Houston

From MaxTravelz

Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States. It is huge, both in population and in land area. "Urban sprawl" is a term tailor-made for this city. Houston is an international city home to among the nation's largest Asian, Arab and Latin American populations. Houston's culture is not limited to diverse population - it boasts a world class symphony and theatre district that includes a full-time ballet company and opera.

Contents

Understand

Houston is the largest city in the United States without any appreciable zoning. While there is some small measure of zoning in the form of ordinances and land use regulations, real estate development in Houston is only constrained by the will and the pocketbook of real estate developers. Traditionally, Houston politics and law are strongly influenced by real estate developers; at times, the majority of city council seats have been held by developers. Development of the city, then, has reflected what makes life easy on developers instead of visitors or residents.

What this means to visitors is that Houston covers a larger land area with less population than might otherwise be expected. Everything is spread out. No matter where you are, almost nothing will be within walking distance. The entire city is built on the assumption that nearly everyone owns and drives a car virtually everywhere they go.

The city has a number of districts. Historically, these districts were called "wards" and they tended to have distinct populations. Redevelopment has rendered most of those distinctions meaningless, but the modern version of Houston still has districts.

Houston has three downtowns. All three of these areas look like a typical downtown in a big city with high-rise buildings and, at street level, concessions to pedestrians that include shops and eating establishments.

  • The traditional downtown center of the city, still the home of high finance and big business.
  • The second downtown is south of the city center, an area now known, generically, as The Medical Center or The Texas Medical Center. Some of the best hospitals in the world are there.
  • The third downtown, west of the city center, is called The Galleria or uptown and is known, not surprisingly, for a huge, high-end shopping mall complex named The Galleria as well as the tallest building in the United States outside of a main downtown area.

Situated elsewhere in town, between these three pillars of development and surrounding them, are a dozen or more distinct districts that define the more-accessible heart of the people and the city.

  • NoDo or North of downtown - No other name has managed to stick for this area, just north of the original downtown and formerly the site of warehouses and industry. (A short-lived attempt to market the area as NoHo - NOrth of HOuston, get it? - died a well-deserved death and no good, short, snappy name has yet to fully permeate the collective consciousness of Houston.) Loft conversions and trendy residents are the rule in this area, nowadays, but there's still some good eats and nightlife to be found.
  • Montrose - Both a street name and a neighborhood, Montrose is Houston's longtime home to a large portion of its gay and lesbian community, as well as host to the city's museums. An area that was once affordable and appealing for its 1920's bungalows, it has now given way to gentrification and high property taxes. Of note in the Montrose is the Menil Collection, a private family collection of 20th Century modern masterpieces, open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 11-7. It boasts a large group of surrealist works and includes a special room devoted to the objects that the Surrealists themselves collected, which inspired many of the works on view. Montrose is one of the few places in the city where walking just might be feasible one day, but with August average high temperatures lingering in the 90's with 95% humidity, it is unlikely that Houstonians will ever surrender their cars.
  • Clear Lake - A large sheltered bay and the area around it is a local recreation center. The area is home to NASA's Johnson Space Center, a smaller medical center, and seafood vendors. The area's boating opportunities are considered second only to those of Miami. Fishing, swimming, hiking, and history are also popular activities in the area.
  • River Oaks -
  • Post Oak / Galleria -
  • Midtown -
  • The Heights -
  • Southwest Houston -
  • New Chinatown - or Little Saigon located southwest of the center is the largest Chinatown in the world, areawise though the term Chinatown is misleading due to the fact that the majority of the shops and restaurants cater to Houstons large Vietnamese population. Hong Kong City Mall is a very large grocery store/shopping center in this area. This is actually the second Chinatown, the first being a now warehouse district on the northeast side of downtown. There is also a significant (though much smaller) concentration of Asian, especially Vietnamese, influence on the far southeast edge of the city.

Get in

By plane

Houston is served by two airports:

  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), . The larger of the two airports and is located 23 miles north of downtown near Beltway 8, between IH-45 North and US-59 North. It is a hub for Continental Airlines and serves 24 domestic and international airlines.
  • William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), . Located 7 miles south of downtown and is located off of I-45 South. It is convenient if you're travelling downtown or south of the city, such as to Galveston. Its main carrier is Southwest Airlines, and it also serves Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and AirTran.

By train

  • Amtrak, 902 Washington Ave, . Amtrak's Sunset Limited line is the only passenger train route with a stop in Houston.

By car

Houston's major freeways include:

  • I-45 North ("North Freeway"): To Dallas
  • I-45 South ("Gulf Freeway"): To Galveston
  • I-10 West ("Katy Freeway"): To San Antonio
  • I-10 East: to Beaumont
  • I-610 ("The Loop"): Loop around downtown
  • US 59 South ("Southwest Freeway"): to Victoria
  • US 59 North ("Eastex Freeway"): to Lufkin
  • US 290 West ("Northwest Freeway"): to Austin
  • TX 288 South ("South Freeway"): to Freeport
  • TX 225 East ("Pasadena Freeway"): to La Porte

Approximate mileage to nearby cities (in miles):

By bus

  • Greyhound Lines, .
    • Downtown station, 2121 Main St.
    • Crosstimbers Station, 4001 North Freeway.
    • Northwest, 1500 West Loop North.
    • Southeast, 7000 Harrisburg Blvd.
    • Southwest, 5690 Southwest Freeway.

Get around

As Houston is a large, sprawling city, and since public transportation is limited, people living in Houston are dependent on the automobile. Houston is not a walking city.

By car

Houston has a number of major highways that make getting around Houston fairly easy. (See list of freeways under the "Get In" section.) A number of obstacles, however, can make driving in Houston a less than pleasant experience. One is construction, which seems to be ever-present, and the other is traffic. Evening rush hour in Houston begins as early as 4pm and can last more than 2 hours. Morning rush hour is between 7 and 9. During rush hour, traffic on the highways can come to a halt. The strip of the West Loop near the Galleria, between US 59 and I-10, is an area you should definitely avoid during rush hour if possible.


Some of the freeways have an H.O.V. (High-Occupancy Vehicle) lane, which are limited-access lanes located in the median strip of the highway. The HOV lanes are operational Monday - Friday in the morning hours (5am - 11am) in the inbound direction and in the outbound direction in the afternoon and evening (from 2pm - 8pm). The HOV lanes are restricted to cars with 2 or more passengers, however some HOV lanes require 3 or more passengers during peak travel periods (6:45-8:00am and 5-6pm, for the Katy Freeway; 6:45-8:00am only for Highway 290). The HOV lanes are marked with signs bearing a white diamond on a black background. Highways with HOV lanes are: I-45 North, I-45 South, US 59 North, US 59 South, I-10 West (Katy Freeway), and US 290. In addition to its usual Monday through Friday hours, the Katy Freeway HOV lane also runs on Saturday in the outbound direction and on Sunday in the inbound direction.

By public transportation

Currently, public transportation in Houston is limited to METRO, which operates bus lines as well as a the new and very popular light rail line called METRORail.

METRORail is a seven and a half mile light rail line that runs between downtown, midtown, the museum district, the Medical Center, Reliant Park, and the Fannin South Park & Ride(which is a handy place to park and is located near the 610 loop) It costs $1 for a one-way ticket, $2 for a day pass. (Also see the stay safe section.)

By taxi

  • Outside of Downtown, don't expect to catch a taxi on the streets, but there are various cab stands located at various parts of downtown proper. Taxis in Houston are generally dispatched by various companies the largest being Yellow cab, 713-236-1111.

Talk

Obviously, English is the main language spoken in Houston. Especially in outlying areas (though much less so in the actual city), some locals speak with thick Texan accents, and may be difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. Also, Houston has many ethnic neighborhoods, and although you probably will not find yourself in an area where nobody speaks English, knowing at least a few phrases of Spanish or another language will come in handy.

See

  • Houston Chinatown - The fastest growing ethnic area in Houston Houston Chinatown
  • Space Center Houston - 1601 NASA Road 1 (located 25 miles south of downtown Houston in the NASA/Clear Lake area), 281-244-2100. Open daily. Summer hours: June 10am-7pm, July 9am-7pm, August 10am-5pm, 10am-7pm Weekends. Winter hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. $17.95 Adults, $13.95 Children (4-11), discounts for seniors. Parking $4. Indoor fun space museum. A big hit with kids, but informative for adults. A highlight is the tram tour of NASA's Johnson Space Center.Official website
  • Battleship Texas and San Jacinto Battleground Monument - LaPorte (From Interstate 610 East, take Texas Highway 225 east for 11 miles to Battleground Road (Texas Highway 134), continue north approximately 2 miles. Turn right on Park Road 1836 for the Monument or continue on Highway 134 another mile to reach the Battleship.). Every day (closed for major holidays). Hours: 10-5 (battleship), 8-6 (monument). Battleship admission: Adults $5, Children (6-18) $3, Children (5 and under) free. Senior discounts. San Jacinto Monument is free. Tour a World World II battleship. The monument commemorates the battle at which Texas won its independence from Mexico. Official visitor information
  • Toyota Center - This is best known as home of Houston Rockets, NBA basketball team. Houston Comets (WNBA) and Houston Aeros (minor hockey league) also play here. Toyota Center also hosts many variety of shows and concerts. Official Website
  • Reliant Stadium - Home of the Houston Texans (NFL team). Has a retractable roof.
  • Former Enron Building - 1500 Louisiana; downtown. No tours at the moment. Designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates and Kendall/Heaton Associates at a cost of $200 million. Marvel at its wonder, gawk in remembrance of the tragedy and at the sins of Ken Lay.
  • The Galleria - unofficial website Huge shopping mall in the center of the Galleria area (also known as uptown), filled with high end retail stores, several hotels and even includes an indoor year-round ice skating rink used by Tara Lipinski.
  • Hermann Park - Hermann Park is approximately 455 acres (about half the size of Central Park in New York City). George Hermann gave the parkland to the City of Houston in 1914. It is accessible via the MetroRail.
  • Japanese Garden - unofficial website located on Main St & Sunset Blvd in Herman Park and has connections to Houston's Japanese sister city, Chiba.
  • The Downtown Underground tunnel system - 25 miles of subterranean tunnels are used daily to get around downtown Houston.
  • Forbidden Gardens - outdoor museum replicating some of China's historic scenes Official site
  • Galveston - City of Galveston, including the seawall, beaches, Bolivar ferry, and the Strand historic district.
  • Moody Gardens - Recreation destination featuring beaches, 3 pyramids, IMAX theater and more.
  • MFAH - Museum of Fine Arts Houston
  • CAM - Contemporary Arts Museum
  • Highland Village Shopping District - Upscale shops and restaurants near River Oaks Official site
  • Diverse Works - alternative artwork center
  • Marq*E - outdoor shopping mall with many attraction including a giant movie theater
  • IKEA - recently rebuilt giant IKEA store. Eat Swedish food in the Scandinavian style cafe.
  • Williams Tower - The 2nd largest skyscraper in Houston and largest in the world outside of a downtown or central business district. A short walk from the Galleria, also check out the ever-romantic Water Wall.
  • Lake Conroe - Sailing and water recreation north of Houston.
  • The Houston Zoo - Great children's section.
  • Lakewood Church - The largest church in North America, housed in the former stadium of the Houston Rockets.
  • Southmore House - a house with people living together inside
  • Rothko Chapel - Rothko Chapel
  • Houston Ship Channel Boat Tour - its free!
  • Saint Arnold Microbrewery - Saint Arnold Brewery site
  • Hillcroft - Drive west on Richmond from Loop 610 to Hillcroft. Hang a left and show them all the halal Chinese restaurants, Persian kebab shops, Latino hip-hop clubs, Indo-Pakistani curry houses, Arabic hookah bars, Indian sari boutiques and travel agencies prominently displaying their deals on flights to Lahore, Cairo, Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi along Hillcroft's Asian miracle mile.
  • Downtown Aquarium - Features great seafood, a ferris wheel and much more. Great place to go on a date. Official website
  • Kemah Boardwalk - Kemah Boardwalk, a small theme park and recreational area on Galveston Bay in Kemah.

Do

  • Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo - Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park. March, yearly (Feb 28-March 19 for the 2006 season). The world's largest rodeo. Includes rodeo events, calf scramble, and music concert. It is known for its big-name music acts as much as it is for the rodeo. The livestock show attracts professional breeders who bring in their world-class livestock to be judged. There is also a carnival on the grounds. Official website
  • Splashtown Great water park located in the suburb of spring next to I-45. Part of the Six Flags Theme Parks. Splashtown Official Website
  • The Orange Show Unique houston.The Orange Show
  • random outdoor art work things to notice
  • Super Happy Fun Land Super Happy Fun Land is Houston's venue for experimental electronic music, underground jazz, and outsider art!
  • EnHouston Houston Calendar is Houston online guide for current local events and live bands information

Learn

Houston is home to many universities, including:

  • Rice University, .
  • University of Houston, .
  • Baylor College of Medicine, .
  • The University of Texas Health Science Center, .
  • Houston Baptist University, .
  • University of St. Thomas, .
  • Texas Southern University, .
  • Houston Community College (HCC), .

Buy

  • Galleria, 5085 Westheimer Rd. (located 1 block west of the West Loop at the intersection of Westheimer and Post Oak Blvd.), 713-622-0663, . Mon-Sat 10:00am - 9:00pm, Sun 11:00am - 7:00pm. Free parking. A huge indoor shopping mall with 375 stores. Upscale shopping. Food court and fine restaurants. Indoor ice-skating rink.
  • Baybrook Mall Nearby in Friendswood, along the Gulf Freeway (IH-45 South)
  • Memorial City Mall Has many department stores and also an indoor ice skating rink. Located at I-10 and Gessner (Western part of Houston).
  • Katy Mills Mall In the nearby city of Katy, about 25 miles west of downtown Houston.
  • The Woodlands Mall In The Woodlands off IH-45 North, about 30 miles north of downtown Houston.

In general, prices in Houston are lower than in other major US cities.

Eat

Houston has outstanding dining options, and is widely considered the most restaurant-oriented city in the United States, with a wide variety of ethnic restaurants, superb Tex-Mex, a great number of steakhouses, fine dining, as well as chains. For some of the best surprises, stop by any nondescript taqueria and order nearly anything at random.

Dining Guides

Budget

  • Lenox Barbecue & Catering - 5420 Harrisburg Blvd, Houston, TX 77011, (713) 926-2649
  • Goode Company Barbeque
  • 100% Taquito Trendy, authentic Mexico City-type taco joint. CitySearch Profile
  • Nippon Daido. Japanese fast food cafe. There's also a Japanese grocery store in the same shopping centre. Located in Wilcrest area.
  • Tokyo Bowl Japanese fast food, 2402 Bay Area Blvd 281-480-5311)
  • Mai's Vietnamese food, popular with the late night crowd
  • Pappas Bar-B-Q Texas barbeque by the Pappas brothers, 1217 Pierce St and 7050 Gulf Freeway
  • Chuy's Tex-Mex with flair, 2706 Westheimer Rd
  • Taqueria Del Sol Authentic Mexican food, 8114 Park Place Blvd

Mid-range

  • Kanomwan - Wonderful Thai restaurant in historic 3rd Ward; home of the "Thai Nazi" (a la "Seinfeld") - 736 1/2 Telephone Rd., Houston, TX 77023, (713) 923-4236
  • Taste of Texas "The finest steaks and prime rib (only Certified Angus Beef) money can buy." Award-winning wine list, lobster, freshly baked breads, etc. Menu is translated into 12 different languages. 10505 Katy Freeway between Beltway 8 and Gessner.
  • Nit-Noi. Thai cuisine.
  • Chabuca's South American style food and buffet, 316 Nasa Road 1, Webster
  • Kim Son Vietnamese cuisine, 2001 Jefferson St
  • Mcgonigel's Mucky Duck Pub atmosphere, 2425 Norfolk St
  • Ruggles Grill An American bistro, 903 Westheimer Rd

Splurge

  • Mark's American Cuisine, 1658 Westheimer Road, 713-523-3800, . Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2, Dinner: Mon-Thu 6:00pm-11:00pm, Fri 5:30pm-12:00am, Sat 5:00pm-12:00am, Sun 5:00pm-10:00pm. Award-winning four-star restaurant by owner and chef Mark Cox. Housed in an old church for a unique atmosphere. Reservations required.
  • Magic Island, 2215 Southwest Freeway (between Kirby and Greenbriar), 713-526-2442, . Dinner night club with close-up magic and stage magic performed by house magicians as well as guest magicians. Go for the entertainment; the food is mediocre at best.
  • Tony's, 3755 Richmond Ave, 713-622-6778, . Lunch: Mon-Fri, Dinner: Mon-Sat. Houston's ultimate dining experience. Tony Vallone has set the tone for fine dining in Houston for decades. Parisian chef Olivier Ciesielski interprets contemporary cuisine with classic French care. Reservations required.

Drink

  • Little Woodrows, 2301 W Alabama St (between Kirby and Greenbrier), 713-529-0449. Serves beer and wine. Steak night once a week. Pool tables and Golden Tee.
  • Outpost Tavern, 18113 Egret Bay Blvd., 281-333-1235
  • BJ's Restaurant and Brewery is a brewpub with several house brews and a variety of microbrews available. 515 W. Bay Area Blvd., Webster, 281-316-3037

Local Beer

  • The Saint Arnold Brewery, located in Houston, is billed as Texas oldest microbrewery. Their brews are often sold in local bars. Very popular beers are the Texas Wheat, Oktoberfest (August through October), and Christmas Ale (November through December).
  • BJ's Restaurant and Brewery has a location in Webster. Until recently, all their beer was brewed on site, but it is now subcontracted to the Saint Arnold Brewery. The Jeremiah Red, Tatonka Stout, and Berry Burst Cider are loved by locals. There are other locations in Houston including Bay Area Blvd. in Clear Lake.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

  • Courtyard - Galleria, 3131 West Loop S, . Close to the William P. Hobby Airport and only a 40-minute drive from Houston's major Airport, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
  • Fairfield Inn - East, 10155 I-10 East, . Seven miles from Downtown Houston, the Fairfield Inn Houston Hotel and only 30 minutes from Houston's international airport, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
  • Fairfield Inn - Galleria, 3131 West Loop S, . A quarter of a mile from uptown, near Houston's Galleria Mall and within easy reach of many of Houston's popular tourist attractions including Houston's Astrodome, Houston Museum District and Houston Space Center. Situated in close proximity to the William P. Hobby Airport. Also, it's only a 40-minute drive from Houston's major airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
  • Hampton Inn - East, 828 Mercury Dr, 713-673-4200, . Near Jacinto city, east of Houston, only seven miles from Downtown Houston, and all the most interesting and most popular Houston tourist attractions. Only 30 minutes drive from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
  • Holiday Inn - Airport, 15222 John F. Kennedy Blvd, 281-449-2311, . A midscale hotel right outside the main Houston Airport and half an hour's drive north of downtown Houston. The hotel runs a frequent shuttle to and from the airport, and guests staying at the hotel have the benefit of free on-site parking.
  • Holiday Inn - Greenway, 2712 Southwest Freeway, 713-523-8448, . 16 miles from Houston Hobby Airport, 27 miles from Houston Airport, and just 20 minutes from downtown Houston.
  • Holiday Inn - Medical Center, 6800 S. Main St, 713-528-7744, . Great location close to the Texas Medical Center, the world-class hospital complex 4 miles south-west of downtown Houston, 13 miles from Houston Hobby Airport and 25 miles from Houston Intercontinental Airport. The hotel provides complimentary transportation across the Center and further into Houston.
  • Holiday Inn Select, 14703 Park Row, 281-558-5580, . A convenient location just 0.5 mile from "Energy Corridor" in Houston and only 16 miles from downtown, while both the main Houston airports are 33 miles away.
  • Microtel Inn & Suites - Clear Lake, 1620 Nasa Rd 1, 281-335-0800. Economy/budget hotel offering guests free local and free long distance calls in the continental United States, and free wireless high-speed Internet access in every room of their hotels, as well as advance online check-in and check-out with unlimited access to online folio information.
  • Wyndham - Greenspoint, 12400 Greenspoint Dr, . Near the area's largest shopping center, Greenspoint Mall and only half an hour from downtown, Astros Field, Sam Houston Race Park and major corporate headquarters.

Splurge

  • InterContinental Houston, 2222 W. Loop South, (713) 627-7600, . Located in the heart of prestigious Uptown, one block from the world-renowned Houston Galleria shopping and dining.
  • Omni, Four Riverway, (888) 444-6664, . Centrally located in the prestigious Post Oak neighborhood, the hotel is near the Galleria - Houston's premier shopping venue - and only minutes from downtown. A proud recipient of the AAA 5-diamond award, the hotel is surrounded by impeccably manicured grounds and two sparkling pools.
  • Omni - Westside, 13210 Katy Freeway, (888) 444-6664, . A luxury hotel featuring an atrium lobby complete with indoor lakes and waterfalls, tropical fish and glass elevators. Located in the exclusive energy corridor just 30 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.

Contact

Phone

Houston has multiple telephone area codes and mandatory 10-digit dialing. For any number, even within your own area code, you need to dial areacode + number. For local calls, you do not dial a 1+ or a 0+ before the number. Some calls within Houston are considered long distance, and for those you need to dial 1 + areacode + number.

Houston's area codes are: 713, 281, and 832.

Radio

  • 88.7FM, KUHF: National Public Radio news and programs, classical music
  • 89.3FM, KSBJ: Christian
  • 90.1FM, KPFT/Pacifica: alternative radio, defenders of human rights, BBC world news
  • 91.7FM, Rice University: weird musics of all types! Very fun, despite the sleepy voices of the student announcers. Childrens' program on Sat afternoon
  • 90.9FM, Texas Southern University: jazz mainly
  • 92.9FM, KKBQ: Country
  • 93.7FM, The Arrow: Classic Rock, Dean and Rog in the mornings
  • 94.5FM, The Buzz: Recent Rock
  • 96.5FM, Rock, Pop
  • 97.9FM, KBXX: The Box, Urban
  • 99.1FM, Adult Contemporary
  • 100.3FM, KILT: Real Country Variety
  • 103.7FM, Rock station with all kinds of different types of rock, Walton and Johnson in the mornings
  • 104.1FM, KRBE: Contemporary Hits: Top 40
  • 106.9FM, The Point: Basically eighties music with a hint of some late seventies and early nineties
  • 107.5FM, Oldies
  • 610AM, KILT: Sports Radio 610: Sports talk
  • 740AM, KTRH: News, traffic, weather, talk shows
  • 790AM, KBME: ESPN 790, "The Sports Animal", Sports talk
  • 950AM, KPRC: Talk Radio 950, Talk shows

Stay safe

Houston is a big city and, like any other big city, has crime. Use common sense.

METRO Rail

Is the starter line an expanding system which starts at UofH Downtown, through downtown proper, into Midtown, the Museum district, Medical center and the Reliant Complex near the south side. Houston Natives have a tendency to park along the rail line or the south side lot to go into downtown or medical center as it's easier to get in and out of those areas with the train without the hassle of parking and traffic.

Please, be careful when coming near the METRORail track, especially at intersections.

DO NOT IGNORE THE SIGNS, since the trains move very quickly and run at almost all hours of the day and night. It runs almost silently. At many streets, left turns are not permitted. Also watch the signs and signals, because some will change as trains approach. Do not drive on the tracks, there are large raised white domes that separate the roadway and the rail line. In some areas signs may indicate driving (or walking) on the tracks is permitted (currently only in the Texas Medical Center) but make sure it is safe to do so.

Drive across the tracks only when you are sure it is safe to do so especially at night. The train's whistle is quiet and can often not be heard by a driver inside a car. The author was once nearly hit by the train while driving near the medical center.

Cope

Get out

Daytrip ideas:

  • Galveston. Only about an hour's drive southeast from the city, Houstonians go to Galveston island for its beaches, the Strand, and Moody Gardens.
  • Surfside. Another beach, less crowded than Galveston. About 2 hours from Houston.
  • Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels, TX (about 174 miles west of Houston). Huge waterpark, rated #1 waterpark in America by the Travel Channel. Website
  • Kemah - Nice Boardwalk with Great Restaurants. South of Houston. On the way to Galveston Island. Kemah Boardwalk
  • Downtown Houston Tunnels. 25 miles of tunnels run under Downtown Houston with restaurants and retail shops throughout Downtown. Good for a rainy day. Downtown Houston Map
  • Bluebell Creameries See the Texas countryside in Brenham and tour the creamery. About one hour (75 mi) north west of Houston along US 290.
  • Houston Chinatown. Located in Southwest Houston, Chinatown is emerging as a tourist attraction in Houston.Houston Chinatown, Chinese Restaurant in Houston Guide
  • The Woodlands. Award-winning masterplanned community located 30 miles north of downtown. Market Street entertainment area, waterway, miles of hike and bike trails all in a wooded setting.


This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!