Houston is an ideal place for families to visit. Regardless of the age of your children, there are countless attractions which are guaranteed to keep them occupied during the entire trip. The aquarium and zoo are perfect for animal-lovers, while the space center is great for budding astronauts and the children’s museum is a must on any itinerary. There are also theme parks and gardens to explore as well as historical sights and museums.
Children's Museum
The Houston Children's Museum is aimed at children of all ages, ranging from babies to teenagers. The museum is brimming with interactive exhibits such as the Bubble Lab and Kid-TV. There is even a ‘Tot Spot’ which helps babies develop their coordination. The exterior of the building is as fun as the interior, making a trip here a must. Phone: +1 713 639 730;
website: www.cmhouston.org
Downtown Aquarium
This impressive aquarium on Houston's Memorial drive showcases underwater life from around the world and offers attractions such as the Amazon River, Louisiana Swamp and a shipwreck. Other popular features include a Ferris wheel, observation deck, a train ride through a tunnel in the shark tank, an exhibit on the White Tigers of the Maharaja's Temple and a highly recommended restaurant.
Phone: +1 713 223 3474
Houston Zoo
Conveniently located in the heart of the city’s Museum district, Houston Zoo is home to a wide array of animals from around the world. These include tigers, koalas, vampire bats and meerkats. One of the most popular features is Natural Encounters, an attraction which allows you to get up close to the animals, while the Wildlife Carousel is great for younger visitors.
Phone: +1 713 533 6500; website: www.houstonzoo.org
Space Center Houston
Houston's most popular attraction for both adults and children is the Space Center. There are countless interactive displays informing visitors on the wonders of space travel. The main attractions include the moon rock, the chance to watch astronauts train for their next space adventure, the space shuttle simulator and tours of the entire facility. Kids love the ‘That's So Weird’ exhibition, which is a collection of monsters in a creepy cave.
Phone: +1 281 244 2100; website: www.spacecenter.org
The Museum district in Houston is one of the largest in the whole of America. There are over a dozen high quality museums as well as impressive art galleries. Throughout the myriad of museums, you will find impressive collections of historical items and countless interactive exhibits representing science and nature. There are also some of the best contemporary art collections in the country.
The Museum district in Houston is one of the largest in the whole of America. There are over a dozen high quality museums as well as impressive art galleries. Throughout the myriad of museums, you will find impressive collections of historical items and countless interactive exhibits representing science and nature. There are also some of the best contemporary art collections in the country.
Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum
This museum is the only one of its kind in the western hemisphere that houses intact frescoes from the 13th century. The frescoes were stolen from a town on Cyprus and later restored by the Menil Foundation. Phone: +1 713 521 3990.
Contemporary Arts Museum
The Contemporary Arts Museum houses some fascinating avant-garde exhibitions of modern art and design. The building is an ultra-modern aluminium structure, a popular feature in itself. Phone: +1 713 284 8250; website: www.camh.org
Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS)
This museum is home to some impressive exhibitions such as collections of dinosaur skeletons and Texan wildlife, precious stones and minerals, an insect zoo and a butterfly garden. This garden includes an incredibly popular rainforest recreation. The museum also boasts an IMAX theatre and a planetarium.
Phone: +1 713 639 4629; website: www.hmns.org
Menil Collection
The Menil Collection is regarded as the most prized collection of art in the whole of Houston. There are over 15,000 works from the 20th century which focus on post-war America. The building itself is a well-known city landmark.
Phone: +1 713 525 9400; website: www.menil.org
Museum of Fine Arts
This museum consists of two gallery buildings located among stunning landscaped gardens and is home to over 40,000 pieces of art. There is a focus on Baroque and Renaissance art, Impressionist and post-Impressionist works as well as 19th and 20th century American art. The two buildings are linked by a tunnel.
Phone: +1 713 639 7300; website: www.mfah.org
Rienzi Museum
Houston's Rienzi Museum is filled with antiques and European art, most of which pre-dates the 19th century. The collection is particularly noted for its impressive collection of English porcelain. Phone: +1 713 639 7800
According to many residents and visitors, Houston is the number one city in the US for eating out. That is a big reputation to live up to, but with countless restaurants - 5,000 in total - offering world class cuisine, the city manages keep the top spot.
The downtown entertainment area, which is located in Houston's historic heart, is the best place to find the greatest selection of food. Other popular areas include the Richmond entertainment district and Richmond Avenue in uptown Houston.
There are a number of places where you can enjoy an early and hearty breakfast. There are all-American diners, small cafés and coffee shops dotted across the entire city. Houston has also has a good variety for those looking to enjoy a spot of lunch. These range from trendy sidewalk cafés to the on-the-go delis, where you can pick up a sandwich or a burger. Uptown Park and the Galleria shopping centres have an impressive assortment of eateries that are open all day or for something oriental, try Chinatown.
If you are looking to eat out at night, Houston excels in its selection of evening dining establishments, with places serving up traditional American meals as well as Mexican, German, English, French, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese dishes. The entertainment district in downtown Houston has a great selection of restaurants in all categories, as do the city's major shopping centres.
Shopping is as diverse in the city as food is, and you will not be disappointed with the abundance of shops, malls and designer boutiques selling everything from quirky to chic. Uptown is Houston's main shopping area, although Chinatown is also renowned for its offerings. Here, you will find specialty stores selling Asian furniture, handicrafts, medicinal products and food.
For something more upscale, head for the Galleria Shopping Centre, which comes complete with Gucci, Armani and D&G outlets. There are also large department stores and exquisite jewellers. This mall is perfect for window-shopping.
Rice Village is another popular shopping mall, offering more affordable stores such as Gap, Banana Republic and J Silver.
Houston is a city that simply loves sports. Regardless of whether it is college football games or professional league games, the city gets right behind their home sides. The year-round good weather lends itself well to sports and because of this, Houstonians take full advantage, getting outside at every opportunity.
Cycling
Houston is home to some fantastic cycling trails, which can be found throughout the city limits, in a number of parks and out in the surrounding countryside. Hiring a bike and touring the city at your own pace is a great way to experience Texan life and the natural beauty that Houston has to offer.
Golf
The city of Houston is home to over 50 golf clubs. Many of the courses can be found in Houston centre and often feature exceptional city views. If you are looking to escape the city, there are a number of golf courses within easy driving distance of central Houston. It may be necessary to book your playing time in advance, especially at the more popular golf courses.
Memorial Park
This park is a favourite spot with mountain-bikers, rollerbladers, joggers, swimmers and walkers. It covers an enormous area which is home to a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pools and a fitness centre. There are several mountain-bike and hiking trails, which are colour-coded according to their difficulty.
Professional Teams
Houston’s sporting fans have numerous choices when it comes to watching local professional teams. Basketball’s local champions are the Houston Rockets, while the Houston Aeros are hockey’s famous team; the Houston Dynamo’s play soccer professionally and the Houston Astros is the city’s professional baseball team. Houston’s NFL team are the ever popular Houston Texans. All five teams play their local games in the heart of the city and every game is sure to whip the loyal fans into a frenzy. If you can get your hands on tickets, it’s well worth attending a game or two.
In most things, familiarity leads to recognition and better service, following my many stays. This is exemplified by my losing a power cord for my laptop, and because I may have left it at the Interco...
