You're staying 8 days in Houston? Why?

I, personally, would want to spend some time in Galveston as well as Houston.

It's a little hard to tell from your posting what you intend to do. Exactly how many days do you want to spend in Houston and how many days do you want to spend in another location?

If you have 8 days for this trip, based on your stated interests, I would spend 3 - 4 days in Houston, including a day trip to Galveston (Moody Gardens, perhaps). For other Texas locations you might enjoy, look at San Antonio, Austin and/or the Hill Country (e.g. Fredericksburg). San Antonio and Austin are each around 3 hours from Houston and F'burg is another hour from each of those cities.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend a hotel in Houston as we always stay with family there.

Yes, 2 or 3 days each in Galveston and in Houston- not 8 days in Houston. I just mentioned the venues we want to see in Houston and neighborhood/hotel information detail I'd like. I don't know where the idea of spending 8 whole days in Houston came from, but I'm sorry if that was not clear.

I would love to hear any suggestions from Houston visitors or from Houston natives themselves too, about area or lodging choices in that city, especially.

Yes we will go to Galveston and stay there a day or two, as well- Moody Gardens too- for sure. Don't think we will drive to San Antonio this time, but will stay within about 2 or 2-1/2 hours of Houston.

As I posted- what area of Houston for a 2 or 3 day stay is the best for walking and yet decent for parking ease and/or access to the venues within Houston that I listed as wanting to visit.

Any favorite Galveston lodging choice or restaurant favorite too- I'd like to hear all about them.

If you stay at the Marriott Medical Center you can easily then take the Metro Train and hit the museum area (art, natural science,and Holocost)and zoo. If you take it all way to downtown you will have restaurants galore, theaters, Jones Hall for symphony, Wortham for opera, Houston Ballet,Heritage Park for old historic homes, the downtown tunnel system for all sorts of treats and eateries. Then there is Minute Maid Park for baseball and Reliant Stadium for football, Dynamo Stadium for soccer and Toyota Center for the lastest rock concert. I just mention the Marriot because I have stayed there and liked it, but I am sure there are other hotels along the train line that may be as nice. Also, Houston is a great restaurant city, but you will need your car to check them out. On your way to GalvestonIf you are an outlet shopper take exit 17on I-45 to visit the newly opened Tanger Outlet Mall. There is so umch to see and do when you get here. Have a great time.

JJ5-I just wanted to add that starting Feb 24 through 03/16 is the Houston Rodeo and a big event here. Hotel room vacancies will be tight at the time. If you are here at the time, you can also take the Metrotrain to get there if you book room near the train line.

I lived in Houston for 30 yrs and go back to visit family a few times a yr. It can be very cold in Feb. Please do not assume that just because it is in the south that it will be nice weather to go outside and walk. It will likely be colder and blusty w/wind in Galveston in Feb. I was in Galveston at end of october and was wearing a coat at night. It was cold and pretty windy.

If you have a car, it won't matter much where you stay in Galveston. We stayed at La Quinta Inn and Suites Seawall West. Very nice hotel, it was about $150 w/AAA rate (but I assume less in Feb., the weekend we were there there was an airshow nearby and it was full), a small balcony to watch sunset, not right on the seawall as there was a good Mexican place that was really hopping right in front of it (great drinks), and then the seawall road and then the seawall.

We went to the Grande to see Sutton Foster, great historic venue for intimate music programs. And that is close to the Strand so we could walk around after and had a drink at an nice Italian restaurant w/a bar on the Strand.

I think for Houston since it is such a huge city, you figure out where you will spend most of your time and stay close to that area. And just use your car to get to the things further out.

Thanks anness and emd3- that's helpful. We will not mind if it is rather cold or need coats. We are not warm weather people anyway. We will miss the Rodeo by a couple of weeks, but will run into some Mardi Gras prep in Galveston.

All of your posts were helpful. That LaQuinta is definitely on the list for the one night in Galveston. The top, in fact.

We may end up staying outside of Houston now and just driving to the venues we want to see, but I will take the Metro at least once.

THanks.

And we will look for the shopping as noted too.

Galveston got shorted for just one full day and an overnight because we are going to San Antonio for 3 days at the end of the trip now. We do serendipity vacations without making reservations rarely, but this may be one of those exceptions.