Texas is one of the largest and most colorful regions of the United States. Despite the fact that Houston is not the capital, the largest city city attracts crowds of tourists. They come here to see the NASA center, relax on the Gulf of Mexico and try local cuisine.
Houston: Where is it and how to get
Texas is located in the south of the country, borders on Mexico and the States Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahom and New Mexico. The city itself is located 260 km from the capital of the region, Austin, to the new Orleans 510 km, to the border with Mexico about 500 km.
Now there are no direct flights from Russia to Houston. The most optimal option is to transplant in New York, Amsterdam or Istanbul. The flight from Moscow will take from 15 hours and cost you about 40,000 round-trip.
Get to the center from Houston Airport Intercontinental to them. George Bush can be by public transport. The bus departs from the terminal from the terminal. To find it, you need to go through the D105 or D106 passage, and find a stop 102 on the street. Transport goes every 30 minutes.
Where to stop
Those who deliberately fly to Houston, we recommend stopping in the central regions of the city. The most affordable options are hostels. For example:
- Wanderstay Houston Hostel – from 2,500 rubles for a berth in the total room*.
There are also many popular network hotels in the center:
- AC Hotel by Marriott Housiston Downtown – from 7,800 rubles per night*
- Homewood Suits by Hilton Houston Downtown – from 9,900 rubles per night*
If you travel around the United States by car, stop at the motels. They are far from the center, but you will have no more than 20 minutes on the road to Dauntown.
Here are the most popular options:
- Scott Inn & Suits – Downtown Houston – from 4,700 rubles per night*
- Palace Inn Gulf Freeway – from 6,000 rubles per night*
7 days in Houston: ideas for every day
What to do in the city if you have only a week? This metropolis is rich in entertainment and attractions. In addition, you can always go to the bay and enjoy Texas nature.
Day 1. Museum district
There are 19 museums in total, 11 of them are free. If you think that museums are boring, get ready to change your opinion. Many of them have valuable collections and are rich in interactive entertainment.
All year round you can get, for example, in Museum of Modern ArtCenter for Art Londeil, Texas Center of Asia, Menil’s collection. Moreover, they are all in walking distance from each other, and a little another attraction is a little aside – The chapel is rottenthe interior of which is a work of contemporary art. On the walls, the author’s paintings are presented – Marco Rotko.
Please note that on Thursday their doors also open a children’s museum for free, Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, Museum of Fine Arts and a number of other establishments. On other days, the cost of the input ticket will be $ 10-25. You can find out more on the official website of the district.
By the way, we are sure to advise you to purchase Houston Citypass. In addition to the Museum of Natural Sciences, you will be waiting for you for free to choose from the Houston Zoo or Museum of Extreme Arts. The cost of the card $ 64, in total, it will help to save about $ 58, since the price also includes a number of other entertainments: the NASA space center, the Dauintown Aquarium, the Kema Boardwalk Imrase Museum.
There are many cafes and restaurants in the museum area itself, you can find the kitchen for every taste. For example, try Texas-Mexican dishes at Bodegas Taco Shop. Be sure to order a hearty combo with one for $ 10.
Day 2. German Park and Houston Zoo
On the second day, we will explore the amazing German park, which is in no way inferior to the famous Central Park of New York. It is located in the southern part of the museum region, but this place is so large that it is better for him to devote all day.
Houston Zoo – His key attraction. Here you can admire carnivorous animals, rare birds, representatives of the underwater world. In total, more than 6,000 inhabitants await you. The cost of an input ticket for adults is $ 27.95.
Also in the park is located Open Miller TheaterIn the warm season, film screening and concerts in the fresh air are arranged here. Be sure to look at Japanese garden, Take a picture at Fountain Mekom, And how you get tired, you can arrange a picnic right in the park by the lake.
After a walk in the district University of Riceon its territory there is a library, a bookstore and student cafes.
Day 3. Space Center NASA
Linden Johnson’s space center nasa – The most important attraction of not only Houston, but all of Texas. The center is a 30 -minute drive from the city. It is best to get to the car (renting for a day on OneTwotrip in Houston costs from 4,200 rubles). The trip will cost $ 30-50 in one direction. It is important to come exactly to the opening – by 10:00.
The cost of the input ticket is $ 30, it is better to buy online on the official website, the price is higher in the box office. This cost includes visiting the Cosmonautics Museum and a tour along the territory of the NASA center on a tram. Tourists have the opportunity to see, for example, the Falcon 9 rocket of the famous SpaceX; Starship Gallery, one of the exhibits of which is the command module of the Apollo-17 ship-it was on it that people flew to the moon for the last time); “Gallery of astronauts”; Exhibition “Mission to Mars.”
The most informative option would be to buy a “level of level 9” for $ 180. For this price, you will receive a two-day access to the Houston space center and an exclusive one-day VIP tour of NASA with dinner. Only 12 people can take part in the tour, but on weekends it is not carried out. You can book tickets online on the site. Please note that the VIP tour is not carried out during the pandemic, follow the information on the official website.
An ordinary tram tour is available, but offers a changed route to a choice – a missile park or a center for creating space models.
Entrance tickets are sold only for a specific time: new rules of visiting are in the center.
Day 4. Dauntown
In the morning, go to explore the city center. Start with Downtown Aquarium. An entertaining and dining complex will delight you with shops, restaurant, bar, exhibitions. A subscription for the whole day costs $ 23. This cost includes attractions, exhibitions and a visit to the aquarium. From Monday to Thursday, the price will be $ 19.99. In the complex it will be fun for all family members, but how you get tired, you will have lunch right there. The menu contains sea dishes: tilapia, shrimp, lobsters and other delicacies. From Monday to Friday from 15:00 to 17:00, the “Happy Watch” menu has been operating.
After the aquarium, go to Theater district. Here you can see the Grand Opera and the City Hall. Complete the day with an rise to the 60th floor of the tower JP Morgan Chase. The lobby of this skyscraper is not officially an observation deck, so the guards can ask where you are going. But the entrance is free. The lobby is open until 17:00.
Day 5. Shoping
For the best purchases, go to The Galleria. On the huge area of the shopping center, shops of both the most famous and local brands are collected. When shopping bothers, just take a walk in this area. Not far from Molla is located Williams Tower And Park waterfalls With a very interesting fountain in the form of a horseshoe.
Day 6. We go to the Mexican Bay
The local ones often spend the weekend on the bay, because it is only an hour of driving. The best place for this is Galveston. You can get here by a rented car, or order a transfer ($ 30) or by taxi ($ 40-50). Amtrak buses also run, the cost is from $ 18 in one direction.
The best beaches in Galveston is RA APFFEL EAST Beach Park, Stewart Beach, Jamaica Beach.
On the Seawall Boulevard you will find many cafes and restaurants. Complete the day on the Pleasure Pier, where the attractions are collected, you can also have dinner at the famous Bubba Gump restaurant, which became famous after the release of Forrest Gump. Here they serve shrimp in various combinations, and the entire institution is stylized for the film. After dinner, go back to Houston.
Day 7. Rest
Spend the last day calmly, walking in Park Buffalo Bayou. Here you can arrange a picnic, and lovers of activity can rent a bicycle or boat. The cost of driving on a bike is from $ 12, the park has special bicycle tours. The boat costs from $ 30.
Complete a week in Houston going to a local restaurant. The best establishments that serve Texas-Mexican cuisine-Taste of Texas, El Tiempo. If you want to try traditional American food, give preference to network institutions – IHOP, Waterburger, Denny’s.
So you spent a great week in Houston. This city is underestimated, but without it Texas would not be so beautiful.
* The price is valid at the time of publication
The main photo: Unsplash.com
