Attractions
Houston has plenty of diversions. Here are some recommended sights for seeing:
Take a tour of the city’s most famous sites, including museums, NASA and The Galleria.
Discovery Green
This 12-acre urban park is one of the city’s favorite gathering spaces. From festivals and film screenings to interactive art exhibits and flea markets, there’s always something happening at Discovery Green. 1500 McKinney, discoverygreen.org.
Buffalo Bayou Park
Flanking Buffalo Bayou from Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street are 160 acres of the city’s best hiking and biking trails, as well as two dog parks, a skate park and public artwork. And did we mention the views? The pedestrian bridges enable everyone to take postcard-perfect photos of the downtown skyline. There’s parking at several locations, but we suggest accessing it from the Lost Lake Visitor Center. 3422 Allen Parkway, buffalobayou.org.
Beer Can House
John Milkovisch didn’t want to mow his lawn. Solution: Pour concrete and then decorate with rocks, marbles and other found objects. Ta-da. What next for a handyman? Milkovisch began covering his home with flattened beer cans. Not flashy enough? How about a little garland using beer-can tabs and tops to create a decorative trim? This monument to recycling is open noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission to the grounds is $5, but you can view the house anytime from the street for free. 222 Malone, orangeshow.org.
Orange Show
Jeff McKissack thought oranges were about the most healthful, enjoyable food in all the world. So, beginning in 1956, he started constructing his whimsical monument to the citrus. Using found objects, such as mannequins, fencing and scrap metal, and working alone, he filled more than 3,000 square feet with his folk art; it’s a maze of mosaics, statues and silliness. The Orange Show is open noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $5. 2402 Munger, orangeshow.org.
Art Car Museum
Admittedly, the only thing odd about the “Garage Mahal” is its eye-catching chrome and scrap-metal exterior, which always inspires a “What is that?” gasp from folks glimpsing it for the first time. The museum, inspired by the annual Art Car Parade, opened in 1998. It is host to a changing lineup of contemporary art. Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. 140 Heights, artcarmuseum.com.
Museum District
In the blocks between downtown and the Texas Medical Center, visitors will find 19 museums. A few recommendations: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet; Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Drive; Contemporary Arts Museum, 5216 Montrose; Menil Collection, 1515 Sul Ross; and the Children’s Museum, 1500 Binz. For maps, hours and admission, see houstonmuseumdistrict.org.
The Galleria
This shopping mecca gets more than 30 million visitors annually. It boasts more than 400 stores and an ice-skating rink in the middle. 5085 Westheimer, 713-622-0663. Nearby is one of Houston’s mostphotographed attractions: the 64-foot-tall Waterwall, 2800 Post Oak.
Downtown Aquarium, Kemah Boardwalk and the Pleasure Pier
Three Landry’s-owned entertainment centers offer amusement-park rides, midway games, a variety of dining options and specialty shops. These familyfriendly venues frequently host events ranging from beer and wine festivals to live music. Downtown Aquarium: 410 Bagby, aquariumrestaurants.com. Kemah: 215 Kipp, kemahboardwalk.com. Galveston: 2501 Seawall, pleasurepier.com.
NASA
When people say they’re visiting NASA, they often mean Space Center Houston, a family destination with exhibits, attractions and theaters. The tram tour includes part of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. You can’t miss its newest attraction: Independence Plaza is home to the first shuttle-carrier aircraft, NASA 905, and the shuttle replica Independence. Admission is $24.95. 1601 NASA Parkway, spacecenter.org.
San Jacinto Monument / Battleship Texas
The site in La Porte features the monument to the Texans’ 1836 victory over Santa Anna’s troops and the resting place for the 100-yearold ship. Another feature is a 1,210-foot boardwalk where you can view Texas as it may have looked (think native prairie and tidal marsh) in 1836. 1 Monument Circle, La Porte. 3523 Independence Parkway, La Porte, 281-479-2421, sanjacinto-museum.org.