My dear husband just told me there is conference he would like to go to in Houston in January. Would I like to go along? Please tell me more about this city and what I could do there for 3 days while he is "conferencing." I imagine his evenings will be free or we will attend conference social events together in the evenings. Thanks in advance for any and all info.

Don't know where you're from but Jan. is for us that live in Houston kinda bleek. What do you like to do? I have to say hubby can go to the "gentleman clubs" all over the city. You can go shopping, and we even have museums.I must say we have alot here but the city isn't that pretty!

You know how they say everything is bigger in Texas? Well, that certainly is true of the cockroaches!

Houston has its share of good restaurants as it should, being the 4th largest city in then US.
Its shopping is quite mediocre for its size. Much poorer than NYC/LA/Chicago, but enough to fill a weekend, to be sure.
Houston is short on charm and character.
It's a pretty bland feeling town and a pretty bland looking town. It's a place to work, but not a vacation destination.
(Have you ever heard anyone say, "Hey, we're going to Houston on vacation next week"?)

Houston is large and very spread out so you will definitely need a car while your husband is conferencing. There are antiques shops, boutiques, the Galleria which is famous for shopping. You might like to attend a day spa to relax. Some-times Conferences have activities for spouses, you might check. Also try the Texas forum for more advice on Houston!

While Houston might not be up to Chicago or NYC standards it isn't as bad as some of the previous posts have made it sound. You can do some fun shopping in Houston and it has some great museums, the Museum of Natural History is quite good and the Museum of Fine Arts is OK as well. Also, Houston has the ballet, the opera, the symphony and broadway stage so you could definitely spend time doing that if you like. Don't write Houston off before you experience it, you might like it.

Most unique sight in Houston (near) is NASA, but I'm not sure it's worth a special trip unless you're particularly interested in that. Food can be very good -- although I now live in NY, which generally has fabulous food, I love visiting my family in Houston and loading up on excellent BBQ, Tex-Mex, and Cajun (which the northeast sorely lacks)!

I'd go to Galveston , NASA for sure. Drive up to Old Town Spring for some old timey shopping. The Galleria is good for shopping as well as Katy Mills. Even Memorial City where Niemann Marcus has their sale floor. can I go with your husband??!

Re: Houston as 4th largest city???

As a point of order, Houston is NOT the 4th largest "city". It is only the 4th largest municipality, or muni government.

The Washington-Baltimore metro area is the 4th largest metro. San Francisco is the 5th, and the Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas and Detroit Metro areas are larger than Houston's.

Houston is, perhaps, the 10th largest metro area in the USA.

Houston does contain the 4th largest municipal government, but comparing American municipalities by size is meaningless, like comparing a gallon to a mile.

Sometimes, Houston people like to exxagerate the importance of their metro area by using a confusing or misleading statistic.

No, other x. No one is exagerating the importance of Houston by saying it is the fourth largest "city" - that's what the census says. Indeed, it is by no means the 4th largest "metro" area.

Kerry,

Your statement would be more meaningful if you said that Houston was the 4th largest "municipality", or "municipal government" in America.

But then, most people would say "so what?"

So Houston just annexed more of its suburbs than Denver or Seattle did.

The number of restaurants or the amount of shopping in Metro Houston has nothing to do with the size of the Houston municipality, only with the size of the metro area.

The only reason to use the word "city" in that boast is to deceive the people who think it means "metro area".

Yes, the census said it was the 4th largest "municipality". Exactly what did you mean to imply by that?

Actually, x2, if you look at Kerry's post, my guess is that she didn't mean to "boast" about anything, and certainly did not deceive. Her assessment of Houston, 4th largest city and all, as a work place but not a vacation spot, is one of the more honest you'll see on this board.

When in Houston, stay at THE HOUSONIAN! It is a fab. hotel/spa complete with everything your heart could ever want. It is connected to a health club if you feel like working out and the spa features heavenly facials and assorted treatments. It is just a few miles from The Galleria. You will enjoy yourself

X, Kerry was in fact pretty forthright about what Houston does and does not have. I appreciate Kerry's candor.

We are, however, using the word "city" to mean: an urban area, with a lot of restaurants and shops, many activities and places to go, all in a reasonable commuting distance.

That is the meaning implied by the original poster. She is not really talking about exploring the departments and bureaus of a municipal government, but exploring an urban area with shops and restaurants.

Greater Houston contains many municipalities, and their relative sizes are not the issue. The entertainment value of greater Houston is the issue.

Using the word "city" when you mean "municipality" is completely out of context, and is highly misleading. Because it is completely out of context.

Perhaps many people in Houston are somewhat confused. That is why they don't understand why Houston does not have the 4th largest concentration of restaurants, concert halls and shops in the USA.

Why do they like to claim that their metro is the 4th largest "city" in America? Their all raised with that mantra, they hear it from each other every day.

In reality, Houston as the 10th largest USA metro has plenty to see and do. But sometimes its people feel a little insecure and like to exaggerate a bit.

Don't forget, everything IS bigger and better in TEXAS.

X, Kerry was in fact pretty forthright about what Houston does and does not have. I appreciate Kerry's candor.

We are, however, using the word "city" to mean: an urban area, with a lot of restaurants and shops, many activities and places to go, all in a reasonable commuting distance.

That is the meaning implied by the original poster. She is not really talking about exploring the departments and bureaus of a municipal government, but exploring an urban area with shops and restaurants.

Greater Houston contains many municipalities, and their relative sizes are not the issue. The entertainment value of greater Houston is the issue.

Using the word "city" when you mean "municipality" is completely out of context, and is highly misleading. Because it is completely out of context.

Perhaps many people in Houston are somewhat confused. That is why they don't understand why Houston does not have the 4th largest concentration of restaurants, concert halls and shops in the USA.

Why do they like to claim that their metro is the 4th largest "city" in America? Their all raised with that mantra, they hear it from each other every day.

In reality, Houston as the 10th largest USA metro has plenty to see and do. But sometimes its people feel a little insecure and like to exaggerate a bit.