TRAVEL

Houston is huge, but easy to navigate for tourists

By Dale Rice
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Sunday, October 05, 2008

HOUSTON — The sheer size of the nation's fourth largest city — not to mention its legendary rush-hour traffic — could easily deter some folks from heading to Space City with out-of-town visitors in tow.

After all, the city covers 624 square miles and could contain New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis and Miami within its boundaries, according to the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

But if you know where you want to go, Houston is fairly easy to navigate, and most of its main attractions are conveniently located in or near the city core.

That makes Houston a worthy destination for visitors, who can find everything from the 21,000 plays, concerts and arts events put on here annually to the Johnson Space Center, where America's astronauts are trained. (Because of the city's historic role in space flight, "Houston" was the first word uttered from the moon.)

Most places tourists would go were not damaged by Hurricane Ike, but it's a good idea to call or check Web sites before you go. To help you plan a visit to Houston, here are 10 favorite spots that should satisfy a bevy of interests:

1. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: This museum has a spectacular permanent collection that numbers more than 56,000 works and ranges from African gold and Egyptian antiquities to modern and contemporary art. The museum also has one of the premier collections of Latin American art in the world. In addition to rotating its permanent collection, the museum hosts leading traveling exhibitions. A large museum store and a cafe provide added attractions for visitors who may want to take a break from exhibits that span two city blocks. 1001 Bissonnet St.; 713-639-7300; www.mfah.org.

2. Menil Collection: One of the best small art museums in the country, the Menil houses the collection assembled over a half-century by Dominique and John de Menil. The facility, an intimate and stunning space designed by Renzo Piano, is home to 15,000 works, largely representing four areas: antiquity, Byzantine and medieval, tribal and 20th century (specializing in surrealism). 1515 Sul Ross St.; 713-525-9400; www.menil.org.

3. Rothko and Byzantine chapels: Perhaps the most serenely beautiful man-made spot in Texas, the Rothko Chapel seamlessly blends art and architecture in a meditative space featuring paintings by Mark Rothko, one of the premier American artists of the 20th century. Commissioned by Dominique and John de Menil, founders of the nearby art museum that bears their name, the chapel contains 14 large paintings that surround and captivate viewers. 1409 Sul Ross St.; 713-524-9839; www.rothkochapel.org.

A short walk away, the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum displays two Byzantine frescoes from the 13th century, the only intact ones in this hemisphere. The frescoes were rescued by the Menil Foundation after they were stolen from a church in Cyprus. 4011 Yupon St.; 713-521-3990; www.menil.org/

byzantine.html.

4. Antique shopping in the Heights: This historical district, full of Victorian homes west of downtown and north of Westheimer, is more than a beautiful residential area. The neighborhood, with its small and charming business district, is great browsing territory for antiques and collectibles, with several malls and shops, as well as art galleries and stores selling gift, garden and retro items. Heights Boulevard, Yale Street and 19th Street; www.houstonheights.org.

5. Johnson Space Center: An obligatory visit with a South American guest earlier this year turned into a fascinating half-day tour of the NASA facility that includes Mission Control for the space shuttle flights, historical exhibits and Rocket Park. About 25 miles from downtown, Space Center Houston is the official visitors center, offering a variety of activities, such as Blast Off Theater, and entry to the tram tour that provides the behind-the-scenes look at the space center and its inner workings. 1601 NASA Parkway; 281-244-2100; www.spacecenter.org.

6. Bayou Bend: Unlike the other attractions on this list, a visit to the home of the late Ima Hogg requires a reservation. But this house is worth the extra call for a guided tour. Hogg, the only daughter of Texas Gov. James Hogg, amassed an impressive collection of early American antiques and decorative arts. In addition to the home, Bayou Bend also has 14 acres of gardens where a second tour is available. 1 Westcott St.; 713-639-7750; www.coe.uh.edu/webscapes/bayoubend.

7. Book browsing on Bissonnet: Independent book stores might be disappearing from the streets of many cities, but Houston's Bissonnet Street offers two wonderful ones a half-block from each other. One of the oldest and best mystery book stores in the country, Murder by the Book features an amazingly knowledgeable staff, regular visits from authors and a large selection of books. 2352 Bissonnet St., Houston; 713-524-8597; www.murderbooks.com.

On the other side of the street, Brazos Books pulls together an eclectic mix of fiction, nonfiction (including a limited, but tantalizing cookbook section) and periodicals. It's tough to leave there empty-handed. 2421 Bissonnet St.; 713-523-0701; brazos.booksense.com.

8. Join the audience: Houston is home to many top-notch cultural organizations, including the world-class Houston Grand Opera, Houston Symphony, Houston Ballet, DaCamera of Houston (jazz and chamber music), Theater Under the Stars and the Alley Theater, one of the most famous regional theaters in the United States. Through much of the year, productions abound and tickets frequently are available on the day of the performance. www.houston theaterdistrict.org.

9. Museum of Natural Science: All aspects of nature come together here, from stars to minerals to wildlife. Special features include the Baker Planetarium, the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals with its dazzling display of specimens and the Cockrell Butterfly Center with hundreds of live butterflies in a rainforest setting. 1 Hermann Circle Drive; 713-639-4629; www.hmns.org.

10. Houston Zoo: A children's zoo, bird house, aquarium, reptile house and Indochinese tigers are just a few of the attractions that help make the Houston Zoo one of the most-visited zoos in the nation. With 4,500 animals representing 800 species in a 55-acre setting, this zoo can be a daunting challenge to fit in a limited time frame. An interactive map on the zoo's Web site can help children or adults plot a must-see route. (You can even use that map to find the weekly times of the piranha feeding demonstration.) 1513 N. MacGregor St.; 713-533-6500; www.houston zoo.org.

Rice teaches journalism at Texas A&M University and is a frequent visitor to Houston.