Texas
| Galveston | Houston | San Antonio |
| Galveston | Houston | San Antonio |
Galveston is a seaside town about an hour southeast of Houston. When I went, it was cold and overcast, so I didn't get to do any swimming. The seawall, shown below, is a good place to go if you want to lay out on the beach, and there are some good seafood restaurants and hotels along the beach and on the piers. If you want to do some shopping, head towards land on the other side of the island and walk along the Strand.
I visited Houston for the first time on October 9th, 1998, and again for two weeks during December 1998.
Houston is a fun town. It doesn't really feel like the fourth largest city in the U.S., probably because the residential areas are so close to the city center. But a trip on one of the many expressways will quickly bring you back to reality. I've described below some of the fun things I did while in Houston. By the way, Houston is a driving city, so if you don't have access to a car, most locations are impossible to get to without spending a fortune on cabs.
On my first day, I drove down to Johnson Space Center
and Space Center Houston, which are about 30 minutes
south, heading towards Galveston. Johnson Space Center is the nerve center of all U.S. space
activities. This is where they design future craft and experiments, where the astronauts train
for missions, and where all active space missions are controlled. Space Center Houston is where
all of the tourists have to go. Admission is somewhat expensive, so make sure you have all day
to spend here. The inside of the building has a lot of hands-on experiments and simulators,
which are great for younger kids. To get the most for your admission price though, make sure
to take the tram tour and see both of the IMAX movies. The tram passes by Rocket Park, the
resting place of a Saturn V rocket and the rocket that shot John Glenn into space, and then
takes you over to Johnson Space Center, where you can see Mission Control, where the astronauts
train, and other sites.
Hermann Park is located near Rice University and the Texas Medical Center. This is a great place to take a book and read in the sun by the lake. Nearby are the Museum of Natural History and the zoo. Rice is worth seeing too, while you're there.
The Galleria is a huge mall on the west loop. If you like to shop, this is the place to go. They even have a year-round skating rink on the ground floor, which provides great lunchtime entertainment.
While you are in Houston, you absolutely must try some of the local restaurants. The first to visit is Luther's Bar-B-Q. Try the mixed po-boy, which is sausage and beef on sourdough bread smothered in their own unique sauce. Also make sure to visit Guadalajara, a mexican restaurant, Whataburger, a fast food burger joint, and Brennan's, an upscale restaurant for special occasions.
Here are a few pictures of Houston:
Now here is a city that does not receive nearly enough hype. I guess that's a good thing since tourism tends to ruin all of the best kept secrets out there. The main highlights of San Antonio are the Riverwalk and the Alamo, the number one and number two tourist destinations in Texas respectively.
I drove over to San Antonio from Houston one morning and returned later that night. It is about a three and a half hour drive across the Texas wilderness; as you go further west, you can watch as the tall trees are replaced by low-lying scrub that you'd expect to see in a desert.
When I arrived in the city, the first priority was finding a place to eat lunch, so I headed to the Riverwalk (Paséo del Rio). A little background: there is a small river that flows through the city and forms a loop in the heart of town. The actual river and its banks are about 20 feet below the city streets. In 1921, there was a severe flood that killed over 50 people. The river loop was going to be filled in, but one city member (I forgot his name) came up with the design of an outdoor public area running along the entire length of the loop. As a result of his vision, a stone walkway was constructed along both banks of the river, with stores and restaurants on both sides. Overhanging trees form a canopy over the entire Riverwalk. As you descend from street level, the atmosphere is much more relaxed and peaceful. The whole area feels less like a major metropolitan area and more like a resort. The picture below will help you visualize it a little better.
So anyway, I found a place to eat down there. There are plenty of good restaurants specializing in American and Mexican cuisine, all at great prices. Stick with the Mexican... it's the best I've had anywhere.
After the Riverwalk, I went over to tour the Alamo. Surprisingly, admission was free. Of course, donations are accepted, since the Alamo is maintained solely through private funds. You enter the complex through the door of the familiar facade, which leads to the remains of the chapel. Another building takes you through the complex history of the Alamo by means of wall displays. Little remains of the actual structures, so don't expect to see or do a lot at the Alamo. But make sure you learn the history while you're there; the story is quite sad. Also, make sure to see the huge diorama of the battle in one of the buildings because the attention to detail is amazing. The picture below is of me in front of the famous facade.
After the Alamo, I went back to the Riverwalk. Since I visited during the Christmas season, all of the trees along the river were decorated with colored lights. I decided to take a riverboat tour to see the Riverwalk from a different perspective. The tour lasts about an hour and the drivers are very entertaining. You might want to take a tour earlier in the day, since the drivers explain a lot of San Antonio's history and point out the popular attractions.
So, that was my visit to San Antonio. There is plenty more to do in the city, but make sure you spend a lot of time at the Riverwalk and the Alamo. Getting around the city is quite easy - take one of the trolleys, which are easy to use and very cheap.
© 1998-2000 by Jason A. Carter