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Houston

Fast Facts

Country Name: United States of America
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Currency: US Dollar
Religion: Christianity
Population: 2.2 million
Climate: humid subtropical, rains tend to cause floods. In summer almost 100 days /a above 90 °F (32 °C. In winter average low is 45 °F (7 °C).
Language: English
Time Zone: GMT/UTC-5 (Eastern)
GMT/UTC-6 (Central)
GMT/UTC-7 (Mountain)
GMT/UTC-8 (Pacific Standard)
Country code:+1

POPULAR

(must-sees for the 5-days-tourist)

There is nothing wrong with Holiday Inns and so we ours was on Main street and more or less ok for downtown when you consider that Houston sprawls in every direction of miles. We booked on line at http://www.ichotelsgroup.com which is the website for Holiday Inns, to be honest the room couldn't disappoint it was called a 'Standard room' and was just that, we paid $153.00 per night and that included breakfast which was of course big, plentiful and not at all bad.

Day One

If you ever wanted to be an Astronaut or hop around on the surface of the Moon, then you are in for a real treat, if not! This could be a long day!
Visiting the NASA's ground control or the Johnson Space Center to give it its proper name and then taking the Historical Trolley Tour around the original command center (which was used in the 60's for the Apollo Missions and then to command the firstApollo missions to the Moon), is not everyone's cup of tea, but I promise it is worth visiting this place where the technologies past and present collide so amazingly. If you have children do leave enough time for them to fully appreciate the Kids Space Place exhibit, they will love you for it. Entry to the visitor centre is $16.00 but remember that you have to allow for two extras the Johnson Space is 50 or so miles out of Houston and the cost to get there is around $15.00. Do check out the NASA website at http://www.jsc.nasa.gov.
This is a full day trip and so just plan to have dinner somewhere nice in the evening, may I recommend Brennan's of Houston, it is a bit touristy and almost as good as the Brennans in New Orleans especially if you eat Texas Creole for more information check out http://www.brennanshouston.com. A full three course meal will be about $50.00 depending upon the sides you order.

Day two

Houston is one of America's biggest cities and really does sprawl, so the only way to really get around successfully is to rent a car, or go by taxi. If you rent a car then get a great map and head off downtown to the JP Morgan Chase Tower where you will get a panoramic view of Houston from the tower's observation deck it is a great place to get your bearings.
In the afternoon how about some art? One of the biggest and most comprehensive private art collections in the world can be visited in Houston, the Menil Collection has works of art by Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst and Salvador Dali to name but a few. Entrance is free of charge and the gallery is open from Wednesday - Sunday, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Check out http://www.menil.org for more information.
For the afternoon how about the Zoo, everyone likes the Zoo and Houston Zoo is situated in Hermann Park which is an attraction in itself. Hermann Park was Houston's first public park and is beautifully laid out with wooded areas and a picnic site, most of the year round the open air theatre offers plays of music performances. Entrance to the park is free.
Houston Zoo is fun and the kids amongst us will love it through the daylight saving period March 9th to November 2 the Zoo is open from 9am to 7 pm (Last admission at 6 p.m.). Choose the right day and the Zoo is free to enter those days are The Houston Zoo is FREE on the following holidays: Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Columbus Day, The Friday after Thanksgiving, New Year's Day check your calendar because some of these days fall on different dates. On other days the cost of entry $10.00 for an adult and $6.00 for a person between 2 and 11 or 65 and over all others enter free. You can get more information here http://www.houstonzoo.org

Day three

Today is a day for shopping and you can do plenty of that while enjoying an historic part of Houston in the Main Street and Market Square Historic District. The Main Street and Market Square Historic District is surprisingly well preserved in spite of the fact that Houston City council don't have any preservation laws, but because of what probably can only be described as fate you can enjoy a nice three or so mile stroll through building that date back to the early 20th Century and it is lovely, nicer than all those skyscrapers if you ask me!
So take your time, take the day and explore the Main Street and Market Square Historic District will reward you. From the Magnolia Brewery to Allen's Landing there is gem after gem of wonderful turn of the 20th Century buildings and wharves.

Day four

No visit to Houston is complete until you have visited the Houston Underground. What is the Houston Underground I hear you say, well it is a hybrid really, a cross between a shelter from the sun, a tunnel system and a shopping mall. There are old and new building and plenty of shops to buy anything and everything that your heart could desire. The Houston Underground is best visited on a week day when it is completely open on Saturdays a portion is closed.
We tried a couple of bars in the late evening and can thoroughly recommend Mingalone in the middle of the downtown area, Mingalone is an Italian bar and Grill - the steaks were great - well this is Texas and steaks are great everywhere. The people were lovely and very friendly. Meals average about $15.00 for a main course, the Florentine Steak which was as good as one would get in a great restaurant in Florence was $30.00 and if you want to be exotic you can go Bio. http://www.mingalone.com

Day five

If you are in Houston over the weekend then on a Saturday go down to the Gulf Coast Railroad Museum or Houston Railroad Museum as it is also known, not only can you take a trip on the enormous steam engines from the past but there are model railway layouts to see and a lot more. Admission is only $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for everyone else. Use this link for more information www.houstonrrmuseum.org and don't worry about he odd address that shows up in your browser they are sponsors, well this is America.

NATURE & GEOLOGY

You really have to go outside of Houston to see any wildlife but once you do there is an abundance as are wildlife parks and reserves. Where you will find wild hogs, turkey, ducks, dove, the red-cockaded woodpecker, bald eagles rabbit, several species of deer and squirrel

HISTORY

Houston was founded by two brothers in August 30, 1836 by two brothers called John and Augustus Allen. In 1837 the city was incorporated and named after the incumbent President of the Republic of Texas Sam Houston.
The city of Houston grew very rapidly due in part to the port (now the second largest in the US) and also the railway. In 1901 oil was discovered and Houston's fortune and future was secured. More recently Houston has weathered serious tropical storms like Allison which dropped 37 inches of rain and killed 20 people and some economic downturns but Houston like the man it is named after is a survivor.

CULTURE

Because of support from some of the world's largest corporations based in Houston the arts thrive and every major facet of the arts is represented in Houston from the Opera house to major Theatres plus dozens of open air theatres.

POLITICAL

Houston is what is described as a home rule city and all elections in the city are nonpartisan. The Mayor is the city's chief administrator, executive officer, and official representative, he is responsible the overall management of the City and ensures that all laws are enforced. The Mayor is elected for a two year term and can be re-elected twice.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Houston is a motor City almost dedicated to car use. The Wagonwheel 601 the main highway which encircles Houston is used as a quick rule of thumb by Houstonians the question is usually "do you want to go to a place inside or outside the 601. The highway is complimented by a surprisingly good metro and bus system, and of course for long journeys there is the George Bush Intercontinental Airport and the more eco-friendly Amtrak for rail travel.

DOS & DON'TS

Make sure you have a map if you are travelling around the city by car, Houston sprawls every where in all directions and it is good to know where you are heading and how to get back to where you have come from. Don't be too concerned if a total stranger smiles or nods at you in the street or if your breakfast waitress calls you "honey" you are in Texas and the 'folks' here are renown for their friendliness. If you are going to hire a car remember that most freeways have exits from the right and left and worse Houston drivers can get aggressive and they seem to have forgotten what that it is polite to signal before you make a manoeuvre and looking in their mirrors is definitely a thing of the past.

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