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Houston, United States
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
South and west of downtown, South Inner Loop is home to the Museum District, Hermann Park, the main campus of the University of Houston, Rice University, the Texas Medical Center, and NRG Stadium.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Fun, educational, hands-on museum featuring a whimsical courtyard with a rail caboose and a bayou river, and indoor exhibits with both a cultural and a scientific element.
Non-collecting museum with rotating exhibits focusing on the ever-changing landscape of today's visual arts.
Formerly known as the "Museum of Health and Medical Sciences", this museum is affiliated with the Texas Medical Center. Explore human anatomy, the life of a germ, the human genome, and more.
Holocaust Museum Houston is dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust, remembering the 6 million Jews and millions of other innocent victims and honoring the survivors' legacy. Using the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides, the Museum teaches the dangers of hatred, prejudice and apathy to tens of thousands of people worldwide each year. Not recommended for children under the age of 10.
Permanent venues include the butterfly center, exhibit halls, planetarium, and IMAX theater, others vary by availability.
Eclectic and diverse collection of art and artifacts. The collection consists of about 17,000 works spanning all time periods and geographies. Popular cafe across the street. The lawns invite picnic relaxation under the towering magnolia trees.
Approximately 455 acres (about half the size of Central Park in New York City). George Hermann gave the parkland to the City of Houston in 1914. It is accessible via the MetroRail. Encompasses the Miller Outdoor Theater, the Houston Zoo, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Hermann Park Golf Course.
The Hermann Park Railroad takes a two-mile, 18 minute journey around Hermann Park with three stops along the way.
Mid-size zoo with several large animal exhibits worth visiting such as the gorillas and elephants. Visiting early in the day is advised as most of the zoo-keeper talks are before noon and the animals go into hiding if the day is hot.
Designed by world-renowned Japanese landscape architect, Ken Nakajima, the garden was built to symbolize the friendship between the United States and Japan, and to recognize Houston's thriving Japanese community.
A sprawling medical complex which is home to some of the world's best hospitals.
Houston's National Football League (NFL) team plays at NRG Stadium in the South Loop area, next to the now-vacant Astrodome.
Sports teams of the University of Houston, playing NCAA Division I sports mostly in the Big 12 Conference. As with most major universities, the hot-button sports are football and basketball, with men's basketball having periods of national prominence in the 1980s and 2020s. The most prominent venues are TDECU Stadium (football) and Fertitta Center (basketball).
Sports teams of Rice University, playing NCAA Division I sports mostly in the American Athletic Conference. Due largely to Rice's very high academic standards, football and basketball have been generally mediocre over the last few decades; baseball has been the most nationally competitive sport during that time. Rice Stadium not only hosts Owls football in the fall, but also the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League in the spring. The stadium also has a place in the history of the US space program, as John F. Kennedy made his famous "We choose to go to the Moon" speech here in 1962. Other significant venues are Tudor Fieldhouse (basketball) and Reckling Park (baseball).
Free professional theater, music, dance and other performing arts shows in from June to October.
A secluded, luxury spa located on the private 2nd floor of Hotel ZaZa Houston offering a variety of spa treatments for both men and women. Facilities include a pool and spa café.
Pedal your way around the lake in Hermann Park.
NRG Stadium and NRG Park. Annually in March. The world's largest rodeo and includes rodeo events, calf scramble, and music concerts. It is known for its big-name music acts as much as it is for the rodeo. The livestock show attracts professional breeders who bring in their world-class livestock to be judged. There is also a carnival on the grounds.
Hosts a world class array of panels, authors, celebrities and entertainment for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Focuses on Hispanic literature. Held in October.
Modern American dining. This is a favorite of many locals.
Indian cuisine.
French bakery.
Great choice when you're hungry for ropa vieja or any classic Cuban dish.
A fine dining option at Hotel ZaZa Houston serving seafood and steak entrees with Mediterranean flair. The Lounge is available for dancing and Monarch Terrace overlooks Main Street & Mecom Fountains.
Modern takes on Southern classics by a classically trained chef served in a cozy, vintage house.
Tex-Mex spot for build-your-own burritos, tostadas, tacos & salads, with a tequila bar & patio.
Traditional Scottish pub atmosphere. Good variety of draft beers (including Belhaven), though their strong point is their outstanding selection of fine single-malt Scotch whisky.
More of a large family house than a hostel, with bedrooms containing bunk beds for travelers. The house is in the downtown museum district so there is a lot to do within walking distance (Thursday is free museum day!) but it's in a residential area, so shops and restaurants are not immediately nearby. The bathrooms are shared and the facilities are clean. Hostel customs are observed at the hostel.
Offers complimentary internet access.
Location in the midst of the Texas Medical Center. 80% suites. 100% non-smoking.
Offers free wireless high-speed Internet access.
Adjacent to several hospitals of the Texas Medical Center and connected to Methodist Hospital via the skywalk.
Lodgeur
Furnished one-bedroom apartments available for short-term and extended stays. Located at 7010 Staffordshire, within walking distance of MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, and NRG Park. Convenient for medical visits or attending events like the Houston Rodeo. Each unit includes a full kitchen, in-unit laundry, and garage parking. Suitable for patients, caregivers, and professionals.
Upscale boutique hotel with an outstanding location next to Hermann Park and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, with easy Metro access, elegantly appointed rooms, and an atmosphere of pampered luxury.
Some of Houston's most eclectic shopping is in the small businesses of Rice Village, roughly between Kirby and Greenbrier and around Rice Blvd. and University Blvd.
By train
Houston's Metro light rail system is an easy, comfortable way to get to the Medical Center, Rice University, and Museum District.
By bus
Several Houston Metrobus routes run through this part of the city. Use bus lines 1, 8, 34, 65, 87, 292, and 298. There is also a local trolley service for the Medical Center.
By car
Houston is a sprawling city in which everyone drives everywhere. The Medical Center/Rice/Museum District area lies in between the Southwest Freeway (U.S. 59) and the South Freeway (TX 288).
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Houston · International · HOU
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