spirobulldog

Boils are usually served with potatoes and corn on the cob. Boiled in the pot with onions, usually garlic, and then slathered in butter. A lot of places do just dump it on the table on butcher paper and everyone at the table eats from it.
The real boils are in Louisianna, but can be found at spots all thru the south.

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc...=Houston%2C+TX

Above is a link to several places in Houston that do "boils"

I think the prime period for this is March and April. They may be frozen the rest of the year, I'm not sure.

spirobulldog

You would probably want to see the bats in Ausin. I can't remember the name of the bridge. Several hundred thousdand or even in the millions fly out nightly from under the bridge.

I would see the Alamo in San Antonio and we even enjoy seeing The Menger(tho I wouldnt stay there). It's a historic hotel with lot of history.

You might try Boudro's on the Riverwalk. They possibly might have crawfish too. I've never understood this place as it can't make up it's mind if it's cajun or tex-mex. Perhpas just what iv'e eaten there. It is popular.

A lot of people do a "progressive dinner" on one of the boats in the riverwalk. I would think August would be brutal to attempt that. I don't really like it anyway.

Rich

If you drive from Houston to San Antonio, see the Painted Churches of Schulenburg as suggested above and time it so that you can have lunch at the Luling City Market ( ~mm 335 ). . best BBQ you will ever flap a lip over!

The RiverWalk in San Antonio is a great place to spend a day or so. Many Hotels and Restruants to choose from:

http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/

You can spend a day or three in the Hill Country from there on the way to Austin if you want to go there. Bandera, Boerne and Fredricksburg are nice places to visit

http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/

Rich

http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2008-06-01/feature8

Rich

The Houston Astros host the SF Giants August 28 - 30 and the Cincinatti Reds on the 31's if you are interested in Baseball. The Inn at the Ballpark is a nice hotel right across the street from the stadium.

http://www.innattheballpark.com/

Austin

Blues in Austin:
Antones. http://www.antones.net/
Continental club http://www.continentalclub.com/Austin.html
the Driskill Hotel has the best Happy hours, with music.
Check out ACL LIve downtown near the W. The best live music. U can check their calendar a couple Months out. Acl-live.com

Bats: congress ave bridge at dusk, nightly in the summer

Hotels:
Hotel San Jose- funky, awesome location -on SoCo, across from Continental Club
SAnjosehotel.com

Really lots of good hotel choices: hilton, hyatt, embassy suites, I think you can get some of the best prices late August, especially that its not a football weekend.

My favorite hotel on the Riverwalk is The Hotel Contessa. Each room is a suite and their prices are great. Sign up on their website for emails and discounts. http://www.thehotelcontessa.com/

HeaAndrews

For hotels in Houston, I would recommend based on area. Anything in the Rice Village/Museum district or the Galleria would give you options for dining with in walking distance or short drives. Do not get sucked in by prices outside the interstate 610 loop. You will end up stuck in traffic driving to any of the museums or restaurants.

For crawfish, I would highly recommend the Rajun Cajun on Richmond Ave. For a nice steak dinner, Pappas steak house in my opinion is the best in Houston. It would be too hot in August to spend too much time outside so I would avoid outdoor patios, but quite a few restaurants close them off in the summer with fans to keep cool. Another fairly unique and well priced lunch or dinner option in Houston is called Cedar Creek on 20th street. Very unique.

Bwino

Thank you again for all the information, tips and links, sounds like some great options for hotels, dining and music. We have lots of research to do.

Cheers.

Bwino

Hi Rich, we will in Houston the weekend of the 18th and 19th August and may like to go to the Astros game on the 19th. Never watched a baseball game in my life but up for it. Looked on line for tickets - http://www.gotickets.com/sports/mlb/...1182054_TT.php would you recommend a good spot? We are happy to buy top end tickets for what may be our first and only baseball game. Last time we were in the US we went to our first hockey game in NYC and loved it.

Rich

Anywhere along the base lines on the lower level wlll be good seats. We had season tickets for a while in the Crawford boxes ( 124 - 104 )and liked that view . .We also like first base side ( 112 - 127 ). . as close to the dugout as possible or same on Third Base side ( 112 - 116 )

We have sat behind the plate (118 - 120) a few times but I did not like that angle as much as the others, although some prefer it

emd3

GReat thread!

Between Austin and San Antonio, stop at GRUENE (pronounced "Green") Texas. Great little town, lots pf character, antique shops, good dining, esp. right on the river. There is a famous Texas Dance hall there called the Gruene Hall "Texas' Oldest Dance Hall". Many people stay overnight in Gruene over the weekend, just to go there on Fri. or Sat. night, It is a Texas classic dance hall, old wood floors, great Swing or Country or Southern Rock music, and dancing, and cold beer. Cant get more Texan than that place, INO, and I lived my 1st 30 yrs in Texas.

Google "Gruene" and you'll see!

Bwino

Thanks Rich, tickets are priced much lower on the Astros website so we will book there.

Thanks emd3, a few people have mentioned Gruene to us so we will take a look for sure.

follow_your_bliss

Bwino, I will write more later but you may want to combine your trip to Gruene with some tubing on the Comal or Guadalupe Rivers. It will cool you off since Grist Mill and Gruene Hall aren't air conditioned.

http://www.riversportstubes.com/

kkukura

I like the cheap seats high up at the Astros games behind the home plate. You get a great view of everything in the ball park from up there. I like sections 418-421.

follow_your_bliss

Bwino, it depends on how far into history you guys want to go, but are you interested in the Alamo and that time period? You may want to look a little into it and decide. There's a lot of history in San Antonio, but some people are disappointed that it was not all preserved as in the past. SA continued to be thriving city and the area around the Alamo has been built up. But there's a church near the courthouse where the bones from Alamo defenders are interred. My husband just read a book on Col. Jack Hays, who was heavily involved in this area around the time of Texas independence, was one of the first Texas Rangers, etc.

Bwino

Thanks FYB, we are interested in History and will do some research. will also check out the tubing, thanks for the link.

Thanks kkukura - we are looking forward to our first Baseball game.

kkukura

You will enjoy TX, especially the area you plan to visit. It is a wonderful state! Keep your questions coming because I am sure we can help you a lot!

Bwino

Thanks kkukura, can you recommend any samllre boutique type hotels or B&B's in Houston close to the ball park, Nasa and shops. We have looked at some of the big hotels and some look nice but just wondering about smaller places that may give us a more local experience.

Cheers

emd3

We really like the boutique hotel Inn at the Ballpark, which is a block down and across the st. from Minute Maid baseball stadium in Houston. It is baseball themed (photos of baseball legends in the lobby and bar, lifesize bronze statue of a baseball player in the lobby, lots of wood and plaids) and is tastefully done.

For weekend of August 17-19 there are big junior suites for $179, deluxe king for $149. I believe you will have a car, so you can drive to other parts of Houston. Downtown area (where the Inn and ballpark are) has a light rail that goes to the museum district also. You might want to check out the Downtown Aquarium area, an entertainment district. Inn at the Ballpark has a special package w/tickets to Downtown Aquarium, and they have other packages (Bed and Breakfast package gets you parkign included, as does the Downtown Aquarium package) you might want to look at on their website. A good restautant, Vic and antony's Steakhouse, is attached to the hotel, and the hotle has a good cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner also.

http://www.innattheballpark.com/index.cfm

We really like staying downtown. It is no longer a ghostown like it was when I lived in Houston many years ago. Downtown is vibrant now. There are lots of restaurants and entertainment options. Take a look at this site below, which breaks downtown in to several districts for shopping, art warehouse district, theater, historic district, parks, etc.

http://www.downtownhouston.org/news/...rhood-nuances/

Here is the light rail map for downtown, to the museum district, and beyond:
http://www.ridemetro.org/SchedulesMaps/RailSched.aspx

Bwino

Thanks emd3, I looked at this hotel from another recommendation as was a little concerned that it may be 'old and dated' from the pictures on the website. Maybe the pictures don't do it justtice? Also they mention ceiling fans in the rooms, do you know if they also have air conditioning? I believe it will be very hot in August

Thanks for the rail link, that could definitely be something we would use. We will likely only start driving when we leave Houston.