Anyone from Houston TX? Tell me about it!

[roliepolieoliefan]

DH and I are taking a trip to Houston in a couple weeks. He is an aircraft mechanic and one of his planes is going there for maintanence and I'm going with him. Will it be unbearably hot there the 1st week in June? Whats some good things to do and see? How far is the beach? We'll only be there for 4 days and then another 4 days at the end of the month. Not alot of time but we'd like to see some of the sights. Any info. appreciated!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Although we don't live in Houston (about 5 1/2 hours south), we've been there many times. Yes, it will be very hot and muggy. Think WDW in June. Astroworld is supposedly good, as well as a visit to NASA. Houston isn't known for beaches at all.

 

[DemonLlama]

Born and raised there, although I live about an hour and a half north now.

Beaches. . .um, if you've never ever been to any other coast, this might count, but otherwise you are going to be disappointed. Galveston is fun to explore, though.

Our favorites:
Johnston Space Center and Space Center Houston
The Museum of Natural Science and the Houston Zoo
The Museum district (right near the zoo)
The Galleria (shopper paradise)
An Astros game at Minute Maid park
Astroworld and Waterworld

Suggested links:
http://www.houston-guide.com/
http://www.houston-spacecityusa.com/

As for weather, it will be hot and muggy, but not unbearable in early June. August, on the other hand, is hell!

 

[Rajah]

DemonLlama listed the only things I consider worth seeing in Houston.

And personally, I don't think the Galveston beach is worth the time it takes to drive there.

However, Moody Gardens *in* Galveston can be fun. And there's a new Rainforest Cafe with a raft ride that's kinda cute.

Also, there's the Aquarium Restaurant in Houston that has some neat stuff with it, including a shark tank and full aquarium tour that is worth the price.

 

[ckmommy]

We have lived in Houston for 2 years now, and I will tell you June will be hot and sticky. Although this year has been much cooler and wetter than the past 2 springs. As for things to do, I can start a list and others from the area can add to it:

-Kemah Boardwalk--shopping, food, pretty place on the gulf

-Nasa-worth the 1/2-3/4 day to look at everything

-Zoo- if it is not too hot

-Galleria- Shopping mall with upper end stores

-Galveston is the closest beach, but I have not been that impressed when I have gone there. It is about a 45 mins (?) drive from downtown.

-Enjoy all of the food. We have some of the best food I think around.

Have fun!

 

[Kathy C]

Houston is pretty big, and there are several airports - where will you be. I'm originally from Delaware but have lived here half my life (22 yrs). I work in the Texas Medical Center which is pretty centrally located in Houston. It will be hot and very humid. Guess it depends on what you like and although Galveston (about 40-45 miles from downtown Houston) is not a great beach, you could go to the Strand. It has lots of small shops and there are some good restaurants on the island. If you like shopping, the Galleria is a wonderful place to visit. It's a huge mall with a skating rink in the center of one of the "wings." Space Center Houston is a great place to visit for the day and you could then go to Kemah for dinner. Just take I-45 south and the signs will direct you to the exit you'll need to take. Kemah has a boardwalk and will remind you some of Disney. There are rides and games and the squirting fountains they have in Epcot and Downtown Disney. It's not too far (6-8 miles) from NASA. Space Center Houston/NASA is about 20 miles south of downtown Houston and Galveston is about 30 miles further south than that. You could always take in an Astro's baseball game if they're in town while you're here or go to Astroworld, a theme park.

Hope this helps.

Kathy

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Thanks guys for all the ideas. I'm excited about coming to Texas, never been there. Everyone who is from there, just raves and is so proud of their state. Can't wait to see it. We are flying into IAH, so I'm sure we'll be in a hotel close to there. We'll have a rental car though. I was hoping we would be able to go to the beach. But maybe then we won't waste our time and do the waterpark instead. The Space center sounds great. As well as the Boardwalk and of course the Galleria. When we were in Arizona, I thought the Fashion Mall was the best place we went. LOL Is IAH central to the city? So its going to be like DisneyWorld in the summer? At least I can be prepared now.

 

[missypie]

Houston in June...be prepared for incredible humidity. You are right to plan in advance...plan, plan, plan or you will be miserable. Besides the heat and humidity, the traffic can be a nightmare, so please plan your days to avoid rush hour(s) as much as possible. Houston is the only major US city with no zoning, so your first impressions may not be that great.

Besides the DIS boards, I suggest you do a search, then ask specific questions, on the US Travel board on Fodors.com. Get specific restaurant recommendations...don't just expect to find some great places. There are great places out there, but most people wouldn't just stumble upon them.

I would not call the Galleria "centrally located" unless you are staying in the Galleria area. Study a map of the Galleria...I assume that it evolved over the years, because it is sort of a strange conglomeration of buildings (but great stores).

Moody Gardens in Galveston is nice.

 

[Carl]

IAH is not centrally located. I would probably not stay in a hotel in that area. It is north of Houston. Yes, hot and humid. So far this year we have had a mild spring, but I don't expect it to remain that way. I think that you would enjoy Kemah and NASA, and that's why I'd suggest that you get a hotel more into Houston or even on the south side of Houston.

 

[Planogirl]

Everything is pretty sprawled out in Houston. IAH is well north of the city while the Boardwalk in Kemah is to the southeast. The Galleria is to the southwest but fairly close to downtown.

If you go to Galveston, head down early in the day and try to visit Moody Gardens. Also head over to the Strand Historical District to explore and maybe tour the tall ship Elissa. There a few nice hotels on the strand and seawall if you'd want to spend the night down there.

Be ready for late afternoon thunderstorms. They're common during the humid summers and they roll in with force sometimes. Also be prepared for heavy traffic. Avoid rush hour like the plague!

If you want to spend a few extra days, you might want to drive over to San Antonio. It's a reasonable drive and totally different from the Houston area in virtually every way. There's a lot to do in and around San Antone and it's a great destination.

 

[Aimeedyan]

It's HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and sticky.

We did a weekend trip to Houston awhile back. We stayed at an AmeriSuites, I believe, near the Galleria. Just a hop, skip, and jump away and it was a nice area. Upscale dining and shopping to boot! We went to the Kemah Boardwalk, had dessert at a restaurant down there, and just walked around. It was a nice evening, wtih the breeze from the water. I have been to Galveston beaches many times but unless you're just dying to see a beach, I'd stick with the hotel pool. There is some nice shopping down there, though, and a some good seafood places. It's only 45 min if you want to try it out... NASA is on the way, though I was disappointed in it when I went last... but maybe it's because I'm not hugely into space stuff?

We also hit Ikea, actually, that was the reason we went =) I could spend HOURS there, so if you don't have one in your area and you're interested in home design, you might want to make a stop... it's a home owners dream, I was in heaven!

Have fun and enjoy your stay in our great state!

 

[TigerBear]

Like some others have mentioned, my favorite places in the area are the galleria, kemah boardwalk, and the downtown aquarium. The last two are both owned by Landry's.

http://www.kemahboardwalk.com/
http://downtownaquarium.com/home.htm

 

[TigerBear]

I can't believe I forgot about the Houston Museum of Natural History! They have a butterfly exhibit, IMAX theater, and planetarium. If you are interested in 3D IMAX, Moody Gardens in Galveston has one.

http://www.hmns.org/
http://www.moodygardens.com/cgi-bin/home03.cfm

I hope you have fun!