Texas is a state that delights in all things big, and
of all Texas’ big cities Houston is the very biggest. As a matter
of fact, this former oil and cattle town is the 4th biggest city in
the United States. It’s also one of the most prosperous, diverse
and lively places in the country, featuring great cuisine, art, sports
and a vibrant and growing nightlife.
There’s plenty for families to do in Houston. Six Flags AstroWorld
and its sister theme park Water World have enough roller coasters and
water-slides to keep visitors buy all day. The little ones will love
Hermann Park’s many playgrounds and paddle boating on McGovern
Lake. After a ride on the Herman Park Miniature Train everyone will
be ready for a trip to the adjacent Houston Zoo. The immensely popular
Johnson Space Center isn’t far from town and is a must-see for
NASA lovers and space-travel buffs.
Shoppers will be in heaven when they visit the enormous Galleria Mall.
If they can shop a little more before they drop then it isn’t
to far of a trip to the Upper Kirby District and Rice Village, or the
River Oaks Shopping Center. Antique lovers will be thrilled with the
shops on Westheimer at Woodhead.
Sports fans will have a field day in Houston. Basketball fans may catch
a Rockets game at their new facilities. The Astros go to bat at the
Minute Maid stadium. Football fans don’t have to feel left out
in Houston anymore; they can go to the titanic Reliant Stadium to watch
the NFL’s Houston Texans. The Reliant Stadium is also the host
of Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.
Houston hosts an impressive number of galleries and museums that make
it home to one of the best art collections in the country. The Museum
District contains the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which houses one
of the largest art collections in the U.S., and offers free admission
on Thursdays. Just across the street is the Roy Cullen Sculptural Garden,
which displays works by Matisse and Rodin. The Houston Museum of Natural
History is home to the Cockrell Butterfly Collection as well as its
wonderful planetarium.
Houston’s nightlife is mostly center in and around Market Square,
but happening hot spots can be found all over the city. The trendy Mercury
room is a place to see and be seen, but visitors that love to dance
will probably want to head to Roxy’s for a little ’80 pop
or Hip Hop, while El Rodeo serves up the Latin beats. There’s
no shortage of live music in Houston, from jazz at Cézanne to
blues at Shakespeare’s pub to local rock at the Engine Room.
Houston cuisine is some of the best in the state. Houston’s own
Café Annie, for example, was named as one of the 50 best restaurants
in the country by Gourmet Magazine. Visitors craving Asian will almost
certainly find something to satisfy among the 280 items on the menu
at the legendary Kim Soo in Houston’s China Town. The grub at
the Armadillo Palace may not be haute cuisine, but its stick-to-your-ribs
BBQ fare and honky-tonk atmosphere are tons of fun. The gargantuan,
iron-plated, long-horned, smoke-breathing armadillo statue in front
of the Palace is worth the trip in and of itself.
Guest in Houston will find accommodations at every price range. Baseball
fans that are willing to spend a little more should look into In The
Ballpark, a luxury hotel within easy walking distance of Minute Maid
Park. The Warwick is an elegant 1920’s era hotel with descent
rates.
