With great restaurants, easy transportation via trolley and one of the finest convention centers in the country, Houston is a great city to spend some time.

Although the city itself is home to just over 2 million people, you'll get a distinct feeling of community, warmth, and friendliness you can't really find elsewhere, especially among cities of similar size and complexity.

Stroll around our Museum District, where youll find not only 11 institutions, but the excellent Houston Zoological Gardens, the Rose Garden at Hermann Park, and depending on the time of year, a free performance at Miller Outdoor Theater. Tour NASA and Space Center Houston or see a great performance by the city's ballet, orchestral, and theatre companies.

Houston's "fun in the sun" is especially thrilling during the summer when it offers a host of wet and wild outdoor, as well as indoor, activities. Start by taking the plunge in one of Texas largest waterparks, SplashTown. With several water coasters, some as high as five stories, as well as fountains of fun for the little ones, theres something for all ages at this north Houston park.

Just south of town is one of our best indoor attractions, Gulf Greyhound Park, which offers live greyhound racing, simulcast horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering year-round.

An out of this world experience awaits those who explore the final frontier of Space Center Houston, NASAs official visitors center, located in the Clear Lake area, as is Armand Bayou Nature Center. A little further south, Moody Gardens in Galveston is a one-stop destination for year-round fun with a huge aquarium pyramid, rainforest pyramid and two IMAX theaters. The fascinating Lone Star Flight Museum is next door.

More centrally located are such attention-getters as Six Flags AstroWorld and WaterWorld, a 100-acre entertainment complex filled with exciting rides, shows and water sports. Downtown, in the heart of Houston, Bayou Place keeps the beat with a slew of urban dining and entertainment options. While visiting downtown, you can also step back in time at the Heritage Society Museum and Sam Houston Park.

A short drive east or west takes you to the famed San Jacinto Battleground, the site of Texas independence from Mexico, or George Ranch Historical Park, a living history museum.

Just north of the city is one of the countrys largest outdoor markets, Traders Village, as well as Mother Natures sanctuary, Mercer Arboretum. Another back-to-nature excursion is the bountiful wildlife retreat at the Houston Arboretum, near Memorial park.