Texas Travel Guide
Houston
The largest city in the state and the fourth largest in the country, Houston has risen to its current place from very inauspicious beginnings.
Two brothers, John and August Allen founded Houston in 1836, naming it for Sam Houston, hero of the Mexican war with Generalissimo Santa Anna. The idea was to attract people there on the basis of its success as a port. They were optimistic but as it turned out justifiably so. Houston was state capital in the mid 1800's until Austin superseded it. The building of a ship canal linking it to the sea began to establish it as a port of some value and when Galveston, at the time the main port, was destroyed by a hurricane in 1900 growth really began. Houston went from being prosperous port and trading centre to one of the powerhouses of the nations economy with the discovery of oil in 1901.
During the 1970's, as the price of oil went through the roof, Houston was seemingly neck deep in cash. Since then the oil trade has been on something of a roller coaster but this has not slowed Houston down. The city has diversified into aerospace and hi-tech industries as well as still being one of the world's biggest ports.
Despite the heat, which can be oppressive, and the unconstrained building work that has happened in the recent past Houston is still a great place. It is lively, with an excellent museum district, a massive shopping mall (the Galleria) and a nightlife and restaurant scene that positively sizzles.
Things To Do, Places To See
The Museum District
Lying alongside the Rice University area, with tree lined streets full of interesting shops and alive with people this district is ideal for taking a stroll.
The Menil Collection endowed by Oil Baron John Menil is one of the highlights; it is an eclectic exhibition of works from all over the globe dating from 15000 BC to the present era. The Menils also commissioned the works on show in the Rothko Chapel.
Elsewhere, check out the Museum of Fine Arts and the Cullen Sculpture Garden.
Nearby is Hermann Park, a 400-acre park and home to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, a splendid way to pass the time. Also worth a look in the park is the Cockrell Butterfly Centre and the Houston Zoo.
Housed in a stunning and singular building is the Contemporary Art Museum, the same can be said of the nearby Holocaust Museum Houston; excellent and challenging but probably not to everyone's taste.
Downtown
A spectacular cityscape, worthy of the oil barons who built the cities wealth. Tallest of the skyscrapers is the Chase Tower. An observation deck on the 60th floor affords views over the city and the surrounding countryside. Now here is the weird thing, the streets in the bustling metropolis may often seem empty even at midday. The reason is that air-conditioned tunnels link many of the buildings so the good people of Houston can avoid the stifling heat above.
Tucked in amongst the skyscrapers is Sam Houston Park with its historical (restored) buildings and Market Square where some of the city's earliest buildings still stand.
Montrose
Despite its image as a hard-nosed place of commerce where the dollar rules, Houston also manages to harbour this bohemian enclave. Slightly redolent of New York's Greenwich Village, this is the gay area with all manner of weird and wonderful shops, bars and restaurants. Visit whilst you can because this part of the city is slowly losing its quirkiness in favour of a more mainstream style.
Houston we have a problem...
The first word spoken by Neil Armstrong when he landed on the moon was "Houston.." This is just part of the long association that Houston has had with the Space Programme. Visit the Johnson Space Centre just outside the city to find out more. This is where NASA has controlled trips into space since 1965. The space centre is still fully operational and taking a tour is to get a glimpse into some of the greatest achievements of mankind.
San Jacinto
Gain an insight into the turbulent history of Texas at the site of the battle that wrested the state back from the control of Santa Anna. The battle was brief, bloody and final. This was where Texans took their revenge on Santa Anna's army for the massacre at the Alamo. The museum is the best bit but the stone monument to the battle is the worlds tallest at just over 600 feet high.
Eating, Drinking and Sleeping
Clubs, bars, theatres, live music, dancing Houston has something for everyone. It is a very lively place, the music alone is worth the trip; this is the place for great blues, zydeco, country (and western? I'm not sure where the distinction lies) Cajun plus the usual range of rock venues large and small.
There are restaurants representing cuisine from all over the world. The Tex-Mex is great, the seafood is gorgeous and 'good ole' Texan beef is stunning. Expect to put on weight.
Unsurprisingly accommodation tends to be weighted towards the upper price range. All the major hotel chains are here but for a bargain you will need to look to the areas away from the centre.
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