Out-of-Towners

BY JEN BOOTWALA

COME HOLIDAYS, WEDDINGS AND CONVENTIONS, THEY ARRIVE, BAGS IN TOW AND LOOKING FOR A GOOD TIME FOR THEIR FIRST VISIT TO HOUSTON. THEY DON’T LIVE HERE (YET) AND HAVE THEIR TICKET TO LEAVE. WITH SO MUCH TO ADD TO THE ITINERARY, WHAT MUST THEY SEE, DO, EAT AND EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY LEAVE? HERE ARE A FEW EXCURSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM. YOU CAN THANK US LATER.

FEAST ON THE TRIFECTA OF HOUSTON FOOD

The Holy Trinity of Tex-Mex, barbecue and Gulf seafood unite at Goode Company. Four separate restaurants all within walking distance of each other means there is no limit for the ambitious gastronome. Look for the 12-foot, bedazzled armadillo near the entrance of the Armadillo Palace, which serves Texas-sized comfort food and often has live music and dancing. Try the venison chili and pick up some chewy pralines for the road. Roll back to the hotel and plan your visit to another Goode restaurant the next day.

VISIT THE BAYOU CITY’S OWN CENTRAL PARK

Complete with a reflection pool and Japanese garden, Hermann Park celebrates its 100th birthday this year with a special series of art installations. Add the Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of Natural Science and Miller Outdoor Theatre to your agenda without leaving the park. Take a 2-mile train ride around the park for a more leisurely experience or rent a bike at the B-Cycle Station just behind Lake Plaza off of parking lot F. Train tickets are available in the Hermann Park Conservatory gift shop.

SEE SHOW-STOPPING HOMES

Champagne wishes and caviar dreams are closer than you might think. From Southern-styled mansions to contemporary compounds, Houston has some of the most lavish real estate in the nation. Start at the River Oaks Country Club and explore outwards. Inwood Drive and Lazy Lane are two posh streets nearby. Friar Tuck in Memorial is another neighborhood that will leave you seeing dollar signs.

HIGH-FLYIN’ FUN

Watch the spectacular skyline light up from the Ferris wheel at the Downtown Aquarium. A superiority complex is totally justified when you’re suspended 100 feet in the air. Take a selfie with the city as your background, and be sure to tweet the traffic report for the masses entering or exiting downtown on I-45. The aquarium extends its normal closing time to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, which means there’s time to for a postwheel drink at the Dive Lounge, located on the second floor. Tickets to ride are $3.99.

FRONT-ROW SEAT

New York City may have Broadway, but in Houston we have the Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. With 21 hospitals and three medical schools you can’t choose a better place to get sick. Ride the Metro Red rail line through the heart of the Med Center. Press your nose to the window and be amazed. Hop off at the Museum District and walk to Mecom Fountain, a mecca for photographers capturing opulent bridal and quinceañera parties. Resist photo-bombing other visitors.

DISCOVER DISCOVERY GREEN

Green in more ways than one, this urban oasis has a gold rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. Don’t miss the Listening Vessels, stone sculptures that focus sound across the Wortham Foundation Gardens. Go on a guided kayak ride around Kinder Lake where you might see your mini-me floating in the Model Boat Basin, a special pool designated for remote-controlled watercrafts. No reservations required.

GET GLAM IN THE GALLERIA

At Texas’ largest mall, you won’t have any problem implementing the philosophy of “shop ’til you drop.” Modeled after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, built in Milan in 1867, the Italian inspiration shines through in the stunning, large glass atrium. Avoid the hassle of parking by taking advantage of seven (count ’em, seven) valet stations. Once inside, find fashion inspiration at Nordstrom with a complimentary personal stylist, then grab a pastry and have breakfast at Tiffany’s.

ADD THE MENIL TO YOUR COLLECTION

Don’t miss the museum’s renowned Surrealism collection, a permanent gallery that includes more than 300 works by famed artists such as René Magritte, Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí. Head to nearby buildings for the Dan Flavin fluorescent light installation and Cy Twombly gallery. Admission is always free of charge; however, the museum is closed Monday and Tuesday. Allot extra time for picnicking and people watching at the Menil Park across the street.

CATCH A FLY BALL

Thanks to the Minute Maid Park’s innovative 50,000-square-foot retractable glass ceiling, the game will always go on, come rain or shine. Get a great view no matter where your seats are by standing on the Phillips 66 Home Run Porch above left-center field. Bring your own snacks as long as they’re in a clear plastic bag no larger than one gallon. And pray for an Astros homerun (or win!) to see the train run.

REACH FOR THE SKY

Pressed for time? See all of Houston from the vantage point of the city’s tallest building. From the lobby of the JPMorgan Chase Tower, take the elevator to the 60th floor for an Instagram-worthy outlook. Before leaving, check out the colorful Joan Miro sculpture outside. The building and Sky Lobby are open to the public at no cost during standard business hours.

THE GALLERIA

T H E MEN I L

MINUTE MAID P A R K

S K Y L OBBY