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| Houston Attractions |
Shopping and dining are definitely the marquee draws for Houston visitors, but there are also plenty more options to take advantage of for enjoyable recreational activities. Houston is a city rich in history, fine arts and cultural diversity, and meeting planners will want to use this confluence of people and ideas to create fun, productive itineraries for their visiting clientele.
Making sure recreation is taken care of is important, because it eases the tension of a lengthy corporate function and can lift the spirits of weary meeting attendees. If a BMP must plan recreation or even if a suggestion of what to do is all that’s needed, it’s best to remember the background of the client when giving advice. A local professional may already do what a visitor has in mind for recreation on a regular basis. To make sure you satisfy the needs of every person in your party, we’ve compiled a list of 10 things visiting professionals will most likely want to see and do and another list of ten things locals may not be as familiar with.
10 Things to Do for Visiting Business Professionals
1. The Galleria
With more than 24 million annual visitors, The Galleria is one of the city’s marquee attractions. The fourth-largest mall in the nation, the compound consists of 2.4 million-square-feet of retail space, two hotels and a plethora of eating establishments. Anchored by flagship department stores such as Neimen Marcus, Macy’s and Nordstrom’s, The Galleria also houses some of the most popular names in retail, including Express, Urban Outfitters and American Eagle. The central mall also houses an indoor skating rink that serves as the base for one of Houston’s largest Christmas trees during the holiday season. www.galleriahouston.com
2. Space Center Houston
There’s plenty to see and do at Houston’s largest repository of space history, but adults will be most interested in the guided tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Areas visited on the tram tour include the Historic Mission Control Center, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility and the Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. www.spacecenter.org
3. Galveston and Moody Gardens
Located less than an hour’s drive away from downtown Houston, Galveston Island is home to Moody Gardens, an entertainment complex with an educational bent. Spotlight attractions include the Aquarium Pyramid®, featuring more than 8,000 species of aquatic wildlife, and the Rainforest Pyramid®, home to more than 2,000 species of plants and animals from the wild lands of Asia, Africa and the Americas. The recently opened Moody Gardens Golf Course offers professional-level play for corporate events. Galveston is also the site of many Victorian-era houses that showcase the stunning architecture and decorative arts of the 19th century. Must-see structures that are open to the public include the Bishop’s Palace and the Moody Mansion. www.moodygardens.com; www.galveston.com/historichomes
4. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
With a collection featuring more than 57,000 pieces of art that span the ages, from the ancient world to the contemporary landscape in which we live, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is the largest museum of its kind south of Chicago, west of Washington D.C. and east of Los Angeles. In addition to its world-class permanent collection, the museum also hosts more than 30 traveling exhibitions each year. The museum’s specialty areas include Italian Renaissance painting, French Impressionist painting and American art. www.mfah.org
5. Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center is the largest healthcare district in the world with more than 100 facilities occupying a 650-acre space. Major areas of interest include the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Baylor College of Medicine and the Alkek Institute of Biosciences & Technology of A&M. Two-hour guided tours are available for corporate groups and the district can easily be accessed through the Metrorail system. www.tmc.edu
6. Houston Astros/Minute Maid Park
Visiting sports fans have several great options for watching a great game, but what better way to get in touch with a city’s athletic history than by spending an evening watching America’s favorite pastime: baseball. Minute Maid Park is now the official home of the Bayou City’s famous baseball team and visitors will want to be sure to tour the facility and see firsthand the ballpark’s luxury suites, broadcasting booths, the Astros’ dugout and Union Station. www.astros.mlb.com
7. Downtown Tunnel System
Twenty feet below the streets of downtown lies a completely different city than the one that can be viewed from above. Six miles of pedestrian tunnels and overhead skywalks connect many of the major buildings in the central business district. The tunnels can be reached directly through Wells Fargo Plaza or by entering a building connected to the tunnel and taking the elevator downwards. Tours of this underground city filled with shops and restaurants are available and start at the concierge desk of the Hilton-Americas Hotel. The observation deck on the 60th floor of the Chase building can also be reached by the tunnel system and is free for visitors. www.discoverhoustontours.com
Making sure recreation is taken care of is important, because it eases the tension of a lengthy corporate function and can lift the spirits of weary meeting attendees. If a BMP must plan recreation or even if a suggestion of what to do is all that’s needed, it’s best to remember the background of the client when giving advice. A local professional may already do what a visitor has in mind for recreation on a regular basis. To make sure you satisfy the needs of every person in your party, we’ve compiled a list of 10 things visiting professionals will most likely want to see and do and another list of ten things locals may not be as familiar with.
10 Things to Do for Visiting Business Professionals
1. The Galleria
With more than 24 million annual visitors, The Galleria is one of the city’s marquee attractions. The fourth-largest mall in the nation, the compound consists of 2.4 million-square-feet of retail space, two hotels and a plethora of eating establishments. Anchored by flagship department stores such as Neimen Marcus, Macy’s and Nordstrom’s, The Galleria also houses some of the most popular names in retail, including Express, Urban Outfitters and American Eagle. The central mall also houses an indoor skating rink that serves as the base for one of Houston’s largest Christmas trees during the holiday season. www.galleriahouston.com
2. Space Center Houston
There’s plenty to see and do at Houston’s largest repository of space history, but adults will be most interested in the guided tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Areas visited on the tram tour include the Historic Mission Control Center, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility and the Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. www.spacecenter.org
3. Galveston and Moody Gardens
Located less than an hour’s drive away from downtown Houston, Galveston Island is home to Moody Gardens, an entertainment complex with an educational bent. Spotlight attractions include the Aquarium Pyramid®, featuring more than 8,000 species of aquatic wildlife, and the Rainforest Pyramid®, home to more than 2,000 species of plants and animals from the wild lands of Asia, Africa and the Americas. The recently opened Moody Gardens Golf Course offers professional-level play for corporate events. Galveston is also the site of many Victorian-era houses that showcase the stunning architecture and decorative arts of the 19th century. Must-see structures that are open to the public include the Bishop’s Palace and the Moody Mansion. www.moodygardens.com; www.galveston.com/historichomes
4. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
With a collection featuring more than 57,000 pieces of art that span the ages, from the ancient world to the contemporary landscape in which we live, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is the largest museum of its kind south of Chicago, west of Washington D.C. and east of Los Angeles. In addition to its world-class permanent collection, the museum also hosts more than 30 traveling exhibitions each year. The museum’s specialty areas include Italian Renaissance painting, French Impressionist painting and American art. www.mfah.org
5. Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center is the largest healthcare district in the world with more than 100 facilities occupying a 650-acre space. Major areas of interest include the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Baylor College of Medicine and the Alkek Institute of Biosciences & Technology of A&M. Two-hour guided tours are available for corporate groups and the district can easily be accessed through the Metrorail system. www.tmc.edu
6. Houston Astros/Minute Maid Park
Visiting sports fans have several great options for watching a great game, but what better way to get in touch with a city’s athletic history than by spending an evening watching America’s favorite pastime: baseball. Minute Maid Park is now the official home of the Bayou City’s famous baseball team and visitors will want to be sure to tour the facility and see firsthand the ballpark’s luxury suites, broadcasting booths, the Astros’ dugout and Union Station. www.astros.mlb.com
7. Downtown Tunnel System
Twenty feet below the streets of downtown lies a completely different city than the one that can be viewed from above. Six miles of pedestrian tunnels and overhead skywalks connect many of the major buildings in the central business district. The tunnels can be reached directly through Wells Fargo Plaza or by entering a building connected to the tunnel and taking the elevator downwards. Tours of this underground city filled with shops and restaurants are available and start at the concierge desk of the Hilton-Americas Hotel. The observation deck on the 60th floor of the Chase building can also be reached by the tunnel system and is free for visitors. www.discoverhoustontours.com
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