Houston?

[Dr Ralph]

We be needing spend 1nt Houston Dec 4 b4 heading back to Oz Dec 5 so any recent intel hotels close proximity IAH?

I see a Doubletree which we might have a crack unless can find better

You may be best with an airport hotel and just hunker down until your flight (potentially with a late checkout if needed?).

I stayed here for 5 nights:

Residence Inn by Marriott Houston Northwest/Cypress, 10456 Huffmeister Rd, Houston.

Fairly new, and largeish rooms. Fair way from the international airport and the CBD though.

If interested this is the spreadsheet for the 5 days I spent in Houston (you might find an activity or two to fill in some time):

Houston

Arrive Thursday 7 September Depart Tuesday 12 September (5 nights)

Accommodation: Residence Inn by Marriott Houston Northwest/Cypress, 10456 Huffmeister Rd, Houston (3 hrs 5 mins from departure point)

Activities

Day Out - South

• Houston Space Centre, 1601 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, $29.95; open 10am – 5pm; small bags only, wear walking shoes; parking $10; can book tickets and parking online; need to get a boarding pass for tram tour – can get it there or download the app (45 mins south of hotel)
• 10 mins from Space Centre is Baybrook Mall, 500 Baybrook Mall, Friendswood, Dillards, Macy’s, Cheesecake Factory, Yard House; 2 min drive to Total Wine & More, 18740 Gulf Fwy, Friendswood, 2 mins to Marshalls/Nordstrom Rack/Old Navy, 1425 Bay Area Blvd, Webster; 2 mins to Ross Dress for Less & Burlington, 1539 Bay Area Blvd, Webster

Day Out - Galveston Island

• Visit Tanger Outlets Houston en route (51 mins from hotel). Could do this on way back.
• Drive 30 mins from Tanger Outlets to The Strand (historical area of Galveston) walk around The Strand (need to find a place to park)
• Drive 3 mins to Bishop’s Palace, 1402 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston (photo stop – historic house – can go inside $15)
• Drive 4 mins to Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, 2501 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, old fashioned pier with amusement arcades and ferris wheel + Bubba Gump (Parking off Avenue Q1/2)
• We can drive the length of the island – around 55 mins (will need to pay $2.5 toll on bridge half way – can pay cash) to Surfside Beach and head back to hotel via the 288 so it will be a loop (not going back the way we came)
• Or, if we go back the way we came we can drive out onto Dike Road Texas City – 5 mile break wall - $10 on weekends or free Mon-Thurs unless it’s a holiday

Day Out – Alvin

• Drive 50 mins south to Alvin
• Froberg's Farm, 3601 Hwy 6, Alvin, pick your own fruit, vegetables and other things (including nuts) in season; farm store and smokehouse; bakery with 35 different pies, also frosted pecans
• Drive 7 mins to Stanton's Shopping Center, 219 N Taylor St, Alvin, old fashioned grocery and farm produce store – been there since the 1920s
• Could return via some of the southern shopping malls

Meals & Breweries
Restaurant​	Address​	Notes​
Saint Arnold Brewing Company	2000 Lyons Ave, Houston	23 mins south; Big place north of downtown, free onsite parking, brewery plus brew pub with broad menu; open 7 days
Bad Astronaut Brewing Co.	1519 Fulton St, Houston	2 mins from St Arnold; open 3-11pm Wed-Fri11-11 Sat
Lone Pint Brewery	507 Commerce St, Magnolia	#7 IPA in the US (Yellow Road smash IPA). 31 mins North West of hotel. Could do it on the way to Austin.

Nearby Supermarkets
Store​	Address​	Notes​
HEB	24224 Northwest Fwy, Cypress	7 mins NW
Kroger	12222 Jones Rd, Houston	9 mins NE
H-E-B	9503 Jones Rd, Houston	11 mins SE
Walmart SC	12353 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W, Houston	6 mins SE
Target	12701 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W, Houston	Next to Walmart
Total Wine & More	7055 Hwy 6 N, Houston	8 mins south – also a Ross and Sprouts here
El Rancho Supermercado (Mexican supermarket)	6160 Hwy 6 N, Houston	A couple of minutes from Ross/Total Wine – looks like it’s worth visiting

Nearby Shopping
Store​	Address​	Notes​
Burlington	16311 FM 529, Houston	4 mins from Ross below
Ross, Total Wine & More, Sprouts, Acros street is Target, Old Navy	7081 Hwy 6 N, Houston	7 mins south
Galleria Mall	Dillards 4925 Westheimer Rd, Houston Macys 5135A W Alabama St, Houston – if we park in the Red Garage for Macy’s Galleria Red Garage, 5150 Hidalgo St, Houston, we can walk to the Waterwall – huge water feature in a park about 3 mins walk from garage Cheesecake Factory 5015 Westheimer Rd, Houston	Mall split across roads 20 mins south
Almeda Mall	100 Almeda Mall, Houston 3 mins away Burlington, 11546 Gulf Fwy, Houston; 4 mins away Ross & Marshalls 10003 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston 2 mins from there is a Walmart SC 9598 Rowlett Rd, Houston	35 mins south Macys
Memorial City Mall	303 Memorial City Way, Houston	22 mins south; Dillards, Macys
Houston Premium Outlets	9300 Hempstead Rd, Cypress	11 mins north – could take this route to Austin when we leave Houston
Baybrook Mall	Total Wine and More, Yard House, Cheesecake Factory, Macy’s, Dillards, PF Chang Across street is Target, Ross and Burlington, one block away is Nordstrom Rack/Old Navy/Marshalls	40 ins SE – not far from Space Centre
Tanger Outlets Houston	5885 Gulf Fwy, Texas City Columbia, Old Navy, Nike etc	50 mins south – on road to Galveston

Baseball
Date​	Details​	Notes​
Friday 8th	Minute Maid Park 501 Crawford St, Houston 25 mins SE Seems to be lots of parking lots around 30 mins drive from hotel	v Padres at 7:10pm
Saturday 9th	v Padres at 6:10pm
Sunday 10th	V Padres at 1:10pm
Monday 11th	V A’s at 7:10pm

Cinemas
Cinema​	Address​	Notes​
Cinemark 12 Cypress and XD	25720 Northwest Fwy, Cypress	8 mins north
Star Cinema Grill	114 Vintage Park Blvd J, Houston	14 mins SW

I went to Houston for work and had a free weekend there any struggled to find anything worth doing. It's very spread out you need a car and will see actual tumbleweeds as you drive on the highway.

This is true. I was in Houston about 3 weeks ago. But it’s also true for much of middle America – I’ve visited 10 states over the last 3 months from Texas to North Dakota and saw many a tumble weed!

I also agree that without a car you’re not likely to be able to see much, food and accommodation included.

 

[LadyC]

Thanks so much for your detailed response @Dr Ralph - I will be in Houston for a few days in December so very helpful.

 

[drron]

We stayed a couple of days in Houston 2 or 3 years before the virus. There is a fair bit around to do including the Space Center and Mrsdrron found some good shopping.
For dinner our Best meal by far was at Truluck's steakhouse. But about 25 miles from IAH.
Our last night we spent at the Sheraton North IAH. The typical sterile US regional big hotel. But they got top marks from me as they upgraded us to the Presidential Suite and comped us dinner as a platinum member. The restaurant was quite acceptable and they have a 24 hour shuttle to IAH.
If the truth be known we were in Houston as I got 2 Lifemiles F awards on NH IAH - NRT.