My brother-in-law, nephew and I spent last weekend on our yearly football trip to Houston. They have been fans of the Texans since they lived there several years ago, and I am always up for a fun trip. On these football trips, there are three mandatory food stops.

Immediately upon landing, our first stop was at Texadelphia. A flavorful chicken Philly sandwich, crispy waffle fries and a great Coke always start the trip right.

On game day, we stopped at Kenny & Ziggy’s to get our tailgating food. Their regular sandwiches weigh more than a pound. They serve quantity and quality. We directed many other tailgaters to Kenny & Ziggy’s.

We finished game day at Big Woodrows. Plenty of televisions, great ambience and excited football fans make this an ideal place to watch the other games. Their gumbo is unbelievably tasty and just chock-full of everything. I know it sounds a bit silly to rave about these types of restaurants, but they are just that good. Our trip would not be the same without all of them. They are almost as important as the football. Unfortunately, the Texans lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. NRG Stadium is beautiful, and the fans really know how to tailgate.

We stayed at the Embassy Suites near the Galleria. Our suite had the best shower I ever experienced. The pressure was like a firehose and the water got plenty hot. It was the perfect way to unwind after a football-packed day. I love our trips to Houston. I wish the Texans did better when we watched them, but it is always fun, no matter the outcome.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor