Houston, Texas is the fourth largest city in the nation (behind only New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL) and is the most populated city in the southern US. The Bayou City provides a warm, sunny climate throughout the year. From humble beginnings as a newspaper ad touting the potential of its desolate mudflats, the city of Houston has grown in leaps and bounds over the last century, but has retained the enterprising, cultured spirit of its founders. Being the fourth largest metropolitan area in the US it boasts a slick, albeit sprawling, urban center with Texas-sized portions of shopping, entertainment, and dining. Second to New York City, the 17-block theater district is the largest with in the entire Unites States, which has eight performing arts companies and 12,000 seats. Visit one of the more than 500 cultural and visual arts attractions, including NASA and the Livestock show, the largest rodeo in the world. Mild climes in the winter and early spring are best for visiting Bayou Place downtown, the Zoo or one of the other city parks. On hotter days, cool off at the world-class Galleria, the Fine Arts Museum or any one of the 11000+ trendy restaurants and clubs.
Looking for that quaint hotel or special bed-and-breakfast? Houston has it all! downtown hotels include the DoubleTree Hotel at Allen Center, Four Seasons Hotel, Hyatt Regency Houston, Lancaster Hotel, Crowne Plaza and others. The Magnolia Hotel and Hotel Icon are all boutique hotels in historical structures. More budget-friendly options include the Best Western Downtown, Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott. The 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston, adjacent the George R. Brown Convention Center, and the Inn at The Ballpark are convenient for sports events and concerts at Toyota Center and Minute Maid Park.
The Texas Medical Center has the Best Western Plaza Hotel, Hilton Houston Plaza, Houston Marriott Medical Center and Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites Medical Center. The Reliant Park area has the Holiday Inn, and Homestead Guest Studios. The Uptown/Galleria area hosts big business and serious shopping, plus hotels such as Courtyard by Marriott, Drury Inn, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Post Oak, Hotel Indigo, Inter-Continental Hotel, J.W. Marriott, Hotel Derek, Sheraton Suites, Westin and others.