Houston Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in Houston check out our Houston guide to car hire in Houston.
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For most people, the city of Houston only ever crops up in conversation when they misquote Commander Jim Lovell from the crippled spacecraft Apollo 13 on its way to the moon (He actually said "OK Houston, we've had a problem.") and they pay little other interest to this sprawling Texan city.
Amongst the many attractions on offer in Houston, it is perhaps not surprising that the two most important influences are the oil and space industries, which have dominated the economy of the city for the last century.
Houston is an unbelievably wealthy city, built on the excesses of the oil industry, and boasting one of the most stunning skylines in the world, plenty of excellent galleries and museums, two Chinatown regions, and a an absolutely superb nightlife.
While at the moment, Houston may not be a city that you instantly associate with sight seeing, and a sense of awe, this is all set to change, with city government planning to build the world's largest statue - a staggering 180 metre tall stainless steel angel to be called the Spirit of Houston in the near future in order to give the city a clearer identity, and a real focus for tourists.
Somewhat surprisingly for many people who have never been to the city, Houston is actually one of the best holiday destinations in the country, with plenty of family focussed attractions alongside the more cultural sights in the city centre. There are a number of water parks such as Splash Town that are ideal for larking about in on hot days; while roller coaster fans will want to waste no time in heading for Six Flags AstroWorld, one of the largest amusement parks anywhere, which has a large number of so called "giga-coasters" designed to scare you.
Perhaps Houston's greatest attraction though, and something that no visitor to space city should miss out on is the Houston Space Centre, which has recently been given a Disney designed makeover in order to enhance the experience. You can see robots, rockets and a scale model of the International Space Station; as well as getting the chance to experience what life in space is like (minus the weightlessness), and visit a mock up of the red planet in the awesome Martian Matrix Redux Attraction. The Houston Space Centre is highly recommended for everyone whatever their age. Whether or not you are remotely interested in space exploration before you visit, by the time you leave you'll be hooked.
