A few days in Houston,TX.
 

I'll be visiting Houston later this year(September?),can anyone give me any advice on where I should stay ,that will be convenient for sightseeing,shopping,restaurants,etc.

The best place to stay would be the Galleria area - where there are tons of hotel/motel choices.

If you are interested in the museums and Herman Park as well as RICE University area, would reccommend The Warwick Hotel. Quiet and elegant. The have free shuttle service to Downtown as well as 3 mile area from hotel. Not that difficult to get to the Galleria for shopping either.

I live in Houston, so I haven't stayed in too many hotels. But I agree that the Galleria area is your best bet for convenience. One word of warning - traffic is really congested in that area, so be ready for it. <BR> <BR>If you are trying to save on hotel expense to allow more $$ for shopping and dining, I recommend staying at the La Quinta on the West Loop at San Felipe. I stayed there recently and was really impressed with the value and location. If, however, you want slighty more luxurious accomodations, try the JW Marriott on Westheimer or the Westin Galleria. The Westin is actually in the Galleria - couldn't be more convenient. <BR> <BR>Final tip - go to: www.houston.sidewalk.com You'll find all sorts of good info there. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip to this wonderful city! <BR> <BR>

September is a great time to visit Houston. Depending on the weekend, there should be a festival in or near downtown. <BR> <BR>As for where to stay, the answer depends on your interests and your budget. Shopping, the Galleria area. Museums and cultural, Med Center area or Montrose. Dining, basseball and nightlife, downtown. Houston being a city that is pretty spread out, you will need a car to get around. Leigh is right, check out www.houston.sidewalk.com for more guidance. Let us know if there is anything else we can do to help.

You will definitely need a car as no place is close to each other. The Galleria is in a good shopping and restaurant area. Downtown is good if you are going to a convention. The number one place for sightseeing to me is NASA (30 minutes south off I-45 on NASA Road 1) and then to Galveston (another 45 minutes) for the Strand, Bishop's Palace, etc. You can take ferry rides, see the Battleship Texas & San Jacinto Monument, and go to the Alley Theater. A restaurant I like in the NASA area is called Pier 8 (most people to whom I have recommended it liked it but one hated it). It is all you can eat for $9.99 ($12.99 on weekends). You pick the seafood, noodles, vegetables, sauce and--while they are stirfrying--try the seafood gumbo, green salad, steamed shrimp, oysters on half shell, steamed crab, etc.

Your life is not complete until you've eaten Tex-Mex at Papasitos!!!

Okay, I can't let this one go by without saying something! Come on Former Rice student, of all the amazing tex-mex restaurants in this wonderful city you choose an overrated chain to endorse. Papasitos should be the last place to visit if your from out of town. My recommendation for Galleria or Downtown: <BR>Tex-mex try the original Ninfa's on Navigation Dr., <BR>Good steak try Sullivan's (close to Galleria), or <BR>Fox Diner, on Shepherd <BR>Nielsons Deli (close to Galleria) for amazing potato/chicken/egg salad. <BR>I agree with the Galleria & Downtown to be a good area to stay. Depends on how pricey you want to get though. I've had really good luck with the Omni Hotel, near Galleria. The Westin, in the Galleria, is also a good choice for location & service. <BR>Downtown is also offering a lot more. More restaurants and clubs. A little sightseeing, but not much shopping. For those you will have to rent a car and drive everywhere. Nasa, Kema boardwalk,& Galveston all good choices for seafood and sightseeing. Definitely check out http://houston.citysearch.com for things happening around town. <BR>Enjoy!!

Some good advice here, except about staying in the Galleria area! Unless you want to shop in a generic mall all day, there's little on that side of town but traffic. I think the Warwick is an excellent suggestion - walk to museums, minutes from Montrose and downtown. Close to cool eats - Aries, La Mora, Mark's, Goode Co. You can shop nearby at Rice Village - train shop, bead shop, Houston Pottery Guild, and don't miss the Hall of Flame shop at Goode Co. Barbecue on Kirby nearby.

Sorry, but just had to say to "Give me a Break" that yes, as a native Texan as well, Pappasitos is a great Tex Mex place and I also would recommend it, especially to an out of towner! Bottom line: wonderful, melt in your mouth Tex Mex. And if I'm not mistaken, while it is a chain, it's only a chain in Texas born in Houston!