Houston Travel Network

Houston Local Information

Houston is known as the "Bayou City." It was rated the third most livable city in the country in 1996 and 1997 by Places Rated Almanac. The city sprawls across the plains of Texas and offers a broad range of social and cultural experiences to residents and visitors. No matter where you go in the city, you will find dining and entertainment.

Downtown is known as the place to be. You will find restaurants and nightclubs, hotels and entertainment all within a few blocks of one another. The northwest end of downtown Houston is going through a renewal.

Old Market Square is where you will find the city's symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, and large theater companies. Just to the east is the George Brown Convention Center and Enron Field, the city's baseball park. The downtown area is unique because it is connected by an underground system of tunnels that are around six miles long.

Inside these tunnels are restaurants and shopping. To the south, you will find the midtown area where there are townhouses sprinkled amidst shops and office buildings. There are numerous Vietnamese restaurants and stores in this area and many of the street signs are in Vietnamese. If you are looking for delicious Vietnamese dining, try Milam Street. You won't want to miss a view of the downtown skyscrapers, and lunch at Clive's DeVille or Dover's. Later in the evening, the city comes alive.

The Theater District offers bars and performance halls. Around two million visitors per year see the various entertainment options in the downtown area. Bayou Place has restaurants, nightclubs, concert halls, and theaters all in one place. Check out the Angelika Film Center for a quick, artsy movie, or eat at Angelika Cafe.

Then take a short walk to Ruggles Bistro Latino where you can dance, dine, or just listen to Latin and Caribbean music. End the evening with a romantic carriage ride. If you still have time, make sure you check out one or two of the fifty-three parks in downtown Houston.

The Bayou City is hardly a back woods type place. You will find everything from cultural events, to nature preserves, to wild nightlife in this highly varied, exciting city.