Anyone been to Texas?

I

IzZzy

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Have my US Visa interview on Thursday, and if approved, will be headed to Houston in June.

Primary reason is to go watch Fall out Boy live, but I (together with the SO) will have a week or so to spend in the state.

I've checked tripadvisor and my itinerary so far looks like this:

1) Visit Dallas for a day and see the book repository/grassy knoll;
2) the U.S.S Lexington at Corpus Christi;
3) NASA museum in Houston;
4) Battleship Texas; and
5) Baseball / rodeo.

Anyone else know any local places of interest? Very big into history (as is evident in the itinerary so far).

I was thinking of squeezing in an overnight trip to New Orleans, but not sure above the recovery efforts and whether its worthwhile. Also thought about driving up to Route 66 for novelty's sake but again not sure if it's worth it.

On car hire, was thinking a nice Ford F150 to, err, blend in with the locals :D
 
LazyLion

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Only on a stop over at the airport.

I'm jealous... sounds like a fun trip!
 
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biena

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New Orleans: I wouldn't bother, it is just not the same anymore. The whole feeling of the place changed after hurricane Katrina, if you are talking about hurricane Isaac then I don't know.

F150: yeah go for it, no need for a hotel then :whistling:

PS: enjoy the petrochemical fog in Houston, nearly threw up the first time I landed there.
 
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cerebus

cerebus

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IzZzy said:
Have my US Visa interview on Thursday, and if approved, will be headed to Houston in June.

Primary reason is to go watch Fall out Boy live, but I (together with the SO) will have a week or so to spend in the state.

I've checked tripadvisor and my itinerary so far looks like this:

1) Visit Dallas for a day and see the book repository/grassy knoll;
2) the U.S.S Lexington at Corpus Christi;
3) NASA museum in Houston;
4) Battleship Texas; and
5) Baseball / rodeo.

Anyone else know any local places of interest? Very big into history (as is evident in the itinerary so far).

I was thinking of squeezing in an overnight trip to New Orleans, but not sure above the recovery efforts and whether its worthwhile. Also thought about driving up to Route 66 for novelty's sake but again not sure if it's worth it.

On car hire, was thinking a nice Ford F150 to, err, blend in with the locals :D
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I lived in Texas for about 6 years. So... some recommendations:
1) If you're in Dallas, go see a rodeo because...why the hell not. Fort Worth has better rodeos than Dallas itself though if memory serves. (just noticed it's already point 5 but anyway it has my vote)
2) The NASA museum is very cool and well worth a visit but it's quite far out of the city itself, on the way to Galveston, so it takes a full day's trip.
3) Perhaps visit the Alamo? Highly commercialized of course but since Texas is quite spare on touristy things to see it's one of the highlights.
4) New Orleans is interesting but since you have the time to drive, why not see the Grand Canyon rather, and stop in Vegas en route? The Nevada/Arizona desert is astonishingly beautiful, more so than the drive to New Orleans which is a mossy blighted sort of forest.
 
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louisek

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1 is a waste of time unless you are a history freak. Dallas is a boring North American city and completely flat countryside, no features

My boyfriend went to the NASA museum but reckoned the Smithsonian in Washington was better

Yes, go to a rodeo. Exciting atmosphere and you will see people you never knew existed, both in size and attitude.
 
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cguy

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I was in Houston for a few days last year: Went to Peli Peli (South African restaurant). I suggest checking out Austin if you're up for the drive -- great nightlife, live music scene, etc. I far prefer the more cosmopolitan cities in the USA (NY/San Francisco/Chicago/etc.), if you can stop over at one of those for a few days, it's quite an experience.
 
I

IzZzy

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biena said:
New Orleans: I wouldn't bother, it is just not the same anymore. The whole feeling of the place changed after hurricane Katrina, if you are talking about hurricane Isaac then I don't know.

F150: yeah go for it, no need for a hotel then :whistling:

PS: enjoy the petrochemical fog in Houston, nearly threw up the first time I landed there.
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Yeah referred to Katrina. Meh, if its not the same anymore then don't think its worth a 8 hour round trip.

Sad about the fog o_O

hansotto said:
you must go to San Antonio Texas. Beautiful city on a river. www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com
Also visit the Alamo (Davy Crockett)
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Hmmm. Will check out San Antonio. I saw the Alamo on some travel programme early one morning, and it didn't appeal to me - was very "meh".

cerebus said:
I lived in Texas for about 6 years. So... some recommendations:
1) If you're in Dallas, go see a rodeo because...why the hell not. Fort Worth has better rodeos than Dallas itself though if memory serves. (just noticed it's already point 5 but anyway it has my vote)
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How's the rodeo in Houston? Better than Dallas?

cerebus said:
2) The NASA museum is very cool and well worth a visit but it's quite far out of the city itself, on the way to Galveston, so it takes a full day's trip.
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If I could spend the week in the NASA museum, I would :)

cerebus said:
4) New Orleans is interesting but since you have the time to drive, why not see the Grand Canyon rather, and stop in Vegas en route? The Nevada/Arizona desert is astonishingly beautiful, more so than the drive to New Orleans which is a mossy blighted sort of forest.
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That appeals to me! I'll try sort the logistics out and see if its feasible.

cguy said:
I was in Houston for a few days last year: Went to Peli Peli (South African restaurant). I suggest checking out Austin if you're up for the drive -- great nightlife, live music scene, etc. I far prefer the more cosmopolitan cities in the USA (NY/San Francisco/Chicago/etc.), if you can stop over at one of those for a few days, it's quite an experience.
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Don't think we'd have time to stop at any of those cities, but NY is definitely on the list of places still to see.
 
cerebus

cerebus

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cguy said:
I was in Houston for a few days last year: Went to Peli Peli (South African restaurant). I suggest checking out Austin if you're up for the drive -- great nightlife, live music scene, etc. I far prefer the more cosmopolitan cities in the USA (NY/San Francisco/Chicago/etc.), if you can stop over at one of those for a few days, it's quite an experience.
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Yeah Austin is a great city, I agree. Love the bat bridge.
 
bwana

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cerebus said:
4) New Orleans is interesting but since you have the time to drive, why not see the Grand Canyon rather, and stop in Vegas en route? The Nevada/Arizona desert is astonishingly beautiful, more so than the drive to New Orleans which is a mossy blighted sort of forest.
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Your geography seems to be as bad as many Americans :p The Grand Canyon (which to the OP is definitely worth a visit) is on the way to Vegas, not the other way around.

It's still a bit of a haul from Dallas though (nearly 2000km including the detour to the canyon).
 
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cerebus

cerebus

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IzZzy said:
How's the rodeo in Houston? Better than Dallas?
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I wouldn't say so really, Dallas is the heart of rodeo country. But Dallas is really not a very nice city, it's become a horrid sprawling metroplex where you can travel for hours without having your eyes besmirched with the sight of natural landscape.

If I could spend the week in the NASA museum, I would :)
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Oh it's not that much to see really. The best part of NASA is Cape Canaveral; Houston just has the very historical things like from the 60s till the 80s. We used to live in 5 minutes driving distance from there and my dad worked for a subsidiary of NASA when we moved to Houston so I know that place VERY well. Take the trip to Galveston as Ecco suggested afterwards. It's a pretty colourful island.
 
I

IzZzy

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Okay reason I said so was because when I looked at the Houston rodeo, it seemed like there was a fare going on next to it at the same time, and looked quite nice. Will see whether Dallas has a rodeo during the time.

Galveston is really looking good! That boardwalk (and rides :D) as well as an 1877 (or so) sail boat in the harbour!

Is the Houston Natural Museum worth a visit?
 
cerebus

cerebus

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Whatever you do don't miss out on a Texas BBQ brisket. One of the treats of Texan 'cuisine'.

Natural Museum is worth a visit if memory serves...haven't been there in quite a long time mind you so things have probably changed in 20 years. I was in Houston around 7 years ago but only very briefly.
 
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