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  • Austin

    Austin

    AUSTIN

    Known as the “Live Music Capital of the World” and bustling with a younger crowd thanks to the University of Texas, Austin is a prime spot for concerts, nightlife, and award-winning cuisine.

    Trade elegant urban districts for the more relaxed streets of Texas’ coolest city, Austin, on one of the most classic day trips from Houston.

    In the warmer months, Zilker Park is the perfect place to spend an afternoon, complete with the natural spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, a world-class botanical garden, and Lady Bird Lake, one of the best lakes in Texas where you can canoe, kayak, or just lounge on the shoreline.

    Year-round, the 6th Street entertainment district is the place to spend an evening, with its buzzy atmosphere and array of popular bars and restaurants.

    Unique trips are an Austin specialty. When you plan a trip to a city with this much to do, it can be hard to pick and choose. That’s why we asked around and made a list of the things that visitors love and locals can’t get enough of. From stand-up paddle boarding and music venues for every taste to eclectic restaurants and vintage shopping finds.

    Known for Music. And so Much More.

    Years ago when people talked about Austin they would quickly mention the music. But that’s just the beginning of what they’re saying these days. Austin is also home to a wonderful ballet, world-class museums, one-of-a-kind shopping and beautiful outdoor spaces. With so many things to do in Austin, you can just as easily spend your morning paddling the lake as you can strolling through a celebrated history museum. And it’s okay if you don’t have time to fit it all in, you can just come back and visit us again.

    18500 TX-130 Service Rd. Pflugerville, TX    (512) 212-7792 The 23-acre Typhoon Texas Waterpark offers fun for all ages. The park features a giant wave pool, a 10,000 sq.ft. activity pool with water features, a 1,000 ft long lazy river, and several multi-slide towers featuring speed slides, tube slides and a six-lane mat racer slide. Plus the new gully washer, a dream-play-land for children with seven slides, more than 100 spray areas, a splash pad playground and a massive, 800-gallon water bucket that douses the entire play area.
    18500 TX-130 Service Rd. Pflugerville, TX    (512) 212-7792 The 23-acre Typhoon Texas Waterpark offers fun for all ages. The park features a giant wave pool, a 10,000 sq.ft. activity pool with water features, a 1,000 ft long lazy river, and several multi-slide towers featuring speed slides, tube slides and a six-lane mat racer slide. Plus the new gully washer, a dream-play-land for children with seven slides, more than 100 spray areas, a splash pad playground and a massive, 800-gallon water bucket that douses the entire play area.

  • The Houston Museum of Natural Science

    The Houston Museum of Natural Science

    5555 Hermann Park Drive

    Houston, Texas, 77030, USA

    713-639-4629

    The Houston Museum of Natural Science houses the Burke Baker Planetarium, Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, and over a dozen permanent exhibit areas that examine astronomy, space, science, Native Americans, paleontology, energy, chemistry, gems and minerals, seashells, Texas wildlife, and more. In addition, the museum frequently presents traveling exhibitions on a variety of topics.

    The Museum also maintains two satellite facilities: The George Observatory in Fort Bend County which houses one of the largest telescopes in the country that is available for public viewing; and The Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land which has exhibits on dinosaurs, mineralogy, exotic live insects, and more.

  • National Museum of Funeral History

    National Museum of Funeral History

    415 Barren Springs Drive

    Houston, Texas, 77090, USA

    281-876-3063

    Discover America’s largest collection of authentic historical funeral service items in 19 permanent exhibits. Learn about hearses through history, caskets and coffins, plus the funerals of Presidents, Popes and celebrities and the history of embalming and cremation while you witness the cultural heritage of the funeral service industry and its time-honored tradition of compassion.  

    PERMANENT EXHIBITS

    With 19 permanent exhibits, the museum offers an unrivaled, educational and historical experience, including:

  • The Museum Fine Arts, Houston

    The Museum Fine Arts, Houston

    1001 Bissonnet Street

    Houston, Texas, 77005, USA

    713-639-7300

    Explore all of the exceptional exhibitions, installations, and virtual programming.

    Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Masterpieces provides a rare opportunity to see the distinguished Pearlman Collection outside of its home at Princeton University. Henry Pearlman’s personal approach to collecting sought to capture the momentum of art and thought at the dawn of the modern era. The exhibition juxtaposes Pearlman works with selections from the MFAH collections.

    The art of Pipilotti Rist transforms the Museum’s Cullinan Hall into a cosmic getaway. Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest and Worry Will Vanish brings together two experiential works from the MFAH collection: Pixel Forest, an installation of thousands of hanging LED lights; and Worry Will Vanish, a video projection that takes visitors on a dreamlike journey.

    The Museum has a long-standing commitment to the arts of India. With Woven Wonders: Indian Textiles from the Parpia Collection, we further our representation of the rich cultural heritage of Houston’s South Asian community and explore the history of one of India’s most treasured art forms.

    Visitors will be amazed by William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadows. The expansive work of the celebrated South African artist remains so compelling and urgent because it demonstrates the universal need to address inequity and social justice everywhere throughout the world.

    Our new galleries for Art of the Islamic Worlds present, for the first time, the full extent of the MFAH holdings in Islamic art, enhanced by a significant selection of Persian masterworks on extended loan from the distinguished collection of Hossein Afshar. These permanent galleries for art from historic Islamic lands enable us to enhance our effort to reflect the city whose many communities we serve.

    A special highlight has been introducing Houston—and the world—to the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, dedicated to the first comprehensive display of the Museum’s international collections of modern and contemporary art. This beautiful facility, and the surrounding plazas, gardens, and commissions, match the growth, diversity, and dynamism of our city. The inaugural presentation Connecting Currents comprises thematic installations of art from the 1960s to 2020.

    When you plan your visits, check the ever-changing calendar of events for activities throughout the Museum, including the Glassell School of Art and our two house museums: Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens and Rienzi.

    We offer a number of ways to enjoy the Museum for free. For example, MFAH members receive free general admission every day, and Family-level memberships include the children in the household. Children 12 and younger are always admitted free, and on weekends all children receive free general admission when they show their card from any Texas public library. General admission is free for everyone on Thursdays, courtesy of Shell Oil Company.

  • Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

    Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

    5216 Montrose Blvd.

    Houston, Texas, 77006, USA

    713-284-8250

    Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) is a non-collecting institution dedicated to presenting the best and most exciting international, national, and regional art of our time. Founded in 1948, the Museum prides itself on presenting new art and documenting its role in modern life through exhibitions, lectures, original publications, and a variety of educational programs and events.

    CAMH occupies an iconic stainless steel building in the heart of the Houston Museum District. This highly recognizable building was designed for the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston by the award-winning architect Gunnar Birkerts and opened in 1972. The building’s two floors of gallery space offer six to eight exhibitions each year. Exhibitions presented in The Brown Foundation Gallery feature work by leading internationally-recognized artists working at the vanguard of contemporary art, as well as thematic exhibitions organized around questions central to the nature of art and life today. While in the Nina and Michael Zilkha Gallery, the focus is on work by established artists as well as those who are emerging and early in their careers. In addition, the Museum Gift Shop offers yet another art-centric experience for visitors through an array of curated merchandise—the purchase of which goes to support CAMH programs and operations.

    Each exhibition at CAMH is accompanied by a publication, designed for use by scholars and the general public. While the catalogues provide lasting documentation of the exhibition, they also contribute to original knowledge and scholarship about contemporary art and the international discourse around it.

  • Lilly Pulitzer

    Lilly Pulitzer

    4035 Westheimer Rd,

    Houston, TX 77027

    (713) 850-1745

    Lilly Pulitzer, a vibrant and iconic clothing store, exudes timeless elegance and playful charm. With its signature bold prints and refreshing color palettes, Lilly Pulitzer captures the essence of resort living. From flowing sundresses to tailored shifts, their collection offers versatile pieces perfect for both casual strolls and upscale gatherings. Step into a world where every garment tells a story of leisure and luxury, bringing a touch of Palm Beach sophistication to your wardrobe. Lilly Pulitzer celebrates a life well-lived, where style meets sunshine in a symphony of fashion and fun.

  • San Jacinto Battle Monument and Museum

    San Jacinto Battle Monument and Museum

    1 MONUMENT CIRCLE

    La Porte, Texas, 77571, USA

    281-479-2421

    The San Jacinto Museum of History is housed in the base of the San Jacinto Monument. The Museum is operated by the San Jacinto Museum and Battlefield Association — a non-profit organization — in association with the Texas Historical Commission. 

    More than just a gateway to a great view, the Museum is your gateway to Texas culture! It was established not only to honor those who fought here in 1836, but also to re-visualize the history of Texas and the Spanish Southwest. It was created as a steward of history, and to promote friendship between Texas, Mexico, Spain, France and Latin America.

    Special treasures can be found from Mexican Texas, the Texas revolution, and the Republic of Texas. But the museum also holds art and artifacts from the Spanish conquest, French Texas (a small collection), Spanish colonial life, the Mexican Revolution and the Anglo colonization of Mexican Texas. Texas’s early statehood and the Civil War are also featured.

    From books to bayonets, swords to sketches, there’s something here for everyone. So turn off your television. Reschedule your appointments. Take the day off. You have a date with destiny! What are you waiting for? Visit us today.

  • Hermann Park

    Hermann Park

    6001 Fannin Street

    Houston, TX 77030

    (713) 526-2183

    Hermann Park has a bountiful assortment of entertainment: a golf course, an outdoor theater, a jogging track, a beautiful rose garden, picnic spaces, a butterfly exhibit, and even a museum on 445 acres

    Hermann Park, presented to the City of Houston by George Hermann in 1914, is Houston’s most historically significant public green space. Over the years, the Houston Zoo, Miller Outdoor Theatre, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and Hermann Park Golf Course, one of the first desegregated public golf courses in the United States, all have added to the Park’s importance as a recreational destination.

    Hermann Park, located minutes from downtown Houston, is a cultural and recreational hub surrounded by the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, the Museum District, and various residential neighborhoods. The entrance to the park is at the intersection of Main St. and Montrose Blvd. Upon arriving at Hermann Park the visitor is greeted by a statue of one of Houston’s founders, General Sam Houston. He points in, towards the park, leading the park visitor in the direction of it’s many amenities.

     McGovern Centennial Gardens and the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion:
    Renovated in 2015, the Centennial Garden has completely transformed the original 15-acre Garden Center site into a stunning attraction for Park visitors.The Gardens feature a Family Garden, Centennial Green, 30’ Garden Mount, Celebration Garden, Rose Garden, and the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion. As you explore the Gardens you will come across 490+ new trees of over 50 different species, 760 hedge shrubs, 350 new roses in the Rose Garden, 106,875 other shrubs and perennials of 199 varieties, 115 new camellias and 650 new azaleas in the Woodland Garden and so much more.

    Japanese Garden:
    An island of serenity nestled in a pine grove near the Sam Houston Monument, the garden was designed by world-renowned Japanese landscape architect Ken Nakajima and built to symbolize the friendship between the U.S. and Japan. Recognizing Houston’s thriving Japanese community, the garden is built on 5 acres and combines a traditional Japanese Garden design with a touch of Texas.

    Miller Outdoor Theatre:
    A free, open-air theatre, host to a variety of multi-cultural events, allows visitors to catch a concert or play while picnicking in one of Houston’s most popular parks. Rain or shine, a wide variety of family-friendly performances include Cinco de Mayo, Fourth of July festivities, Shakespeare in the Park, the Houston Ballet, and the Houston Grand Opera performances.

    Houston Zoo:
    Founded in 1922, this recreational destination serves 1.4 million guests annually and is set in a lush 55-acre landscape right in the middle of Hermann Park. The Houston Zoo is home to more than 3,100 exotic animals representing more than 500 species. It is one of the largest collections in the nation and is considered one of the best-maintained zoos in the country.

    Hermann Park Golf Course:
    In 1922, the lush and scenic 18-hole Hermann Park Golf Course was built, starting a rich tradition of golfing excellence that has prospered for more than 70 years. The golf course was the first public golf course in America to welcome all races. Play golf under the majestic emerald canopy of stately oak trees and its manicured, plush Bermuda greens. Unwind on the airy veranda of the historic clubhouse, and satisfy your appetite with delicious food, combined with impeccable service.

    McGovern Lake:
    This 8-acre masterpiece is newly restored and expanded, creating two new islands for migratory birds, and a third island that the miniature train travels. Pedal boats are available to rent at the boathouse and catch-and-release fishing available for children under 12 and senior citizens over 65 at Bob’s Fishing Pier.

    Activities:
    * Fishing
    * Boating (pedal boat rentals available)
    * Miniature Train
    * Golf
    * Japanese Garden
    * Hike and Bike trails
    * Miller Outdoor Theatre
    * Houston Zoo

  • Luggage & Leather

    Luggage & Leather

    5111 Richmond Ave

    Houston, TX 77056

    (713) 522-9290

    When visiting Houston, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Luggage & Leather, a renowned store for luggage and leather goods. Find the perfect travel companion, whether it’s a durable suitcase, stylish business case, or elegant leather accessory. Benefit from the expertise of their friendly sales staff and experience unparalleled convenience while shopping. Discover why Luggage & Leather is the preferred destination for travelers seeking quality and value in Houston, Texas.

  • Texas Currency Exchange – Galleria

    Texas Currency Exchange – Galleria

    5061 Westheimer Rd

    Houston, TX 77056

    (813) 280-9999

    Texas Currency Exchange is a reliable and convenient service for exchanging currencies. With competitive rates and a wide range of available currencies, it caters to international travelers and locals alike. Whether you need to convert dollars to euros, yen, or other currencies, the friendly staff ensures a seamless transaction process, making it an ideal destination for all your currency exchange needs.