Houston

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The Best of Houston Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Houston, USA

The Ultimate Self Guided Driving Tour of Houston

2 to 3 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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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

Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone

Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Lamar St @ La Branch St
Houston, TX 77010, USA
After booking the tour, search your email for the phrase "Set up your self-guided tour now." Follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

5/5/2020 - 5/18/2025
Monday - Sunday : 06:00 AM - 11:30 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Buffalo Bayou Park

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Sam Houston Park

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Houston City Hall

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Pennzoil Place (Pass By)

Market Square Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

JPMorgan Chase Tower

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Christ Church Cathedral

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Minute Maid Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Emancipation Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Houston Museum District

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Hermann Park

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Rice University

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

William Marsh Rice Statue

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

MacGregor Park

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

MacGregor Park MLK

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Old Spanish Trail

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

San Jacinto Street

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Discovery Green

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Houston Graffiti Building

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Holocaust Museum Houston

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

The Houston Museum of Natural Science

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Children's Museum Houston

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

The Health Museum

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Space Center Houston

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and an instructions email. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular
How to start the tour: Once onsite, open the Action's Tour Guide App: • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If there are multiple tour versions, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
Amazing savings: • Driving Tours: Save money by purchasing a single tour for the entire vehicle, avoiding individual fees per person like on a bus tour. Connect your phone to the car speakers to share the audio.

Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It's perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app's features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

3.0

36 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 36 reviews

SKIP this one!! It was NOT a good experience at all!

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.

Terrible maps, directions

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.

Awesome!

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!

Educational

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.

A complete waste if money

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.

Hard to fallow

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.

Tour of Houston

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!

Not worth it

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.

Difficult to sightsee

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.

Sharing Houston with...

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!

Navigation.

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!

Download did not work on...

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!

Great Idea…. Went Too far out of town

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!

I liked it

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!

Great

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!

Great Experience

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!

Could be better

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!

City tour by your own!

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.

Fun facts but frustrating drive

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.