Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States, but it does not feel like a cold metropolis. The people are genuinely friendly, and the city's diversity is staggering, with consulates from 77 nations and a restaurant scene that ranges from Vietnamese pho in Midtown to Nigerian suya in Alief.
The Museum District alone is worth several days, with 19 institutions including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Hermann Park next door has a zoo, a Japanese garden, and free performances at Miller Outdoor Theater. The Menil Collection, in Montrose, is one of the finest free art museums in the country. Space Center Houston, NASA's official visitor center in the Clear Lake area, is unlike anything else in the country.
Montrose is the bohemian heart of the city, packed with antique shops, tattoo parlors, and some of the best bars in town. Downtown has been revitalized around Bayou Place and the Theater District. A short drive south takes you to Galveston Island and its beaches, while Fort Bend County to the southwest offers Brazos Bend State Park and one of the largest public telescopes in the country.
Be warned: Houston summers are brutal. Heat, humidity, and the threat of hurricanes make the period from June through October uncomfortable at best. Spring is the sweet spot, particularly April, when the weather is warm but the tropical storm season has not yet begun.
Destinations in Houston
Downtown | Montrose | Museum District | Galveston Island | Brazosport Area | Fort Bend County