Best area for Hotel stay to get a feel for Houston and be close to where I need to be (Dallas: 2015, skatepark)

[FJB327]

Okay,

I'm heading to Houston. I've been before (2x) but every time I go, I stay in or around a friend's neighborhood that I visit.

This time around (thanksgiving), I'm going a little early so I can explore Houston for two and a half days before doing the routine Thanksgiving stuff.

I'm a male, 25-35, going with wife, and two kids (under 10yoa). I want to be relatively close to the NW side by sam houston race park where Thanksgiving stuff will be going on. The closer the better but I don't mind being within 30 mins if it puts me in a great location.

I just want to get a hotel location that allows me to be close to stuff to get a feel for Houston. We're coming down from Dallas. Should I stay inner loop? Downtown? Galleria? somewhere else?

I've been told Houston is a big southern city (Dallas doesn't feel as southern). I want to experience that vibe. I've been told Houston is laid back, diverse and cosmopolitan. I want to experience that. I heard it has a very large professional black scene with black culture. I want to experience that too.

I know two days isn't enough to get a vibe for the entire Houston area but I want to see as much as I can. Any suggestions on a great hotel location that's convenient to commute to the sam houston race park area but also convenient to commute to places I'm speaking about and possibly within another place that I should spend time.

I may also take a day trip to the gulf but I'll have to play that by ear.


Thanks!

[FJB327]

I'm okay with staying in up to two different hotels too,,,, if u suggest one hotel for a couple beforehand and another one during the routine thanksgiving stuff....

[SolarScreenGuy]

Originally Posted by FJB327

Okay,

I'm heading to Houston. I've been before (2x) but every time I go, I stay in or around a friend's neighborhood that I visit.

This time around (thanksgiving), I'm going a little early so I can explore Houston for two and a half days before doing the routine Thanksgiving stuff.

I'm a male, 25-35, going with wife, and two kids (under 10yoa). I want to be relatively close to the NW side by sam houston race park where Thanksgiving stuff will be going on. The closer the better but I don't mind being within 30 mins if it puts me in a great location.

I just want to get a hotel location that allows me to be close to stuff to get a feel for Houston. We're coming down from Dallas. Should I stay inner loop? Downtown? Galleria? somewhere else?

I've been told Houston is a big southern city (Dallas doesn't feel as southern). I want to experience that vibe. I've been told Houston is laid back, diverse and cosmopolitan. I want to experience that. I heard it has a very large professional black scene with black culture. I want to experience that too.

I know two days isn't enough to get a vibe for the entire Houston area but I want to see as much as I can. Any suggestions on a great hotel location that's convenient to commute to the sam houston race park area but also convenient to commute to places I'm speaking about and possibly within another place that I should spend time.

I may also take a day trip to the gulf but I'll have to play that by ear.


Thanks!

I would look for a Hotel on I 10 west somewhere near Beltway 8 or somewhere in the Galleria. Lots of good restaurants in both areas and not too far from the racetrack. Good luck and enjoy, but remember Houston is not a completely safe city no matter where you are so be careful.

[FJB327]

Originally Posted by SolarScreenGuy

I would look for a Hotel on I 10 west somewhere near Beltway 8 or somewhere in the Galleria. Lots of good restaurants in both areas and not too far from the racetrack. Good luck and enjoy, but remember Houston is not a completely safe city no matter where you are so be careful.

Thanks. Dallas isn't either. I'm sure we'll be fine but thanks for the suggestions and warning

[txdemo]

I'm sure you know that Houston is quite diverse and it would be difficult to get a vibe of Houston staying in one particular area. I would definitely try to find a hotel inside or just outside the west side of 610 Loop. Inside the loop will have a much different feel than outside the loop. Check out the Arboretum and Memorial Park. Check out the coffee shops and antique stores of Montrose, the many museums in the Museum District as well as the Rothko Chapel and the Menil in Montrose.

Check out the many restaurants that make Houston one of the best foodie cities. Here's a good start: Revealed: Alison Cook's Top 100 Restaurants of 2015 - Houston Chronicle

For black culture, DO NOT MISS the opportunity to visit Project Row Houses: Project Row Houses

[crono_clone]

I would find a hotel on 1-10 between I-45 and 610 West. That puts you within good driving distance of most everything you’d want to see, and close enough to get back to the Sam Houston Race Park area in a straight shot.

Since you’re coming with your kids, your best bet to keep them entertained is the Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark or Discovery Green Park downtown. You can also take them to the Children’s Museum in our Museum District and then traipse on over to the Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park and hang out with other Houston families.

As for you and the wife, I’d recommend checking out the Washington Avenue area for restaurants and bars (if you can manage to leave the kids, that is. Not sure what your actual plans are). You’d find a mix of scenes there, including the black professional scene. You might also want to drop by The Davenport Lounge in nearby Upper Kirby if you really want to search for the scene.

Otherwise you can head north to 19th Street in the Heights neighborhood (west of Yale St) for a little bit of “small-town-in-the-city” feel, if that’s more your thing. The Galleria Mall is also close by if you absolutely can’t live without shopping in a mall, though honestly I’d prefer going to Highland Vilage or the new River Oaks District, but that’s just me.

[curbur]

If money isn't an issue, stay in Downtown at the Four Seasons, or Hotel Indigo or Aloft in Uptown next to the Galleria. If not, stay in a Hyatt or Hilton nearby as both of those places will give your greatest concentration of nightlife and restaurants to choose from in town. These are easily Houston's two epicenters. Unfortunately just like DFW, it's really spread out, so that means most family attractions will be a 5-25 minute car ride away from either of these two areas.

[FJB327]

Thx for the advice everyone.... I'll pay the extra cost to stay in uptown... ill avoid downtown since its a little further from the race park

[txstate]

Just stay off 610/290 area then.

[FJB327]

Originally Posted by txstate

Just stay off 610/290 area then.

I was just gonna ask about tht area. Priceline is calling it brookhollow. I see hotels on 290 within 5 minutes of 610. Would that be a good area to have my cake and eat it too.

Get vibe of houston or at least be a short drive to it and also close to friends home for thanksgiving activities near sam houston race park