Tourist's guide to Houston...

[Wildtime]

I'm planning to visit Houston this fall. Any advice as to what the "must see" attractions are...aside from the Space Center? I'm mostly interested in great food, big events and local history.

 

[Bugman]

I'm planning to visit Houston this fall. Any advice as to what the "must see" attractions are...aside from the Space Center? I'm mostly interested in great food, big events and local history.

This is a great place to visit. http://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/

This is where Sam Houston defeated the Mexican Army led by Santa Anna himself, and won independence for Texas.

You can also tour the USS Texas, the oldest surviving dreadnought class battleship in the world. It's right next to the San Jacinto museum.

If you have time I would suggest a day in Galveston. It's only 50-60 miles from Houston and there are a ton of things to see and do.

http://www.galveston.com/attractions/

Also check out this site. http://www.visithoustontexas.com/visitors/attractions/

 

[Bugman]

If you want to see some quirky local stuff, see here.

http://www.orangeshow.org/

 

[Wildtime]

This is a great place to visit. http://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/

This is where Sam Houston defeated the Mexican Army led by Santa Anna himself, and won independence for Texas.

You can also tour the USS Texas, the oldest surviving dreadnought class battleship in the world. It's right next to the San Jacinto museum.

If you have time I would suggest a day in Galveston. It's only 50-60 miles from Houston and there are a ton of things to see and do.

http://www.galveston.com/attractions/

Also check out this site. http://www.visithoustontexas.com/visitors/attractions/

Wow! Great links, I might have to extend my stay by about a week with all the info you've given me. Thanks!

 

[Bugman]

Wow! Great links, I might have to extend my stay by about a week with all the info you've given me. Thanks!

Glad to be of help. 🙂 Houston is a great city. If you can't find something to do, you don't want to do anything. Hope you enjoy your visit. 😀

 

[Wildtime]

If you want to see some quirky local stuff, see here.

http://www.orangeshow.org/

My gf definitely wants to visit the Orangeshow Center for Visionary Art.

 

[Bugman]

I'll offer one more link you might find useful. This is the alternative newspaper in Houston. Here, you can find things that will not be covered by the other links I've posted. If it's weird, offbeat or bizarre, the Houston Press probably covers it.

http://www.houstonpress.com/

 

[Wildtime]

I'll offer one more link you might find useful. This is the alternative newspaper in Houston. Here, you can find things that will not be covered by the other links I've posted. If it's weird, offbeat or bizarre, the Houston Press probably covers it.

http://www.houstonpress.com/

Again, I thank you. I'm glad I have all summer to plan, 'cause you've given me a lot of food for thought (especially in the Restaurant section of the Houston Press).

 

[General Zod]

Why does anyone wanna visit Houston? 😱

The traffic blows,as an FYI.

 

[Bugman]

Again, I thank you. I'm glad I have all summer to plan, 'cause you've given me a lot of food for thought (especially in the Restaurant section of the Houston Press).

Always glad to be of service to a fellow TMF member. 🙂

Why does anyone wanna visit Houston? 😱

The traffic blows,as an FYI.

I'm thinking about moving back to Houston. Yeah, the traffic sucks. Just like it does in Austin, or Dallas, or any other large city. But I lived there from 1980-87, and I still know how to get around and avoid most of it. 😉

 

[Wildtime]

Why does anyone wanna visit Houston? 😱

The traffic blows,as an FYI.

I'm taking an orthopedic trauma course there, and according to the syllabus I'm going to have plenty of time to explore. Thanks for the heads-up on the traffic BTW.

 

[Bugman]

I'm taking an orthopedic trauma course there, and according to the syllabus I'm going to have plenty of time to explore. Thanks for the heads-up on the traffic BTW.

If you are going to be there awhile consider investing in a Houston-Harris County Key Map, and stay off the highways as much as you can. These maps are invaluable in a city the size of Houston. It's hard to imagine just how big and spread out it is.

http://www.texasmapstore.com/Houston_Key_Map_by_Key_Maps_p/mpbk003.htm

 

[Wildtime]

If you are going to be there awhile consider investing in a Houston-Harris County Key Map, and stay off the highways as much as you can. These maps are invaluable in a city the size of Houston. It's hard to imagine just how big and spread out it is.

http://www.texasmapstore.com/Houston_Key_Map_by_Key_Maps_p/mpbk003.htm

I'm renting a car while I'm down there, so the map will be useful. Unfortunately, they don't tell you which neighborhoods to avoid (reliving bad memories from my trip to L.A.).

 

[Bugman]

I'm renting a car while I'm down there, so the map will be useful. Unfortunately, they don't tell you which neighborhoods to avoid (reliving bad memories from my trip to L.A.).

Pretty much anywhere inside the 610 Loop should be ok during the day. After dark I would pretty much stick with the Montrose District and the west side of downtown. That's where most of the action is anyway. The Heights should be ok day or night.

Nothing to see in northeast Houston between I-45 and I-10, so I'd stick with the highways there. Same with the southwest part of town between the Southwest Freeway and I-45.

And here is something I forgot to mention. If you go to the San Jacinto Museum and it's a nice day, take a picnic lunch. The museum grounds are on the Houston Ship Channel, and you can see ships coming and going from all over the world. Maybe take a ride on the Lynchburg Ferry. It's free, and you can take your car.

 

[Brock Samson]

Well, here is a welcome. Be sure to check out the Astrodome, right next to Reliant Stadium off of 610, before they decide to do something stupid to it. While you're at it, check out Reliant Stadium, preferably during an Astros game. Then, walk across the catwalk and visit the grass field that used to be Six Flags Astroworld, but is now a parking lot during the Rodeo. The NASA Space Center is definitely worth a visit.

 

[Wildtime]

Pretty much anywhere inside the 610 Loop should be ok during the day. After dark I would pretty much stick with the Montrose District and the west side of downtown. That's where most of the action is anyway. The Heights should be ok day or night.

Nothing to see in northeast Houston between I-45 and I-10, so I'd stick with the highways there. Same with the southwest part of town between the Southwest Freeway and I-45.

And here is something I forgot to mention. If you go to the San Jacinto Museum and it's a nice day, take a picnic lunch. The museum grounds are on the Houston Ship Channel, and you can see ships coming and going from all over the world. Maybe take a ride on the Lynchburg Ferry. It's free, and you can take your car.

Thanks for the advice, I'll plan around it. And as someone who grew up in the prairies, the thought of watching massive ships maneuvering around intrigues me.

Well, here is a welcome. Be sure to check out the Astrodome, right next to Reliant Stadium off of 610, before they decide to do something stupid to it. While you're at it, check out Reliant Stadium, preferably during an Astros game. Then, walk across the catwalk and visit the grass field that used to be Six Flags Astroworld, but is now a parking lot during the Rodeo. The NASA Space Center is definitely worth a visit.

I'm checking out the Astros fall schedule right now! I've never been to a live MLB game before, it should be quite the experience.

 

[Bugman]

Thanks for the advice, I'll plan around it. And as someone who grew up in the prairies, the thought of watching massive ships maneuvering around intrigues me.

I'm checking out the Astros fall schedule right now! I've never been to a live MLB game before, it should be quite the experience.

I was just thinking of this place. It's been years so I can't speak to the quailty of the food. But it's a great place to have a drink and watch the Ship Channel traffic. If you get lucky you will see a ship being turned around. They do this with two tugboats, and turn these monster ships around 180 degrees so they can head out to sea. Sometimes the bow of a ship will come within yards of you. It's really something to see. 😀

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?r...ds&hnear=Houston,+TX&cid=14285420179933788191