Houston Area Attractions

Battleship TEXAS
3523 Hwy 134 • La Porte TX 77571 • 281.479.2431
The only combat vessel to have survived both World Wars. The fully restored battleship serves as a naval museum with exhibits about its wartime service. An educational and fun experience. 10am-5pm Daily

Houston Museum of Natural Science
1 Hermann Circle Dr • Houston, TX 77030 • 713.639.4629
The Wortham IMAX theater is a big draw. Dinosaurs loom overhead and all around when you enter the main room; beyond are exhibits of the plains of the Serengetti, the historic displays in the Hall of the Americas and the arresting display of more than 600 gems and minerals, but the quiet displays of gems, minerals, dinosaur models and very old fossils on the other levels have their share of fans, too. In the Cockrell Butterfly Center up to 100 species of butterflies fly about freely.

Beaches and Galveston Island State Park
14901 FM 3005 Rd FM 3005 at 13 Mile Rd • Galveston, TX 77554 • 409.737.1222
Beaches are hard to miss on Galveston Island-just head to the seawall and there they are. The wild 2,000 acres/810-hectare Galveston Island State Park has bird-watching stands and trails for serious nature lovers. The 1,700-seat theater offers musicals June-August, nightly except Sunday. The theater charges for its productions but entrance to the park is free.

Space Center Houston
1601 NASA Rd 1 • Houston, TX 77058 • 800.972.0369
Visitors aren't allowed to see all the operations but regular tram tours give you a chance to visit most of the Johnson Space Center, the working facility where you can ogle a Saturn rocket or observe shuttle payload bays. Other exhibits cover the history of manned spaceflight and exploration of the future. The Mission Status Center provides live updates on current flights. The Kids' Space Place has interactive exhibits for children, an IMAX theater, a full-scale model of the space shuttle and moon rocks that you can touch.

Forbidden Gardens
23500 Franz Rd & Houston, TX 77084 • 281.347.8000
3 Acre/1-hectare site showcases a recreation of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Visitors are taken through miniature replicas of the Forbidden City, the First Emperor's Tomb(Emperor Qin Shihuang) and the Calming of the Heart Lodge. On display are replicas of the weapons used by Emperor Qin's army. Guided tours available.

The Astrodome
8400 Kirby Dr at Loop 610 • Houston, TX 77054 • 713.799.9595
Labeled the "Eighth Wonder of the World" when it was built in 1965, the Astrodome was the world's largest indoor and only domed stadium at that time. When the baseball field's grass died due to a lack of natural light, a new synthetic covering called AstroTurf was introduced. Although less than 40 years old, the Dome's future is not so certain. Venue for the popular Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in late February and early March. The Oilers football team left over a dispute of modernization of the stadium and a new baseball stadium for the Astros has been built downtown. Tours are available Tue-Sat.

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