Houston in March,any ideas?
 

We are visiting family during spring break, but will have some free days. Are there good destinations that we shouldn't miss with our kids, 10 and 15? Also, what is the average temp. that time of year and how about footwear? Thanks, J.

If your kids are sci-fi intellectuals, make sure to go to NASA spacecenter south of Houston. Once there, head to Galveston and walk in some sand.

If you like theatre, I see The King and I is playing mid-month. Also notice there is a 1/2 price link.
http://www.houstontheaterdistrict.org/

I also see Houston Astros schedule:
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp...m=3&y=2005

About footwear...what do you need to know?

When is your spring break trip?

You will be in Houston during one of my favorite times of year. The Azaela Trail is not to be missed. It is down in the River Oaks area and the highlight is the Bayou Bend house and gardens. They are beautiful formal gardens with azaelas, roses, and tulips, etc. There are also other houses on the trail that you can visit. The entire River Oaks area is beautiful. Try to google "Azaela Trail Houston" because I am at a loss for the website. Alot of people also like to visit Hermann Park which is in the same area.

Ok, I found it- riveroaksgardenclub.com It has the details for the trail. Have fun!

Will you be there during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo? That is always a favorite. Moody Gardens in Galveston is a nice change & the IMAX there is usually fun.

Our kids enjoyed the Johnson Space Center, especially the freeze dried icecream they sell in the gift shop. Trying to land a space shuttle (simulator) is a lot harder than you think. Maybe kids that play video games are better than adults.

If the weather isn't too cold & your kids like water you could check out Lake Conroe (N of Houston) & then the town of Montgomery. Old Town Spring has a neat place to eat, Wunsche's. It's an old saloon & the burgers are good.

We always like to eat at the Potato Patch on FM 1960. The severs toss rolls & muffins to you while you're at the table. A very relaxed & fun place to eat. Kids enjoy catching the food the most.

Dress casual unless you plan to go to some upscale places. Tennis shoes or other casual comfortable shoes would be my choice. It can get chilly at times so I would bring clothes that you can layer. Ask your family for some idea of the temperature lately & normal for March.

If you do go to Galveston (the beach), you should also check out Moody Gardens:
http://www.moodygardens.com/

The average high temp in Houston in March is mid-70's and average high temp is mid-50's. That said, the weather is very variable, so you should check the weather forecast the week before your trip. For example, yesterday 2 days ago the high was 48 degrees, and today the high was 78 degrees!

Space Center Houston is a must-see, like wsoxrebel said. I also think seeing an Astros game would be great for kids that age if they're interested. We have a great stadium. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is really interesting, even for a 15-year old. It has an IMAX and a butterly environment. If you have girls, they might enjoy a visit to the Galleria shopping mall for some great shopping; also, there's an ice skating rink in the middle.

On a pretty day, make sure you go to Memorial Park to have lunch at Beck's Prime. It's a burger place, but right in the middle of the golf course. The azaleas will be blooming, and there's outdoor seating. Good, cheap food. And you can even try out the putting green if you're interested.

I don't know what you're asking about footwear, but most people in Houston dress very casually, so anything goes. Most restaurants (except for a handful of very fancy places) are fine with diners wearing jeans or shorts, so as long as you've got something on your feet, you'll fit right in!

Enjoy your trip.
Susan

Oops. Make that "the average low temp is mid-50's."

Oh, and the website for the science museum is www.hmns.org.

Susan

I have one more suggestion, and then I'll let someone else get a word in. I just noticed that Astroworld (Six Flags Over Texas) will be open each weekend in March, as well as every day during the week of the 20th.

Susan

Thank you everyone. Our trip will be March 19th for around 8 days. We're coming from Alaska, so Houston will feel pretty good to us. I wondered about shoes for walking, I realize now that sandals would be silly, and thanks.
My kids are boys, computer savvy, and I know they'd love the Space Center. My sister keeps going on about Pappacitos. Is there a good place to take them as a thank-you before we leave? It would just be four adults, and I like innovative drinks and just about anything for food. They live in Katy btw.
The science museum is a great idea. My kids are interested in all things, and it's a good place that my two nieces can tag along. Thanks again, and if anyone has further ideas, I'd appreciate it. I'm sort of dreading the four hour flight from Seattle, but I'll just pretend it's a shorter trip to Hawaii,lol.

Are you staying in Katy w/your sister? If so, youo need to watch the timing of when you go into town, and your route (I10 will age you fast). I lived in Houston, and my sister lived in Katy for years. Last year she took me to this really great Italian restaurant, not right in Katy but about 10 min. south of West Oaks Mall. It was sort of out of the way (not on Hwy 6, it was tucked away in some brand new neighborhoods) but it was comfortable, wonderful atmosphere, and reasonable prices. I can ask her for the name if you are interested.
I didn't see the mention of the science museum, but if you go, there is a butterfly house (Cockerell or something like that) at the science center where incredible butterflies will be flying all over and land on you- it is very cool and worth the extra cost.

You will like Pappasito's. The food is fresh & the place is lively. My favorite is shrimp en brochette & also fajitas loco. The fajitas loco is plenty to share. I'm sure the kids would enjoy it. We always took out of town visitors there. It is a nice place to go for any reason but you don't feel formal.

March is a great time to visit Houston. Comfortable temperatures, low humidity.

The rodeo's final weekend is at the start of your visit. RodeoHouston is our Mardi Gras. Similar to Calgary Stampede, just on a larger scale. Definitely worth at least one visit.

If the kids like amusement parks, SixFlags Astroworld opens for Spring Break on March 18.

Astros don't return home from Spring Training until April. If the kids are baseball fans, Houston has two excellent college baseball teams in UH and Rice. I think there are a couple of Houston Rockets games that week.

If you like folk art, you ought to go to the Orange Show. Granted, its a little weird, but its worth at least one visit.

Houstonites - did the Medical Museum ever reopen? I was so impressed by it a few years ago.

I live near the Johnson Space Center and Spacecenter Houston. Check the website for discount coupons. If you are planning on spending the day out here you might consider the Kemah Boardwalk. It's along the water; mostly restaurants, but there's also a few amusement rides your boys might like to try.

Also if you'd like area restaurants there's:
Tookies (burgers) a local insitution
Frenchie's Italian (the walls are lined with autograph pictures of astronauts)
Angelo's for pizza (italian restaurant, but haven't been able get past the pizza to know if anything else is good, we love the margherita pizza)
Tokyo Bowl (japanese)

Right across the street from JSC is a Fuddruckers and just west of JSC is a McDonalds with a huge astronaut hanging off the building (just drive by)

Ask you sister about kolache's. Sweet bread stuffed with sausage, bacon, cheese, jalapeno's, fruit, cream cheese, etc. I've only lived in Houston for 2 1/2 yrs now and we love them. Family insist on them when they visit.

wsoxrebel, it's Houstonians ((Y)), not Houstonites ((N)). Sounds like something to fight Superman.:))

If you're talking about the McGovern Musem of Health and Medical Sciences, it's always been open. Just checked the website, and it is very much alieve. You are right, it is a cool museum. It is fairly close to the Museum of Natural Sciences (which, by the way, has a great butterfly house).

Pappasito's has great Mexican food (especially their fajitas). My sons (ages 13 and 16) love Chuy's Mexican Restaurant. If you want some barbeque Goode Company is good, as is Pappas Barbeque (same owner as Pappasito's).

Another thing you might want to do since you'll be staying west of town in Katy is to visit the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham. (Tours are only available on weekdays, but there's free ice cream at the end!) Here's their website: http://www.bluebell.com/about_visiting.htm

wsoxrebel has another good idea -- The Museum of Health and Medical Science is also really interesting. Here's their website: http://www.mhms.org/

By the way, it hit 80 degrees today and I noticed a few people wearing sandals! (In January!) So, if you feel like it, go for it!

Susan

LDLee, tee hee, you're right!

jetset1, I keep talking up an attraction I've never seen, but if I were in Katy, I would go see the not-much-publicized Forbidden Gardens replica of Imperial China.

The restaurant I referred to is Nick's. It is in an old renovated house. Very good and reasonable.

US Air just started nonstops from DC to IAH so I am thinking of heading down for a Feb weekend for $198 RT to see family and I will ask my sister to take me back to Nick's.

Btw- it is GREAT to see so many positive, helpful posts on Houston!! Those of you who have been around here know what I mean.

Another vote for Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham.

My daughter loved Forbidden Gardens, but she's a history student.

Benj; My wife had only 20 minutes to visit the Smithsonian so she went to the gift shop and bought freeze dried ice cream for the kids. What a hit.

now that's an interesting thought, the Smithsonian in Houston. The Bush family would like that.

Have to add my two cents--

A hearty second for the Kemah Boardwalk. Go around sunset and sit outside on the water. It's beautiful.

For the thank you dinner, you didn't mention price, but two suggestions for you are Ousie's near the Galleria, and Hugo's on Montrose. Both are further in toward Houston, but worth the trip from Katy.

One last comment--and I see I am in the minority here--but we heard all about Pappasitos before we moved here last summer, and it really didn't live up to the hype for us. Hopefully that will help lower your expectations a tad and you'll like it that much more when you try it. :-)

Enjoy your trip!

sls15~ what about Pappados? My sister is a food critic now, and has been raving about a variety of places.. oh yes, she knew all about the Blue Bell dairy- they had a tour. with my sweet tooth, I better double up on the workouts between now and March.
As to a dinner budget, really none. We'll probably go to a place she has critiqued and approved, lol.. but I'll pass on what my secret sources recommended. Thanks again for all the great ideas. I was putting this trip off for a very long time, if you have naturally curly hair, you'd understand, but I think March will be perfect. J.

Also good discount coupons to the Space Center at Randalls grocery stores!

Houston is home to two very large regional/national restaurant chains - Pappas and Landry's.

The Kemah Broadwalk is basically a Landry's creation. Landry's Seafood, Aquarium, Joe's Crabshack, Saltgrass, etc... Total of like 9 Landry's restaurants there.

Pappas' three main brands are the Pappas Seafood, Pappadeaux Cajun, and Pappasito's Mexican, but there are also steak houses and BBQ.

Chances are, if you go eat out in Houston, you'll be eating in either a Landry's or a Pappas restaurant.

Please tell me the comment about your sister being a food critic is meant to be tongue in cheek. If not, I need to cancel my subscription to whichever publication(s) she writes for.

Pappasitos is good at what it does -- way too much reasonably prepared food at too high a price (although it seems like a bargain when you look at all the food) in a boisterous environment. Pappadeaux's same thing. There are so many unique restaurants in Houston, even out near the chain food purgatory of Katy, you should never have to eat at Pappasito's.

At least Pappas' family restuarants provide good food. Friends don't let friends eat at a a Landry's chain restaurant.

When most people think of dining in Houston, they think of mexican food, seafood and barbecue. What many don't realize is the large number of excellent Asian restaurants we have here. Everything from Vietnamese, Thai, Indian and Korean, you can find it, especially near Bellaire and the West Belt or near Downtown.

There's a restaurant on Cimarron & Mason, in Katy, behind Ninfa's shopping center, Bistro 829, that is such a nice place & really has very good food. We've been a few times and have never been disappointed. Their blueberry salad is mighty fine! I've always found the Pappas restaurants to be just ok. If I had to choose though, I would go for Pappadeaux. Enjoy your stay!

LDLee~ no, she has a sophisticated palate. Some of her raves were awhile back, before her current job began, and now, well, she knows all the places fairly well. I might add, to her credit, that she went to a cooking school, and can create fantastic meals as well, so I do enjoy her expertise.(80 people took the year long course, only 14 graduated).
cb and other posters, thank you. Very helpful and insightful, J.

Houston has some fabulous restaurants. As evidenced by our waistlines. LOL. Hugo's, by the way, is on Westheimer in the Montrose area, not on Montrose. Another good choice near Hugo's (also on Westheimer) is Mark's. Excellent. Two less expensive but still solid dining choices are Tila's on Shepherd Drive just south of West Dallas and Backstreet Cafe which is just across the street. Tila's serves Mexican cuisine (not Tex-Mex) and very good margarita's.

Also,if you do visit Galveston, take time to walk along the Strand and perhaps look into a tour of some of the older Victorian homes.

J, I apologize. (I can't figure out which one is the embarrased smiley)

With her background, I know your sister has found, and will continue to find, all the great restaurants here.

Mainly, I was just trying to say Pappasitos, and the other Pappas restaurants, are good not great.

Again, please accept my apologies to you and your sister.

I miss the restaurants in Houston! So many delicious options.

I like El Tiempo Cantina near Greenway Plaza for Mexican. Their tamales are fantastic. Other favorites are Ouisie's Table on San Felipe, tapas at Mi Luna in the Rice Village, Backstreet Cafe and Michelangelo's. And the most authentic Thai food I have found outside of NY - Thai Spice, also in the Rice Village. Yum!

emmajay, Michaelangelo's on Montrose Blvd? It has been around so long! I can't beleive it is still there. I went there on my very first date and ate on the outside porch. That was back in the days of Zorba's, the wonderful crazy greek seafood place in north Montrose.

LDLee.. well, let's not let my sister off the hook so fast. After all, I do recall that she prepared some horrid Hamburger Helper thing after she'd been to cooking school. My mom and I tried our best to choke it down, and later my mom confided "For that we sent her to that expensive school?".. and simnple things like green bean casserole, well, she forgets to put the onions on tip for the crunch, so there! Big sister still rules..

emd - it is on Westheimer near Montrose, but maybe they have moved. The location on Westheimer has a gigantic tree growing in the middle of the restaurant - is that the same one you went to? If they did move, they do have the same owners. I only lived in Houston from 1999 - 2002, but I enjoyed a LOT of restaurants during that time.

Now I'm in Denver, which has a surprising lack of decent Mexican food considering the size of the Mexican population here. And forget about barbeque or Cajun. Good thing my in-laws are still in Houston so we have an excuse to go down there!

J, fair enough. And how can you forget the onion crisps on green bean casserole. Alors.

I thought of one other adventure. If anyone in your group has an interest in Texas history, you could go out to the San Jacinto Monument (http://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/) and Battleship Texas (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/battlesh/)

And yes, Michaelangelo's is still open.