Downtown Houston, Texas: Tourist Attractions

Houston, Texas is named after the famous Sam Houston, the primary leader of the Texas Revolution. It is home to a population of 2.1 million, and the Greater Houston area, which includes Sugar Land and Baytown, boasts 4 million people. Houston is the largest city in the State of Texas, and fourth largest in the country.

It is also known for its booming economy, according to Forbes magazine, diverse ethnicity, and tourist attractions. This city also happens to be where I grew up!

The focus of this first post will be on attractions in downtown Houston, Texas.


Tourist attractions 

Houston Zoo   
I have been to the Houston Zoo a couple of times: once on a school trip, where I got to learn about and pet some various animals, and once as a regular visitor. The trip to downtown where the zoo is located is worth it to see all the animals and events the zoo has to offer. The zoo features animals from bears, birds, and primates, to a dinosaur exhibit and an African forest.                                                                                       Some ongoing and upcoming events at the Houston Zoo include:

                                              Camp Zoofari  

• Dora and Diego's 4D Adventure (an IMAX) 
• Astros Night: August 2, 2011            
• Tours 
• Chill Out by TXU Energy                                                                                                                     To find out more, visit www.houstonzoo.org.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Houston Museum of Natural Science                                                                                              The Houston Museum of Natural Science takes you through a tour of all things natural and even back in time. Exhibits include the Planetarium, The Butterfly Center, IMAX theater, Paleontology, Gems and Minerals, Energy Hall, Gem Vault, The Americas, African Wildlife, Chemistry, and more. All permanent exhibits are free after 2 pm.                                                                                                Hours for the Exhibitions are 9-6 Monday and Wednesday-Sunday, and Tuesday 9am-8pm. For more information on hours and tickets, visit their website.       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Houston Museum of Fine Arts 

This is a great museum to visit if you are looking to see a wide array of artistic styles embedded within paintings and sculptures. I distinctly remember coming here on a field trip and it opened my eyes into the world of art. Works of art stem from the early BCs to modern art of this era. Visitors can view thousands of paintings as well as furniture, pottery, and unique sculptures from around the world. The museum is complemented by a library, a movie theater, a cafe, a visitors center, two art schools, a sculpture garden, two house museums, and two gift shops. For more info, check out the official website.