Monday Through Friday in Houston

Drink specials and dance socials

Entertainment in Houston starts with a bang on Mondays with a wide variety of options. Visit Moody Park to see the famous “Vaquero” sculpture and partake in a free Aztec dance class starting at 7:45 p.m. Then, head downtown to The Secret Group. From 5 to 7 p.m., this bar and venue hosts “Come and Take It Mondays,” where you get to keep a free souvenir pint glass with your first drink and enjoy $2 off all draughts, cocktails and wells. El Big Bad has Kizomba Night with level one and two classes from 7:30 to 9 p.m. for $10, followed by a free dance social and party.

Delight your wild side

On the first Tuesday of the month from September through May, you can get into the Houston Zoo for free starting at noon. While entry doesn’t include special events and attractions, you can visit over 6,000 animals that call the zoo home. After you work up an appetite, go to Hay Merchant for a $15 steak special. You’ll be served a delicious 8-ounce 44 Farms Angus sirloin with potatoes, vegetables and housemade sauces. The dish sells out quickly, so be sure to arrive by the time the deal starts at 5 p.m. Afterwards, make your way to Last Concert Café for a Tuesday Musicians Jam starting at 9 p.m.

Spend the day in Memorial City

On Wednesdays, head to West Houston to enjoy Memorial City, a modern mixed-use property with dining, shopping and entertainment. After a little window shopping at stores like Zara, Michael Kors and Banana Republic, you can bring the family to The Lawn for a presentation of the U.S. flag with patriotic music from 5 to 5:30 p.m. When the Houston Astros are playing, you can join sports fans at The Square to watch the team play baseball for free on a giant HDTV screen. If you enjoy wine, visit the 024 Lounge from 2 to 9:30 p.m. for half off bottles of wine under $100.

Pick a museum to visit for free

If you like to indulge in art, science and culture when you travel, Thursday is the day that many of Houston’s most popular museums offer free admission. You and the kids can get into the Children’s Museum of Houston for free from 5 to 8 p.m. The Health Museum is free from 2 to 7 p.m., with admission into the DeBakey Cell Lab until 6 p.m. for just $3, giving young visitors the chance to conduct their own science experiments. Both the Holocaust Museum Houston and the Houston Museum of Natural Science offer free admission from 2 to 5 p.m.

Park it at Discovery Green

Take Fridays outdoors to Discovery Green, a lush, 12-acre green lawn in downtown Houston. The park offers free fitness classes like Tai Chi on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. If you want to simply relax, there is also a manmade lake, walking trails, dog run, kids play area, performance spaces, civic art and two casual dining restaurants. Finish the week with happy hour at Reserve 101, which offers a specially curated list of whiskies from Texas and beyond. The bar is just a four-minute walk from the park, and from 2 to 6 p.m., you can treat yourself to half-price drafts and $6 select cocktails.

A tip for weekday travel

Remember that Houston is a very large city with an estimated population of more than 2.3 million residents. Attractions are spread out with lots of traffic between you and your destination. While renting a car is always an option, consider using a ridesharing service. As part of the Your Extras program, you can earn extra perks at participating Choice Hotels^® locations in Houston, like Uber trip discounts, Fuel Rewards^® savings, bonus points and more when you stay at least one Sunday through Thursday night.