what to do in houston

What to Do in Houston

Spend a few hours of your trip exploring history, science and art in the Houston Museum District, a cluster of museums within walking distance of one another. The Menil Collection (1533 Sul Ross St.), with its changing exhibits, single-artist installations and outdoor sculptures, is a must-see for art lovers. If you have kids in tow, let them burn off excess energy in the 14 fun-filled galleries at Children's Museum Houston (1500 Binz St.).

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Also in the Museum District is 445-acre Hermann Park (6001 Fannin St.), where a number of Houston highlights are wrapped up in one pretty package. Meet 6,000 animals at Houston Zoo (6200 Hermann Park Dr.), view fascinating exhibits at Houston Museum of Natural Science (5555 Hermann Park Dr.), unwind in the Japanese Garden, rent a pedal boat on McGovern Lake, ride the miniature train or enjoy free entertainment at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

If you're looking for things for couples to do, consider catching a show at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby St.), the crown jewel of Houston's 17-block Theater District. The glass-walled contemporary building affords terrific views of the city skyline and neighboring parks and houses two theaters and an impressive Grand Lobby.

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The Houston Galleria mall (5085 Westheimer Rd.) features 375-plus stores in addition to eateries and an ice-skating rink. Enjoy wandering around this architectural stunner that's been touted as Houston's top shopping destination.

Houston Museum
Take a leisurely drive through River Oaks, an über-exclusive neighborhood within the I-610 Loop between downtown and uptown whose stately mansions all come with impeccably groomed lawns and hefty price tags. The community was developed in the 1920s by brothers William and Michael Hogg; they lived with their sister, renowned philanthropist Ima Hogg, in the gorgeous Southern plantation home that's now Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens (6003 Memorial Dr.), a wing of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1001 Bissonnet St.). Stop in and see the superb collection of American decorative arts dating from the Colonial era to the mid-19th century. Enjoy a nearby local restaurant while you're here.

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Don a space helmet, hop aboard a simulator and get ready to defy gravity at Space Center Houston (1601 NASA Pkwy.). Authentic spacecraft, spacesuits and historic memorabilia plus behind-the-scenes tours provide a mesmerizing lesson in space exploration that is sure to be a highlight of your vacation.

Have a picnic in Tranquillity Park (downtown, bounded by Smith, Walker, Bagby and Rusk sts.), then work off some calories on a “moon walk” across the park's grounds, which feature depressions and mounds that resemble the lunar surface. Snap a photo or two of the signature 32-level fountain and the five rocket-like towers that rise from it.

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Take yourself out to the ballgame at Minute Maid Park (501 Crawford St.) and root, root, root for the home team, the MLB's Houston Astros. Even if you can't catch a game, a guided tour of this state-of-the-art, retractable-roofed stadium is a must.

Basketball fans can score tickets to watch the NBA's Houston Rockets throw down reverse dunks at Toyota Center (1510 Polk St.), a 750,000-square-foot, LEED-certified arena spanning six blocks in the heart of downtown.

Let a seasoned guide educate and entertain you on a walking, bus or van tour of the downtown area. Houston Historical Tours usually depart from City Hall (901 Bagby St.) and offer a variety of themed excursions highlighting the city's stadiums, parks, historic buildings, observation decks, underground tunnels and art displays.