City of Houston brings food, festivities for every age

By Sanmai Gbandi
Contributor

Driving to Houston to support our Baylor Bears in their first bowl game since 1994 will be an exciting affair. The real question is: What do you do in the down time before and after the game?

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, so as you can imagine, there are a plethora of things to do there that can kill time but also be extremely fun and rewarding.

With more than 24 million visitors, annually, The Galleria is a major tourist attraction to just about anyone who visits Houston. It has an eclectic collection of stores to suit every need and desire of its visitors. The Galleria is located on Westheimer, which is a few west of downtown Houston, one of the liveliest and most exciting places in Texas. Along with 375 stores and restaurants, there is a massive ice rink on the first level of the shopping center. The Cheesecake Factory and Rainforest Café are two of many eateries located inside of the Galleria.

Another place of interest is the Museum District. The Museum of Fine Arts is one of many museums in the district. More than 2.5 million people visit the museum each year, and it is one of the largest art museums in America. The art collection contains more than 62,000 pieces of art and more than 30 exhibitions. General admission for adults is $7. Call ahead before you go to see which exhibitions they have on display.

The Houston Zoo is also located in the Museum District. There are currently 4,500 animals housed in the zoo, and you can see them interact in their habitats. It costs $11 to get in as an adult, and it is worth it.

The Museum of Natural Science has over a dozen permanent exhibits that deal with topics like Texas wildlife and astronomy. The most amazing thing about this museum is the Wortham IMAX Theater. It is currently showing movies “Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1” and “Wild Ocean 3D.” The tickets go from about $15 to $17, so it is a bit pricey. However, seeing a movie in the Wortham IMAX Theater is a breathtaking experience.

Finally, Discovery Green is another inexpensive site to see in Houston. Discovery Green is the name of the nonprofit organization that developed the park in downtown Houston. The Discovery Green Team has incorporated the latest “green” technology to create an exciting 12 acre park. There are performing and visual art events along with outdoor movies and live performances.

You can check out all of these attractions with your family, friends, or even by yourself. Wherever you decide to go remember one thing: our Baylor Bears need your support, so don’t forget to cheer them on to a victory at the bowl game.