Houston Travel Information
Houston, the largest city in Texas, is a glossy, sprawling
metropolis. It was founded on the oil and cattle industries, and
diversified into high-tech, medical and international commerce. Shiny
skyscrapers tower over the streets, linked by underground pedestrian
tunnels lined with shops and restaurants. Like Dallas, Houston has
unique architecture, some of it downright playful. Look for the
skyscraper with a Mayan pyramid up top, or for the Medical Center
towers that happen to be shaped like giant syringes. This Medical
Center, by the way, is the world’s largest concentration of
institutions devoted to medicine. However, Houston isn’t
entirely glitter and metal. Hermann Park, one of the city's oldest
parks, is 445 acres of picnic areas and things to see and do, such as
golf, pedal boats (on McGovern Lake), explore the Houston Zoo and
more. Situated between downtown and the Uptown/Galleria area, Memorial
Park is the state's largest urban park and spreads over 1,400 acres.
Facilities include a 3-mile loop for walkers and joggers, paved
cycling and in-line skating trails, and tennis and croquet courts.
East of downtown, Buffalo Bayou Park's lush green rolling hills and
plateaus feature exercise trails, sculptures and scenic spots perfect
for picnics and relaxing. Canoe or kayak in the bayou, or just enjoy
views of the downtown skyline through the black willow and
dogwood. For green a little farther out, Brazos Bend State
Park, in nearby Needville, is dense with native trees such as live oak
and cypress and has been named one of America's Top 10 State Parks. It
has several miles of biking trails and fishing in its lakes and ponds.
The park's George Observatory has three telescopes for viewing the
night skies. Also, Houston’s coast (as well as its rivers and lakes)
is prime for fishing and several water sports. Known as "Space
City USA," Houston is the hub for all things NASA (National
Aeronautics and Space Administration). Real Gemini, Mercury and Apollo
spacecraft are on display in the awe-inspiring outdoor Rocket Park at
NASA-Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston. NASA-Johnson Space
Center is the home of NASA's human space exploration program. Space
Center Houston is an educational and entertainment center designed by
NASA and Walt Disney Imagineering. Experiencing hands-on, interactive
exhibits, such as simulators, and watching films on a 5-story screen
bring space exploration up close and personal. Even better are the
guided tours to working sections of the Center, like Mission Control
Center. Houston is located in east Texas on the coast of the
Gulf of Mexico and can be accessed via I-45 or I-10.
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