If you’ve got time to spend in Houston, lucky you. You won’t be sorry – this is the culinary, cultural capital of the south. If you have a few hours to a couple of days to spend, transportation is not a problem; there’s plenty of rails that goes through all the surrounding neighborhoods, let alone top bus services to ferry you wherever you want to be. If you don’t want to or don’t know how to avail yourself of public transport, then taxis and Ubers are all over – after all, this is America’s fourth-largest city.
Perhaps you only have a couple of hours to spend before you are whisked away from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, don’t forget there are places around that will make your taste buds tingle with hunger. Try the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen – there’s also Pappasito’s Cantina, and Shipley Do-Nuts. If you want to eat in style away from the hustle and bustle of the airport, check out this list of award-winning Houston restaurants. Don’t forget there is another airport nearby, the William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) – a mere 38 km away.
Unforgettable places to visit if you have the time
§ Heritage Society – Why it’s so wonderful is because it’s the city’s only outdoor, historic, interactive museum and park. It consists of 10 acres of exquisite nature in the form of parkland, right there, in the heart of Houston.
§ Downtown Aquarium – A fabulous attraction also with a restaurant; and it’s got a Ferris wheel for another look at Houston from a different angle. It also boasts Shark Voyage, an aquatic carousel, and a white tiger exhibition.
§ Buffalo Bayou Park – Buffalo Bayou is just beautiful and serene if you want some outdoor recreation close to downtown Houston.
§ Space Center Houston – This is the only place in the world where you can embark on space adventure.
§ Kemah Boardwalk – If you are with your entire family, you won’t want to miss the Kemah Boardwalk – it features retail shops, themed restaurants, and plenty of entertainment and amusement for everybody.
§ Sylvan Beach Park – This 32 acre Beach Park is a real getaway with an ocean breeze to uplift your spirits.
Houston has incredible people living in it too. One designer, Alan Gonzalez was selected to be on the 18th season of “Project Runway.” This makes it, arguably, the style capital as well. Other famous people who come from Houston are Kenny Rogers, Patrick Swayze, and Barbara Mandrell, to name a few.
Shopaholics can’t keep away from fabulous shopping areas such as –
o The Galleria: It boasts 375-plus stores as well as a grand ice rink.
o Rice Village: Rice Village is a quaint cluster of restaurants and shops, just a short distance from the Rice University campus, comprising some very modern fashionistas.
Want to take home some souvenirs and gifts?
Searching for something in particular? Shirts? Women’s clothing? There is something for everyone at these shops:
Abejas: Women and girls love it. You can be sure that if some Hollywood starlet is wearing this or that, Abejas is going to get it on their shelves. Some labels you will find are Cake, James Perse, Velvet, and Johnny Was. They even have a sidewalk sale which is held twice a year. Women descend on this boutique in droves to shop till they drop!
Hamilton Shirts: This is a family business started way back in 1883. They specialize in made-to-measure shirts of top quality. The shirts are hand-cut from Swiss and Italian fabrics by trained specialists who have been with Hamilton Shirts for years. You can even watch them work through a picture window in the store!
Houston Visitors Center: Get over here to find fabulous Texas souvenirs. They also have accessories and clothing like cowboy hats, rodeo jewelry, and plenty of Texan collectibles and whatnot to feast your eyes on.
On your way home again?
That means you need some good accommodation near the airports. May we suggest just two?
v Hampton Inn & Suites Houston – only 4 km away from George Bush Intercontinental Airport
v Courtyard Houston Hobby Airport Hotel – just 5 minutes away from the William P. Hobby Airport
Conclusion
Houston certainly holds a lot to its name. So nobody is surprised to hear how it is growing in culture and size. You might not have known it, but Houston ranks as number one in a survey of 2021’s Most Diverse Cities of America [1], beating even New York and Los Angeles! In the 1960s, Houston was known as the Bayou City. It had a baseball team called the Colt .45s. But then the federal government picked the city for its Manned Spacecraft Center [2]. Soon, the baseball team became the Astros. Houston then adopted the nickname, “Space City.” William Harris, the Space Center Houston president says, “Houston is all about being inspirational to taking risks to really press the fabric of things. It really is the city of inspiration, so it’s perfect that it’s the home of astronauts.” When the space shuttle program ended [2], Houston still didn’t lose its “Space City” title – Why? – Because it’s the city of the future!
References
[2] https://www.tmc.edu/news/2019/06/how-rice-university-tethered-houston-to-space/[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_program