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Houston Attractions
The days when cows and oilmen roamed the streets of Houston are long gone. Houston dominates southeastern
Texas, thanks to a historic commitment to growth typical of the Lone Star State.
The fourth-largest city in the US, Houston is the hub of a sprawling metropolitan area. It's located in eastern Texas,
50 miles northwest of the Gulf of Mexico on the southern edge of the US. The city is 240 miles south of Dallas and
200 miles east of San Antonio.
Houston has two airports: Bush Intercontinental Airport is located 22 miles north of downtown Houston—the home of
Continental Airlines; and William P. Hobby Airport is 11 miles southeast of the center—the home of Southwest
Airlines.
April is a great time to visit Houston. The average high is 77°F and the average low is 58°F.
Space Center Houston
Blast off for Space Center Houston in the Clear Lake area. The visitors' arm of NASA's Johnson Space Center
provides an entertaining look at the nation's space program. A highlight is a tram tour of astronaut-training sites that
include life-size mock-ups of the space shuttle and the neutral buoyancy lab. Open daily. Admission is $17.95;
$16.95 for seniors; $13.95 ages 4-11. Parking is $4. Call (281) 244-2100 or access www.spacecenter.org.
Forbidden Gardens
The Forbidden Gardens in Katy is an unusual outdoor museum that pays tribute to the Forbidden City of Beijing.
One highlight is a half-scale re-creation of the 6,000-piece, terra-cotta army of China's first emperor, Quin, who died
in 210 B.C. Open Friday through Sunday. Admission is $10; $5 for children. Call (281) 347-8000 or access www.
forbidden-gardens.com.
Aquarium
Downtown Aquarium, near the Theater District, mixes family fun, fine dining, spectacular sea creatures and
gorgeous views of the city. The 500,000-gallon underwater adventure complex includes a Ferris Wheel, an aquatic
carousel and Shark Voyage, a passenger train that tunnels through a huge fish tank. Drink and dine at the
Aquarium Restaurant and the Dive Lounge. Downtown Aquarium is located at 410 Bagby St. at Memorial Drive.
Admission is $7.50, with discounts for kids and seniors, and rides up to $4.50 per person. Valet parking is available
for $8, and on-site parking $3 per hour. Additional parking is offered at the Wortham Center. For details, call (713)
223-FISH (3474) or access
www.downtownaquarium.com.
Bayou Bend Collections & Gardens
The magnificent home of Miss Ima Hogg is the extraordinary legacy of a remarkable woman. Best known for her
superb collection of American decorative arts, Miss Hogg was also largely responsible for Bayou Bend's innovative
architecture and breathtaking gardens. She created a series of gracious and beautiful gardens that were intended
as outdoor rooms for living and entertaining, not just views to be admired from within the house. In 1957 Miss Hogg
donated her home and her collection to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The collection at Bayou Bend presently
contains several thousand objects installed in some 28 period room settings that showcase American decorative
arts from 1620 through 1870. Hours: Sat. & Sun 1pm - 5 pm Tues - Sat 10 am - 5pm: $10 Adults, $8.50 Seniors, $5
Children 10 - 18, $1.50 Children 9 & Under. For details, call (713) 639-7750 or access www.fm.coe.uh.
edu/comparisons/bayou.html.
Houston Zoo
Lush foliage and tropical flowers set the stage for 'Zooperb' fun at the Houston Zoo, a living “museum” in the
Museum District. From koalas to flamingos, tigers to orangutans, the inhabitants never fail to charm visitors. The
new John P. McGovern Children’s Zoo recreates the six ecosystems of Texas: city, forest, coastal, prairie, desert
and farm. Located in Hermann Park, the Zoo also features a gift shop for unique souvenirs. Access www.houstonzoo.
org.
Kemah Boardwalk
Watch the boats sail by at the Kemah Boardwalk. This 35-acre carnival-like atmosphere has a 36-foot carousel, an
elaborate menagerie of figures, and a 65-foot Ferris wheel. Other Kemah Boardwalk activities include shopping and
games, as well as a miniature train that traverses the entire area. Restaurants include Landry's Seafood House,
Joe's Crab Shack, Willie G's, The Flying Dutchman, The Crab House, Cadillac Authentic Mexican Restaurant and
the unique Aquarium Seafood Restaurant. Access www.kemahboardwalk.com.
The Galleria
Perhaps the best-known shopping destination in Houston is The Galleria, in Uptown Houston at Loop 610 and
Westheimer Road. With more than 330 retail stores and restaurants located under one roof, The Galleria is one of
Houston’s top tourist attractions. Sixteen million visitors from around the world visit the center each year to shop at
famous retailers from Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Lord and Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Foley’s and Tiffany &
Co. The Galleria features 2.4 million square feet of space which includes an ice rink. Access www.galleria.com.
Rice Village
An eclectic retail neighborhood not far from Rice University and the Texas Medical Center, Rice Village offers more
than 325 stores, ranging from well-known names to fashionable designer boutiques, art and craft galleries,
European-style spas and old-fashioned mom-and-pop shops. Adding to shopping choices, the Village Arcade
features national retailers like Eddie Bauer and Banana Republic.
River Oaks Shopping Center
Near Houston’s fashionable River Oaks neighborhood, River Oaks Shopping Center presents a string of art-deco-
inspired stores along West Gray. More than 65 upscale shops and galleries are here in Houston’s oldest shopping
district on the street lined with palm trees. Access www.riveroaksshoppingcenter.com.
Houston Museum of Natural Science
The Houston Museum of Natural Science explores the earth’s wonders in the Wortham IMAX Theatre, the Cockrell
Butterfly Center, the Burke Baker Planetarium and three floors of permanent exhibits featuring everything from
dinosaurs to the extensive Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals. The museum, located at One Hermann Circle Drive,
near Hermann Park, is open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For general information, call
(713) 639-4629 or access www.hmns.org.
The Menil Collection
Always free to the public, this gem of a museum that began as the private collection of the late John and Dominique
de Menil now includes more than 15,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs and rare books. The
Menil Collection, located at 1515 Sul Ross, is open Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; closed Mondays and
Tuesdays. Admission is free. For more information, call (713) 525-9400 or access www.menil.org.
Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is now ranked as the sixth largest museum in the country. MFAH is
recognized as having one of the country’s leading permanent collections, as well as hosting popular traveling
exhibits. Works are displayed at the classic Caroline Wiess Law Building, the Glassell School of Art, the Cullen
Sculpture Garden and the decorative arts venues of Bayou Bend and Rienzi, as well as the new Beck Building. The
museum is open to the public Tuesday and Wednesday, 10-a.m - 5.p.m.; Thursday, 10 .m. - 9 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 7.p.m, and Sunday from 12:15 - 7p.m. The museum is closed on Monday, except for holidays.
For more information, call (713) 639-7300 or access www.mfah.org.
Museum of Health & Medical Science
Like the film Fantastic Voyage, the Museum of Health & Medical Science’s Amazing Body Pavilion provides a tour of
the body with huge sculptures of human organs, a brain and a rib cage. More than 80 interactive audio and video
kiosks, dozens of hands-on exhibits and discovery carts also give visitors informal anatomy lessons. Many of the
museum’s programs and films are offered in Spanish, and Free Family Thursday is held from 4 to 7 p.m. Located at
1515 Hermann Drive. For information, call (713) 521-1515 or access www.mhms.org.
Children’s Museum of Houston
One of the most popular youth museums in the country, the Children’s Museum of Houston features 13 galleries of
hands-on, minds-on activities. Located at 1500 Binz, it’s open Tuesday- Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.
m.; and is free from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, call (713) 522-1138 or access
www.cmhouston.org.