in Texas is the armadillo, which 

means “little armored one” in Spanish

, which look similar to armor. These shells help ward off predators, while they use their claws to forage for food and dig burrows. These nine-banded armadillos are the only species that call the U.S. home, and can be spotted all across Texas.

Nine-banded armadillos enjoy eating beetles, cockroaches, fire ants, spiders, snails, and more. They have hardly any hair to regulate their body temperatures, so they can get extra hot. For example, last summer, armadillos were 

rushing to the beach to cool off from the record high temperatures.

 When they’re hunting for food, they make a lot of noise and scare easily. If they’re approached unexpectedly, they usually leap straight up in the air. They leap so high that their bodies can hit the undercarriage of car vehicles, making them extra vulnerable to road accidents. So be careful out there!

Nine-banded armadillos thrive in warm, wet climates. They have their own unique ways of navigating water because their armored body makes them sink easily. They can hold their breath for up to six minutes and walk along the bottom of streams or ditches. Armadillos can also swallow air to inflate their stomachs to twice their normal size, allowing them to swim across bodies of water.

These nine-banded armadillos are the only species that call the U.S. home, and can be spotted all across Texas.


Texas Armadillos Can Walk Under Water 

Get to know the natural side of Houston: the plants, animals, weather and more that make our city unique.

Houston Urban Almanac

Urban Almanac

Even though Houstonians don’t get the luxury of a true fall like our East Coast friends, we do have trees that reflect the changing seasons. 

 are one of the first trees in the state to shed their leaves. It’s how they got their name “bald cypress” – and they’re also the last to bloom in the spring.

These trees, which are part of the Redwood family, have soft and feathery leaves that are green and white underneath. Many animals, like squirrels and wood ducks, enjoy eating their seeds. Bald eagles and ospreys also like to build nests in these cypress trees. At the Houston Arboretum, you can already find the leaves changing colors, including their bald cypress trees.

“During early October in Houston, the temps may yet feel more like summertime than autumn, but the hours of daylight are getting shorter by about a minute and a half each day this month. The flora in the Houston Arboretum are affected by this; making less chlorophyll and leaves are turning from green to shades of golden yellow and orange. If you need a little help getting in the mood for fall, take a stroll along the woodway ponds and enjoy the seasonal change of the bald cypress and pickerelweed,” says Tiffany Ritter of the Houston Arboretum.

Your fall guide to October in Houston

Houston Arboretum is already boasting some fall foliage. 

Where to See Fall Foliage in Houston

Every fall, nearly two billion birds, including hummingbirds and shorebirds, migrate through Texas. But you may have missed them, because 

most of the North American birds actually travel at night

. This can be dangerous because bright city lights can cause birds to have deadly collisions with buildings and other structures. So, how can we protect our precious birds?

Glass on buildings is invisible to birds, but they’re still drawn

. Sometimes the window reflections remind them of their own habitats, like when they see plants and the sky. Unfortunately, once birds collide with a building or another structure, they usually die from traumatic injuries. Last October, 

 after colliding with the McCormick Place Lakeside Center.

Fall migration for birds lasts until Nov. 30. However, the peak season began on Sept. 5 and will run until Oct. 29. To protect the birds, homeowners, business owners, and others should turn off all non-essential lighting on homes, buildings and other structures from 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Here are more ways you can help birds travel safely:

For security lighting, use motion detectors or sensors.

For buildings taller than three stories, turn off or dim exterior or decorative lighting, such as logos or lighting in the lobby.

Avoid floodlights, lit-up plants or fountains.

Use desk lamps as opposed to overhead lights.

, a type of glass visible to birds as they fly by.

How can you protect birds migrating through Texas during the fall? 

How to Protect Birds Migrating Through Texas

Beware: Skunkvine is a plant that you might smell before you get a good look. The one-of-a-kind plant, also formally known as paederia foetida, is not an actual skunk but releases a strong odor that smells like rotting cabbage or a sewer, according to Patti Bonnin of the Houston Arboretum.

That strong smell comes from sulfur compounds in its leaves. This long, winding plant can grow up to 35 feet long, and 

usually twists up tree canopies or along the ground.

The invasive plant, normally found in temperate climates of Asia, can now be spotted in many parts of the southwest United States and Hawaii. The plant is 

Skunkvines can be hard to get rid of because even after they're cut down, their thick woody stem resprouts quickly and continues to produce many seeds. The plant will continue to grow and kill off any native vegetation in its path. The vines can weigh down on trees and cause their branches or the whole tree to collapse. It can also smother shrubs or other plants.

“Sewer-smelling leaves, destructive, invasive AND difficult to get rid of? Why would anyone want this plant in their gardens? Originally, this plant was cultivated as an ornamental plant due to its delicate pink and white flowers and beautiful climbing vines,” says Bonnin.

If you’re looking to control the growth of skunkvine, apply an herbicide. However, you may have to apply it multiple times to really get the vine’s growth under control. Good luck!

The one-of-a-kind plant, also formally known as paederia foetida, is not an actual skunk but releases a strong odor that smells like rotting cabbage or a sewer.

Skunkvine Can Harm Houston Vegetation 

These Stinky Plants Can Harm Houston Vegetation 

Just as we take shelter during a storm, animals also find ways to hunker down and protect themselves. During last week’s hurricane, Kelsey Low of the Houston Arboretum spotted different insects hiding out in her home.

“An Eastern Amberwing dragonfly clung to my window screen for dear life while Beryl passed through. I also found a large sphinx moth hiding from the rain in my garage,” says Kelsey Low of Houston Arboretum.

How do other animals hide out during a storm? Birds will take shelter deep in trees. You can also find rabbits digging under bushes, and frogs and turtles burying themselves in the mud, according to the Houston Arboretum. Owls and snakes will also dig their own burrows in the ground before a storm. However, 

sometimes debris can block the shelter they’ve created

During a hurricane, strong winds can also move birds hundreds of miles away from their original habitats. For example, after Hurricane Earl in 2010, a North Carolina brown pelican 

was found all the way in Halifax, Nova Scotia

. Some animals also can lose their normal food supply, such as squirrels and their nuts. However, deers can benefit from new vegetation that grows after a storm.

Hurricane Beryl caused problems for thousands of Houston’s wild animals. More than 1,600 orphaned or injured birds and critters have been taken in by Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center, including Mississippi kites, mourning doves, white-winged doves, opossums, and squirrels. They also are taking care of 350 egrets that were blown out of their nests in a northwest neighborhood. Here’s what to do 

if you find an orphaned animal or injured wildlife

how to prep your pets for the next hurricane.

Hurricane Beryl caused problems for thousands of Houston’s wild animals

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