THE Texas Tourist Town for Out-of-Staters: SA, Austin or DFW?

[Lakewooder]

The fair is more than one building - it's the largest collection of Art Deco Exhibition Buildings in the world and is a National Historic Landmark. If you had been to the neighborhood you would know that Expo Park has some great bars, restaurants, shops and galleries, also many lofts and even brand new townhomes (Terrill Owens lives in one).

Also the new DART Fair Park Station (one of many on the new rail line) will be open in a year or two. A recent study shows that the other areas around the fair have relatively little crime compared to other areas.

[AK123]

Tootsiewootsie, I'd have to disagree as well. Having lived in both Austin and Houston, and extensive experience in the other cities (especially San Antonio) - I'd say Houston has lots to do. Much more than Austin... which has the capital, a few museums, and the outdoors/scenery, but not much else I'd recommend for visitors.
Houston has a fabulous museum district - the Natural Science museum is one of the most visited in the country, and the Fine Arts and Menil are highly recommended. The Zoo, Hermann Park, NASA, Kemah... the Clear Lake/Bay Area ranks 3rd in the country for number of pleasure boats, and nearby Galveston has the beaches and cruise boats that go out to the Caribbean... can't find all those in other Texas cities.

Moderator cut: Off topic

[TootsieWootsie]

I totally get your point about Houston having things to do, after all, I did live in Houston/Bellaire for 22 years.
HOWEVER, after having lived in DC and Chicago...well, Houston is definitely NOT a city I would ever recommend to anyone for sightseeing.
You cannot ever convince a Houstonian that there is just not enough there to entice conventions and the like to come there, because they are so sold on the Texas culture. But, for those of us who are not from there, Houston just does not have enough UNIQUE and different things to do.
One of the BIGGEST deterrents to not visiting Houston according to the sales staff at the convention bureau is...believe it or not...the weather, the humidity and heat. And that Houston cannot help.
If I come back to Texas, my one goal in life there is to visit the Texas State Fair someday (along with Iowa's). Hokey? Yeah...but I don't care. Sounds fun to me. And I cannot believe for the life of me that I left there after 22 years and never went to it...dumb, dumb, dumb!!!

**You know that the people in Texas were shocked that they taught the story of the Alamo in Illinois schools (yes!)?
Now SA is worth the trip for that alone, I think. And don't let me hear any people say that they "saw the Alamo..and pffft! it was nothing,"" because they surely don't understand the story behind the Alamo then.

[C2H (ComingtoHouston)]

Tootsie, i think you're just tired of Houston and that's why you think everything is so great and wonderful everywhere else. Just like me, i grew up in Colorado and can't see why alot of people think its so great.