Recently dubbed SpaceCity, Houston is looking into the future inspired by the idea of being "a space of infinite possibilities." Houston's vibrancy and cultural diversity provides a welcome atmosphere if you are looking for a modern city with the drive and resources to succeed. Whether it is just you going to school in Houston or if you are bringing your family, you will find plenty of things to keep you occupied outside of the classroom.

Houston takes advantage of its culturally diverse population, with more than 9,000 restaurants offering every imaginable kind of food.

Houston's cultural offerings include the Museum district as well as the Theater District. The downtown area of the city is second only to New York City in the number of theater seats available, and some of the more notable performing arts groups include the Houston Ballet, Grand Opera, Symphony Orchestra and the recently added Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, which features the Houston Broadway Series and Theater Under the Stars.

The Orange Show Foundation
If you're in the mood for less "black tie" events, consider some of Houston's other exciting attractions. The Orange Show Foundation today cares for several of Houston's more original monuments such as the monument to oranges. In 1954 a Houston postal worker named Jeff McKissack began with a house in a middle-class neighborhood and added observation decks, wishing wells, folk wisdom sayings, all manner of sculpture and junk turned to folk art and more. All of it, of course, in orange. In another stroke. In a similar stroke of genius/madness, a man named John Milkovisch covered his house with beer cans, 50,000 of them by some estimates. Today the site also features an entire fence made of beer cans.

Houston Astrodome
The residents of Houston love their sports, and many of Houston's arenas awe visitors year-round. The Houston Astrodome (an indoor, air-conditioned, domed stadium) is sometimes referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World, and also impressive are the new Toyota Center and Reliant Center. Houston is home to the Astros, Texans, Rockets, Comets, and Aeros. The mild winter months allow many sports to continue without trouble, and the city is also famous for its golf courses and tennis facilities.

Texas Medical Center
Houston is also an impressive site of technological advances and of general development on a robust scale. The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world with 13 hospitals and several medical schools offering state-of-the-art facilities and procedures that bring people from all over the world. Only Boston spends more time and money on medical research. Houston also has the tallest building west of the Mississippi, the Chase Tower. For spectacular views, take the 40-second ride to the sky lobby on the 60th floor.

Armand Bayou Nature Center
If you'd like to connect with nature and learn about the local plants and animals, visit the Armand Bayou Nature Center. There you can bird-watch, hike, or take guided pontoon and canoe boat rides. See the live animal displays featuring snakes, spiders, hawks and bison. Go back in time at the Martyn Farm and see what it was like on a Texas farm in the 1800s.

Kemah Boardwalk
The Kemah Boardwalk is not to be missed by families by families visiting or living in the area. It has an amusement park, high-speed boat rides and arcade games. The boardwalk also features a miniature train and a 65-foot Ferris wheel.

Johnson Space Center
Technological progress in Houston is perhaps best evidenced by the presence of NASA and the nearby space center. The Johnson Space Center is responsible for much of the training and planning behind the space missions of the United States, and in 1969, "Houston" became the first word spoken by a human being on the surface of the moon, when astronaut Neil Armstrong announced, "Houston,, . . . the Eagle has landed.' Space Center Houston provides visitors to the space center with a peek into the complexities of what is going on there.

Sources:
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