Houston
The days when cows and oilmen roamed the streets of Houston are long gone. Today, the fourth-largest city in the US is a sprawling metropolis of highrises, malls and parking lots. Hot, humid and flat, Houston may not be Texas' premier travel destination, but it has much to offer, including great museums, beautiful parks, a hip young urban population and a variety of excellent excursions. Houston dominates southeastern Texas, thanks to a historic commitment to growth unfettered by zoning and other planning restrictions. The result is a sprawling city confusing to visitors and residents alike. However, most areas of interest are within a few miles of downtown, and seeing the sites won't take more than a day or two.
Activities
In the heart of downtown Houston, Bayou Place Entertainment Complex keeps the beat with great entertainment and eating options. Bayou Place is a large multilevel building that is home to full service restaurants, pubs, live music, billiards, multiple theatres and art house films.You'll find family fun, fine dining, spectacular land and sea creatures and gorgeous views of the downtown Houston at the Downtown Aquarium. The 500,000-gallon underwater adventure complex is home to over 200 species of aquatic life from around the globe and also includes a Ferris wheel, an aquatic carousel, a Shark Voyage, a passenger train that tunnels through a huge fish tank and the new White Tigers of the Maharaja's Temple exhibit, featuring four of the captivating big cats. Drink and dine at the Aquarium Restaurant and the Dive Lounge.Next door to Houston's Memorial Park, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center offers visitors a quiet place to walk and study the area's native plants and wildlife.Lush foliage and tropical flowers set the stage for "Zooperb" fun at the Houston Zoo, a living "museum" in the Museum District. From koalas to flamingos, tigetrs to orangutans, the inhabitants never fail to charm visitors. The Houston Space Center, NASA's Official Visitors Center features actual spacecraft, like the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules, and a walk in space through state-of-the-art simulators. Visitors also see behind-the-scenes tours of the famed Johnson Space Center and a huge display of space flight hardware and astronaut memorabilia at the Houston Space Center.
Shopping
At big-name department stores, savvy little boutiques, discount retailers, antique venues and a variety of Houston shopping malls in virtually every kind of shop imaginable hoppers can have that blissful experience of finding exactly what they want.
Currency
The U.S. dollar (USD) is the official currency. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.
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