Houston Guide

Take all the swagger of a cowboy, add the finesse of nobility and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit, and the result is Houston. It's this stimulating combination of attitude, culture and style that is Texas's largest city.

The heart of cultural Houston is the Museum District, home to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Contemporary Arts Museum across the street, and the tribal and ancient artefacts of the Menil Collection. The city's frontier spirit is mirrored at the engaging Space Centre Houston, which includes tours of NASA's Mission Control for manned space flights.

Explore the heritage of Hispanic art at the New World Museum. Go for a ride on an endangered animal at the Houston Zoo's Wildlife Carousel, or paddle a canoe with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's boat tours.

Shop for cowboy chic at Maida's Belts on Westheimer, and haute couture at the swanky Galleria's department stores. Browse boutiques in Highland Village, get trendy in Rice Village, or create a vintage look in Montrose along West Alabama and lower Westheimer.

Splash about in a boat, explore a Japanese garden, or get lost at the Houston Zoo in Hermann Park. Cool off at the roaring Water Wall near the Galleria, or linger over a leisurely cup of coffee in Rice Village or the Heights.

Downtown's Theatre District is the cultural hub, with theatrical productions at the Alley Theatre, opera and ballet at Wortham Centre, and Broadway productions at the Hobby Centre for the Performing Arts. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in the Woodlands and the Toyota Centre host live music concerts and special events.

Go for gourmet while you're Uptown, hit the clubs in funky Montrose and see socialites in River Oaks. Head ‘south of the border' with authentic Mexican at Ninfa's or Villa Arcos on Navigation in the East End.

Make for the west penthouse terrace at the SkyBar in Montrose. Sip a Martini there and take in the spectacular view of the twinkling city lights…