What to do in Houston TX?!

[FanofDinsey1981]

Hey all, I need a bit of advice for a trip other than a disney one!

My husband's cousin is getting married in a town south of Houston (near the space center, where he works....) and we are going down at the end of October.

We plan on getting to our hotel about 3ish on the 27th (thursday), and having the rest of that day.

the 28th will be the Space Center, the cousin is getting us passes for the day. then that night we are doing a family bar-b-que thingy.

The 29th is the Wedding.

The 30th is NOTHING (help!)

and we leave on the 31st, so we probably will be doing the airport thing and sleeping in a bit.

We basically have a day and a half where we are not sure what to do. Galvaston is about 45 minutes away, so we thought about doing the beach for a day, or maybe catching a Houston Texans game that sunday. Where is the good shopping? or entertainment? It will be my husband and I and his parents for most of it, so there won't be kids involved.

Any ideas would help a lot! :wave:

oh, and PS- this is our first trip ever to Texas!

 

[Debbie]

There's the Galleria, which used to be OK. But I would drive to Katy and hit the huge factory outlet mall with the enormous Bass Pro Shop! I haven't been to Galveston since Glen Campbell's song came out; but I'm not much of a beach person anyway. and I think there is a huge Renaissance (sp?) going on around that time and I understand that it is really cool.

 

[Cliffordsmon]

If you love high-end shopping then the Galleria is a must see. Herman park and the Zoo is always a relaxing place to visit.

The San Jacinto Battle grounds and the Battle ship "Texas" isn't too far from NASA if history interests you.

There is the art museum near Herman Park and the Medical Center.

If no one comes up with any ideas PM my sister LaTinkerbell. She lives in Houston and can give you some suggestions.

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

thanks for the info! My husband is always cool with sitting by a pool a day, or playing on his computer, but I like going and seeing the sites!

 

[crazycalf]

I was in Houston for the first time last year for a wedding too.

The downtown aquarium is nice. The resturant there is really good and you eat near a big aquarium.

The zoo in Houston was my favorite thing to do there. It is in the middle of the big park and you can take the metro to it.

There are a few museums in downtown. Reliant stadium (the football stadium)does tours. Minute Maid park might do tours too, but I'm not sure.

Rice has a game on Sat but You'll be at the wedding.
My wife's friend got married on the UH campus and after the ceremony there was a big crowd roar from the football game a UH.

 

[that_L_do_pig]

If you are stuck in South Houston then go to the Kemah Boardwalk for seafood and ride the power boat that goes out into the bay.

If not and if you are in a mood for some great mexican food (since there is none in IL from my personal testing) goto Ninfa's on Navigation, Chuy's on Westheimer or Last Concert Cafe on 1403 Nance. For BBQ goto Goode Co. BBQ on Kirby. For Cajun, goto Pappadeaux.

Can you tell I like to eat?

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

There are a few museums in downtown. Reliant stadium (the football stadium)does tours. Minute Maid park might do tours too, but I'm not sure.
.

we were thinking about maybe seeing the Texans game on that sunday, but that is cool that you can do tours. I have this crazy dream of wanting to go and see every MLB ballpark someday!

 

[that_L_do_pig]

Our new ballpark is quite nice but it is no Wrigley Field by any stretch of the imagination. Too bad you were never able to see a baseball game in the Astrodome.

Since it is across the street - Don't even consider going to our Six Flags park. I say that being a family season pass holder there but having this conversation on a WDW forum!

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

If you are stuck in South Houston then go to the Kemah Boardwalk for seafood and ride the power boat that goes out into the bay.

If not and if you are in a mood for some great mexican food (since there is none in IL from my personal testing) goto Ninfa's on Navigation, Chuy's on Westheimer or Last Concert Cafe on 1403 Nance. For BBQ goto Goode Co. BBQ on Kirby. For Cajun, goto Pappadeaux.

Can you tell I like to eat?

Ah food. how I define a vacation.

I recieved some info in from Kemah Boardwalk the other day, it seems like a great time. I think it is a few minutes away from where we are staying, so I have a feeling we will be eating there a lot!

ps- if you want great mexican food here in Illinois, check out El Toro, El Toro 2, or El Torero in Champaign-Urbana. Great food, cheap, fast, and delicious! I have had mexican food all over this fine country (and even mexico), and it is some of the best I have ever had!

 

[Aurora_25]

You can see the Museum of Natural Science Downtown- the Art Museum, the Zoo, lots of things. Keep in mind that Houston is large and you will actually be at least a half hour to an hour away from those things (last time I went to the Space Center it took a while for me to get there) You could also go to the Kemah boardwalk- they have got great food places there and stuff like that.

There are lots of options for you- we live just outside of Houston in SugarLand so if you need help in anyway- let me know.

Oh, and about the Galleria- nothing really neat there- it's really expensive and crowded honestly, and the only "big" thing in that area is the mall with the skating rink in it- may not be a big deal to others but to people in houston it's huge since it rarely snows....

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

Our new ballpark is quite nice but it is no Wrigley Field by any stretch of the imagination. Too bad you were never able to see a baseball game in the Astrodome.

Since it is across the street - Don't even consider going to our Six Flags park. I say that being a family season pass holder there but having this conversation on a WDW forum!

Wrigley is a great ballpark (and this coming from a white sox fan!), but I love any size ballpark. It comes from an extreme love of the game! I have seen pics of the Astrodome, it seemed like a cool place.

We talked about doing the Six Flags park, but there are two (great america and st. louis) only 3 hours away from us, I think we will do one of those two before we even go to Houston. I was hoping the waterparks would be open, but they are closed in october. Shlitterbaun (sp?) is a few hours away, but I have seen specials on it from the Travel Channel. One is supposed to open up near houston, but not until next year.

And going to six flags in Texas 10 days after being in WDW ....I think I might be disapointed!

 

[that_L_do_pig]

Ah food. how I define a vacation.

I recieved some info in from Kemah Boardwalk the other day, it seems like a great time. I think it is a few minutes away from where we are staying, so I have a feeling we will be eating there a lot!

ps- if you want great mexican food here in Illinois, check out El Toro, El Toro 2, or El Torero in Champaign-Urbana. Great food, cheap, fast, and delicious! I have had mexican food all over this fine country (and even mexico), and it is some of the best I have ever had!

The strangest restaraunt I have ever been to in my life was halfway between Chicago and Mattoon. It was half German food and half Mexican food all on one plate. This was around 1990.

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

You can see the Museum of Natural Science Downtown- the Art Museum, the Zoo, lots of things. Keep in mind that Houston is large and you will actually be at least a half hour to an hour away from those things (last time I went to the Space Center it took a while for me to get there) You could also go to the Kemah boardwalk- they have got great food places there and stuff like that.

There are lots of options for you- we live just outside of Houston in SugarLand so if you need help in anyway- let me know.

cool, thanks! The two people that are getting married actually work for the space center (computer programing or something), so I think we are staying right by there. I have to say, sugarland sounds familiar, I remember that name from something....when I get home I will have to look at the stuff for the wedding. I am thinking the chruch for the wedding might be there.....

Thanks to everyone so far, this is VERY helpful! I am a planner, I like to know what I am doing well before I get there. I am thinking that Kemah is a big YES YES YES, and the Houston Zoo. my mother in law and I might do an afternoon at the Katy Mills (we will go anywhere for a bargin.) I am getting very excited to go!

 

[Aurora_25]

cool, thanks! The two people that are getting married actually work for the space center (computer programing or something), so I think we are staying right by there. I have to say, sugarland sounds familiar, I remember that name from something....when I get home I will have to look at the stuff for the wedding. I am thinking the chruch for the wedding might be there.....

Thanks to everyone so far, this is VERY helpful! I am a planner, I like to know what I am doing well before I get there. I am thinking that Kemah is a big YES YES YES, and the Houston Zoo. my mother in law and I might do an afternoon at the Katy Mills (we will go anywhere for a bargin.) I am getting very excited to go!

If the wedding ceremony is in Sugar Land, that will be a long drive to the reception (if the reception is at the space center.....) We haven't been to the space center in years- the traffic is really horrible to get there from here, but I know they have done alot to it and it looks so much better. Sugar Land is South West Houston- it's a nice suburb
I am a huge planner too so I totally understand wanting to know what to do before you get there.
Katy Mills is a great mall- My DH and I go there about once a month if nothing else but to eat at the Rain Forest cafe....

 

[that_L_do_pig]

Alright, if we are adding Sugarland to the mix and must-eat Mexican is Lupe Tortillas.

 

[Aurora_25]

Alright, if we are adding Sugarland to the mix and must-eat Mexican is Lupe Tortillas.

Never have been there- where is that??? (and I have lived here for 11 years.....:hammer: ) Or maybe I have eaten there and have forgotten???

 

[Disnut]

of course you can come to San Antonio for the day and see the Alamo and the river walk.

 

[that_L_do_pig]

of course you can come to San Antonio for the day and see the Alamo and the river walk.

Being a native Houstonian in his mid thirties, I took the family to Fiesta Texas this summer for the first time and was AMAZED at how the park exceeded my preconceived notions in terms on cleanliness, theming and children's attractions.

 

[pisco]

If you are stuck in South Houston then go to the Kemah Boardwalk for seafood and ride the power boat that goes out into the bay.

If not and if you are in a mood for some great mexican food (since there is none in IL from my personal testing) goto Ninfa's on Navigation, Chuy's on Westheimer or Last Concert Cafe on 1403 Nance. For BBQ goto Goode Co. BBQ on Kirby. For Cajun, goto Pappadeaux.

Can you tell I like to eat?

You are killing me that_L_do_pig. My wife and I lived in Houston in the late 80's (she is originally from there) and the only things I miss about that place are Ninfa's fajitas and everything at Goode Co. :slurp:

We also used to go to a great health food place called The Hobbit Hole. I can't for the life of me remember what part of town it was in. Do you know if it is still there?

 

[Cliffordsmon]

You are killing me that_L_do_pig. My wife and I lived in Houston in the late 80's (she is originally from there) and the only things I miss about that place are Ninfa's fajitas and everything at Goode Co. :slurp:

We also used to go to a great health food place called The Hobbit Hole. I can't for the life of me remember what part of town it was in. Do you know if it is still there?

Oh my God, I didn't think anyone else knew about the Hobbit Hole. We used to go there while at UoH. It's on Shepherd Dr. across the street from River Oaks.

Being a displaced Houstonian myself I don't know if it is still there but I don't remember seeing it last time I was there.