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Around Houston |
– A LIBRARIAN'S GUIDE TO Space City |
The Houston Convention and Visitors Center is located on the corner of Bagby and Walker on the first floor of the historic City Hall and is open daily from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Daily tours are offered. The Center is the perfect starting point for Houston history, arts, attractions, restaurants, retail, and education. The downtown tunnel system, accessible from any building connected to the tunnels, provides six miles of corridors with food courts, restaurants, and shops. About Houston Experience the southern hospitality of the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest US city. Located on the same latitude as Cairo, Egypt, Houston is home to 4.7 million residents, 82 foreign consulates, the longest Main Street in the US, more than 165 public and private golf courses, and the largest medical center in the world. The Texas Medical Center’s 42 esteemed facilities treat more than 5 million patients annually and employ approximately 60,000 people. Five major sports teams call Houston home; Houston Astros (MLB); Houston Rockets (NBA); Houston Comets (WNBA; Houston Texans (NFL), and the Houston Aeros (NHL). Houston downtown is the home of a vibrant social scene, exciting sports venues, along with superb shopping, dining, and nightlife. Houston, SpaceCity, USA will exceed your convention expectations! Getting Around Houston The newly constructed 7.5 mile rail line, METRORail, runs from downtown to south of Reliant Park. The light rail line follows Main and Fannin Streets and connects downtown to Midtown, the Museum District, Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center, and Reliant Park. The 30 minute ride is the fastest and most convenient way to avoid heavily congested city streets. METRO Ticket Vending Machines located at every stop along the route, accept cash, credit or debit cards, and tokens. The fare is only $1.00 for one way, with $2.00 round trip tickets and multi-day passes available also. Tickets have to be purchased before boarding, METRO police perform random fare inspections to verify that passengers have paid the proper fare. Food and Fun The restaurant scene in Houston is as diverse as its 4 million residents. From barbecue to steaks to seafood to Cajun, Houston visitors can easily satisfy their appetite for international flavor. On Friday and Saturday nights, cars are prohibited on Main Street between Congress and Capitol. Enjoy a relaxing stroll, casual dining, or lively dancing as these few restaurant and club heavy blocks are transformed into The Main Event. Not far from the GRB the Downtown Aquarium (713/223-FISH), an underwater-themed complex, features fine dining among several giant aquariums, shark tunnel tours, a Ferris Wheel, a carousel, and majestic white tigers. These are just a few of the many places to satisfy your dining and entertainment needs. Major Attractions Museum District: There are sixteen institutions in the museum district. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the largest in the country. The Children’s Museum of Houston is ranked #2 in the country and houses a branch of the Houston Public Library in its Parent Resource Center. The Museum of Natural Science is the fourth most visited in the US. The Contemporary Arts Museum, Holocaust Museum, Museum of Health and Medical Science, and the Houston Zoo are all within walking distance of each other. These fun attractions are free and open late every Thursday. Theatre District: The seventeen block theatre district boasts resident companies in four performing arts disciplines. The Alley Theatre is the oldest resident professional theater company in the country founded in 1947. Houston Ballet, Alley Theatre, Houston Symphony, and Houston Grand Opera present outstanding performances all season long. Houston is surpassed only by New York in number of theater seats. Houston’s main performing arts venues are the Wortham Theater Center, Jones Hall, and the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Bayou Place, which features the intimate Verizon Wireless Theater, is among a growing number of smaller diverse performance venues. Historical Outings The Heritage Society allows visitors to
step into the past to experience perfectly preserved pieces of the past in
the historical homes of Sam Houston Park and the Heritage Society Museum.
Just one hour south of Houston, the charming Victorian-era buildings of
the 26-block Galveston Strand Historic District beckon shoppers with more
than 100 shops, restaurants, art galleries, and an old fashioned soda
fountain. In addition, the San Jacinto Battleground Historical Complex
marks the spot where Texas won its independence from Mexico. The complex
houses the towering San Jacinto Monument, the San Jacinto Museum of
History, and the Battleship Texas. The rich diversity of the city is visible through the many organizations that represent specific cultures, as well as groups that promote the arts. Just to list a few: Talento Bilingue de Houston, Tien Hou Temple, Project Row Houses, MECA, Ensemble Theatre, Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, and the Community Artists’ Collective. Theme Parks Splashtown, located just north of the city, features wading pools to wild water slides and is the ultimate place for water fun. Space Center Houston lets visitors explore hands-on exhibits and behind the scenes tours of the Official Visitors Center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Moody Gardens offers a stunning aquarium, rainforest and Discovery Pyramid along with science and nature experiences including IMAX 3D and Ridefilm theaters. Shopping Shopping in Houston is an amazing experience. Downtown, uptown, midtown, all over town: if shopping is your sport, Houston will give you the workout of a lifetime. The Park Shops are within walking distance of the Convention Center. The Galleria, located at the West Loop 610, Westheimer Road and Post Oak Boulevard, is just a short drive away in uptown Houston. It features Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and another 375 merchants. Across the street from the Galleria, the Centre at Post Oak features Barnes & Noble, Old Navy and Ethan Allen. In the Upper Kirby District and River Oaks you will find contemporary specialty shops, art galleries, antique stores, and designer showrooms. The River Oaks Shopping Center, the oldest shopping district in Houston, presents more than 80 fine stores, upscale shops, and galleries along West Gray. Concentrated along Heights, Yale and 19th Street are well preserved early 1900’s architecture and grand boulevards lined with unique shops offering everything from fashionable attire and jewelry to antiques and garden accessories. The Village, located in the Rice University area, also offers a variety of shops and restaurants. Events Going on During TLA
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