Houston

[DisnIse]

Some work friends and I are going to Houston for a conference in early April. We don't have a ton of time to go and see things - really, I think it's just one evening.

I want to go running in the mornings to check out the city, but I don't know what to put on my "must run past" list.

We're staying at the JW Marriott near the Galleria. I'd rather not go to a mall on our night out.... any other local suggestions???

[MNNHFLTX]

Don't totally discard the idea of going to the Galleria--it is not just another mall, by any means. They have huge fountains there, really a beautiful interior, and there's even an full-sized ice-skating rink (not to mention all the stores and restaurants!) Otherwise Houston also has a pretty extensive theatre district and a museum district too (I think there are like 13 museums there, or something like that).

As far as running, the most popular area is Memorial Park. It is a very pretty park just a couple of miles north of the Galleria area. I've also seen a lot of runners on the Allen Parkway, where you can get a great view of the downtown skyline. And then there's the River Oaks neighborhood near the Galleria, with all of its mansions.

[thrillme]

Personally I'm a sucker for dining at the Aquarium. It has a lovely aquarium you can walk through (I think it was about $10) with some very playful white tigers near the end.

The resturant is quite a nifty trip in itself with this HUGE aquarium in the center. Very nice.

[DisnIse]

Thanks for the info on the Galleria and running areas and the aquarium. We're there for such a short amount of time that those suggestions could be absolutely perfect!