Houston Named One of Nation's Most Affordable Vacation DestinationsMarch 18, 2009
Contact Information: *2008 average hotel room rate was $127.94 (compared to $313 in New York City) *An average meal in Houston is $5 less than the national average of $33.67, according to Zagat *Continental Airlines is based in Houston, making less expensive direct flights more common *A one-way ticket on the light rail system is only $1.25 *A Houston CityPass is less expensive than CityPasses in other cities ($39 in Houston vs. $79 in New York) What To Do Houston is a financially responsible place to take your next trip, but what is there to do? Here are a few suggestions: Fast track your way through Houston's must-see attractions. May 13 marks the one-year anniversary of the Houston CityPass, which allows visitors to purchase a booklet and gain admission to the top attractions in the city, in addition to insider tips, maps and additional coupons. If all six attractions are visited, the user saves 50 percent on admission. Think of it as CliffsNotes for tourists. Attractions include: Space Center Houston Downtown Aquarium Houston Museum of Natural Science Houston Zoo Museum of Fine Arts, Houston OR Children's Museum of Houston The Health Museum OR George Ranch Historical Park Miller Outdoor Theatre might be one of the best reasons to visit Houston. Open March through November, the venue hosts a range of free performances including classical music, ballet, dance, film, Shakespeare and more. The theater, set inside Hermann Park, also allows patrons to BYOB (no glass containers), so pack a picnic and settle in on the grassy hill for the show. Tour the house that booze built. Covered in more than 50,000 empty beer cans, the Beer Can House is unlike anything you've ever seen. Visitors pour into the Rice Military-area bungalow on Saturdays and Sundays for a close-up look at the aluminum (literally!) siding and beer-tab garland. Visit the grounds of this amazing work of art for just $2, or take a guided tour for $5 and get access to the house exhibition. Dubbed the Garage Mahal, the Art Car Museum is the only place you'll find art on wheels, including the antennae and wing-cloaked Roachster or the Honda motorcycle that has been transformed into a shiny red rolling stiletto art car. Between Houston's two largest business districts lies an urban nature preserve. From Memorial Park's hike, bike and running trails to the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center's interactive exhibits, visitors can truly immerse themselves in nature...in the center of the city. Where to Eat Just because it costs less to eat in Houston doesn't mean the quality is lower. And don't just take our word for it. *Breakfast Klub: Included on Esquire magazine's list of the 59 Best Breakfast Places in America (2009) *Catalan Food and Wine: Named one of the top 100 restaurants in the world by Robb Report (2008) *Churrascos: Featured on Esquire magazine's list of the 20 Best Steaks in America (2008) *Da Marco: Rated No. 26 in Gourmet's list of America's top 50 restaurants (2006) *Goode Company BBQ: Listed in USA Today as one of "10 great places to chow down on barbecue" (2006) *Irma's: 2008 James Beard Award winner for America's Classics *Mark's American Cuisine: Listed among the top 10 restaurants in the country by the Zagat Survey (2007) *Pappas Steakhouse: Named one of the top 10 steakhouses in the country by MSN.com (2008) *Reef: Named the No. 1 seafood restaurant in the country by bon appetit (2008) *VOICE: Named one of Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurants in the Country (2008) Planning Pointers When planning your trip to Houston, don't forget to Ask Veronica any questions you may have. She answers dozens of questions from people around the globe each day. www.AskVeronica.com ### |
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