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| Getting to Know the Bayou City |
— Soccer
The Houston Dynamo, a member of the American AEG and Major League Soccer, was formed when the AEG-operated San Jose Earthquakes MLS franchise relocated to Houston and played their first game in 2006.
RECREATIONAL FUN
Houston offers more than 100 miles of trails within its 18,000 acres of green space for hiking and running. Memorial Park is home to one of Houston’s most popular trails, the Seymour Lieberman Exer-Trail, which includes a 2.9-mile jogging trail and six miles of mountain and recreational bike trails. Also within Memorial Park are the Memorial Park Golf Course, rated among the top municipal golf courses in the nation, and the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center.
Houston residents are less than 50 miles away from Galveston Bay and there are several freshwater lakes throughout the area for water sports and fishing. Clear Lake is recognized by the state as the “Boating Capital of Texas” with more than 7,000 slips and 19 marinas offering access to Clear Lake and the Gulf of Mexico. Hunting is also popular along the gulf coast in addition to the deer, quail, turkey and rabbit that hunters seek further inland. As for golfing, there are plenty of courses throughout the region, including seven municipal 18-hole golf courses and more than 126 private and public golf courses.
As part of the Parks and Recreation Department, Houston has 366 developed parks and more than 200 open spaces that are maintained.
MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS/HISTORIC SITES TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEW CITY
Learn about early Texas history with a visit to the San Jacinto Museum of History in La Porte, Texas, within an hour’s drive from downtown. The museum’s collection spans more than four centuries of early Texas history, from the beginnings of European activity in the New World through Texas’ inclusion as a state in the United States. Head south to Space Center Houston to experience space from its dramatic history and exciting present to its compelling future. Space Center Houston is the only place where visitors can experience the space environment, touch a real moon rock, land a shuttle and take a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA. The exhibits, attractions, special presentations and hands-on activities tell the story of NASA’s manned space flight program.
An exciting live animal adventure set in a 55-acre tropical landscape, the Houston Zoo adds adventure and animal magnetism to the Museum District. A popular feature, the Wildlife Carousel, has 64 hand-carved animals representing endangered species. Make sure to experience the adventure of The African Forest, a 6.5-acre wooded area full of chimpanzees, rhinos and giraffes. One of nature’s more unusual spectacles is visible from the Waugh Bridge Bat Observation Deck at Buffalo Bayou/Eleanor Tinsley Park. Every night at dusk, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats take off from their home beneath the bridge to hunt for mosquitoes. Many residents come out at the corner of Waugh Drive and Allen Parkway to watch this daily occurrence.
DINING/CUISINE
Like its people, the Houston food scene is diverse and plentiful. Professionals who relocate far and wide are pleasantly surprised to find that the authentic dishes they loved back home can be found right here in Houston. If fact, Houston continues to gain national recognition as a food destination akin to New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Of course, barbeque fare is not to be overlooked as a staple of Houston comfort food and as an art form for novices and professionals alike. Houston’s proximity to the gulf coast also has an influence on meals that are commonly consumed. Seasonal crawfish boils and fish fries are Cajun traditions that have crossed the Louisiana border to Houston and are now part of the Bayou City’s dining fabric.
ARTS
Support of the arts is important to residents of the region. Since the city’s early days, philanthropy has been part of the culture, and that spirit is maintained today. Private as well as public support of the arts in the Houston community continues to solidify the city’s position as an international arts center. All of this is enhanced by the tremendous support from Houstonians and visitors to the many city and regional venues. The campuses of Rice University, the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, each have their own galleries: Rice University Art Gallery, the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Gallery at the University of Houston and the Texas Southern University Museum feature local and touring shows.
— Museums
The heart of the art scene in Houston is its Museum District, which houses 17 museums and a 50-acre zoological park. They’re all within walking distance of one another and accessible by METRORail, forming one of the largest cultural districts in the country, with more than 500,000 square feet of exhibition space. It’s also one of the most vital art districts in the nation, drawing 9 million visitors annually. Here are the gems in the region’s collection to explore and discover.
The Houston Dynamo, a member of the American AEG and Major League Soccer, was formed when the AEG-operated San Jose Earthquakes MLS franchise relocated to Houston and played their first game in 2006.
RECREATIONAL FUN
Houston offers more than 100 miles of trails within its 18,000 acres of green space for hiking and running. Memorial Park is home to one of Houston’s most popular trails, the Seymour Lieberman Exer-Trail, which includes a 2.9-mile jogging trail and six miles of mountain and recreational bike trails. Also within Memorial Park are the Memorial Park Golf Course, rated among the top municipal golf courses in the nation, and the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center.
Houston residents are less than 50 miles away from Galveston Bay and there are several freshwater lakes throughout the area for water sports and fishing. Clear Lake is recognized by the state as the “Boating Capital of Texas” with more than 7,000 slips and 19 marinas offering access to Clear Lake and the Gulf of Mexico. Hunting is also popular along the gulf coast in addition to the deer, quail, turkey and rabbit that hunters seek further inland. As for golfing, there are plenty of courses throughout the region, including seven municipal 18-hole golf courses and more than 126 private and public golf courses.
As part of the Parks and Recreation Department, Houston has 366 developed parks and more than 200 open spaces that are maintained.
MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS/HISTORIC SITES TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEW CITY
Learn about early Texas history with a visit to the San Jacinto Museum of History in La Porte, Texas, within an hour’s drive from downtown. The museum’s collection spans more than four centuries of early Texas history, from the beginnings of European activity in the New World through Texas’ inclusion as a state in the United States. Head south to Space Center Houston to experience space from its dramatic history and exciting present to its compelling future. Space Center Houston is the only place where visitors can experience the space environment, touch a real moon rock, land a shuttle and take a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA. The exhibits, attractions, special presentations and hands-on activities tell the story of NASA’s manned space flight program.
An exciting live animal adventure set in a 55-acre tropical landscape, the Houston Zoo adds adventure and animal magnetism to the Museum District. A popular feature, the Wildlife Carousel, has 64 hand-carved animals representing endangered species. Make sure to experience the adventure of The African Forest, a 6.5-acre wooded area full of chimpanzees, rhinos and giraffes. One of nature’s more unusual spectacles is visible from the Waugh Bridge Bat Observation Deck at Buffalo Bayou/Eleanor Tinsley Park. Every night at dusk, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats take off from their home beneath the bridge to hunt for mosquitoes. Many residents come out at the corner of Waugh Drive and Allen Parkway to watch this daily occurrence.
DINING/CUISINE
Like its people, the Houston food scene is diverse and plentiful. Professionals who relocate far and wide are pleasantly surprised to find that the authentic dishes they loved back home can be found right here in Houston. If fact, Houston continues to gain national recognition as a food destination akin to New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Of course, barbeque fare is not to be overlooked as a staple of Houston comfort food and as an art form for novices and professionals alike. Houston’s proximity to the gulf coast also has an influence on meals that are commonly consumed. Seasonal crawfish boils and fish fries are Cajun traditions that have crossed the Louisiana border to Houston and are now part of the Bayou City’s dining fabric.
ARTS
Support of the arts is important to residents of the region. Since the city’s early days, philanthropy has been part of the culture, and that spirit is maintained today. Private as well as public support of the arts in the Houston community continues to solidify the city’s position as an international arts center. All of this is enhanced by the tremendous support from Houstonians and visitors to the many city and regional venues. The campuses of Rice University, the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, each have their own galleries: Rice University Art Gallery, the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Gallery at the University of Houston and the Texas Southern University Museum feature local and touring shows.
— Museums
The heart of the art scene in Houston is its Museum District, which houses 17 museums and a 50-acre zoological park. They’re all within walking distance of one another and accessible by METRORail, forming one of the largest cultural districts in the country, with more than 500,000 square feet of exhibition space. It’s also one of the most vital art districts in the nation, drawing 9 million visitors annually. Here are the gems in the region’s collection to explore and discover.
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