5 Reasons to Make Houston Your Next Trip

August 25, 2012 | Filed under: Travel | Posted by: Cherrell Tarantino

Houston is the largest city in Texas, and it is filled with interesting and unique attractions. Regardless of which of the many hotels in Houston that you choose, you will have access to the entire city’s attractions, including a thriving theater district, a water park and the visitor’s center of NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

1) Houston’s Theater District

A 17 block area that is anchored by the area’s permanent and professional companies of every major performing art discipline in the world, including the Houston Ballet, the Houston Grand Opera, The Alley Theatre and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Although most major cities have at least a couple of these disciplines represented on a permanent basis, Houston joins only four other U.S. cities that have the distinction of featuring all four disciplines. For this reason alone, Houston is a major draw for cultural lovers.

2) The Space Center Houston

NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s official visitors center. Visitors will be able to learn about the history of space travel and exploration through permanent exhibits, special attractions and theater showings. This fall, the Space Center Houston will be opening their 122-foot wooden Explorer replica to the public. Visitors will be able to climb inside the replica of Explorer to receive a once-in-a lifetime behind-the-scenes look at what it is actually like to be inside of a space shuttle. This exhibit is not offered anywhere else in the world.

3) SplashTown

Sometimes the best way to spend a warm vacation day is by soaking in the fun at the area’s largest water park. SplashTown features 14 different water related rides and attractions, ranging from the 132-foot long Tornado to the Blue Lagoon Activity Pool. Children will be thrilled by the inclusion of special areas just for kids, including the interactive pirate ship that is part of Crocodile Isle. As an added bonus, SplashTown is outside of the city limits, giving you additional lodging options besides the hotels in Houston.

4) Professional Sports

Houston is the home of five major league sports teams, making the city a prime destination for sports lovers. Depending on the time of year that you go, you can watch a MLB, NFL, NBA, MLS or AHL game. Many of the stadiums, such as the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park, also offer year-round tours.

5) Visual Arts

Houston has several unique museums, including The Art Car Museum, The Orange Show Monument, Midtown’s Station Museum and the Project Row Houses. Those with an appreciation for fine photography will also want to visit The Houston Center for Photography. All of these destinations offer visitors something quite different from the typical museum experience.

There are countless other reasons to make Houston your next vacation destination, but the list above will give you a great starting point. Once you have entered the city, you will undoubtedly encounter both the local culture and a diverse array of interesting options to satisfy everyone with whom you are traveling.

Author Anthony Joseph visits Houston often and is a contributing writer for the Southwest Hilton. This location is one of the most convenient hotels in Houston where you are within easy access to all that Houston has to offer. The Grand Ballroom and open atrium are the perfect setting for memorable weddings and special events, with Texas hospitality event is a success.

Shortlink:

Posted by Cherrell Tarantino on August 25, 2012. Filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry