Houston is a city in Southeastern Texas that was named after the military hero Sam Houston. It covers a land area of 539.6 square miles and has a population of over two million people. Houston is an inland seaport linked to the Gulf of Mexico, a location that makes it a major manufacturing and distribution center for the southern United States. Although the city has a very desirable climate for its mild winters, its humid climate produces some very hot summers.

Houston is a sports fan's utopia. Whether you have a passion for baseball, basketball, football, or soccer, there is a team to cheer for in Houston. The Houston Astros is the Major League baseball team. Their stadium is called Minute Maid Park. It's a great location to spend a sunny summer afternoon enjoying America's favorite pastime. Houston's National Basketball Association team is known as the Houston Rockets. They play at the Toyota Center, a venue they share with the Women's National Basketball Association team called the Houston Comets. If football is your game of choice, you'll want to check out Reliant Stadium, which hosts the National Football League's team the Houston Texans. Major League Soccer is played by the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium.

If you're more into the arts, you'll want to head over to Wortham Center in the Civic Center Complex. Wortham Center is the home of the Houston Ballet and the Houston Grand Opera. Also in the complex is Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts, home of the Houston Symphony. In close proximity to the Complex, you will find the Alley Theater, which is home to a professional repertory acting company; and The Hobby Center for the performing arts, which opened in 2002.

Houston is home to many museums covering a wide range of art and history. The Meril Collection covers tribal cultures to 20th century antiques. There is also a Contemporary Arts Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts which has an outdoor sculpture garden. If you're more into history than art, closer to downtown you will find the Museum of Natural Science, The Museum of Medical Science, and the Burke Baker Planetarium. There is also a collection of 19th century buildings by the Heritage Society.

If you're looking for outdoor activities not involving sports or arts, you might want to check out some of Houston's parks. There is a variety of wildlife to see in the Houston Zoo, which is located in Hermann Park. If a day at the zoo doesn't appeal to you, perhaps you will enjoy some of Houston's parks. The old cliché about everything being bigger in Texas certainly seems to apply to these parks. Opened in 1924 at the former site of a World War training camp, Memorial Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Located in Memorial Park is the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, which covers 155 acres. It is open daily and admission is free. And, if you still need more wide open spaces, there is always the Armand Bayou Nature Center. At 2500 acres, it is the largest urban wilderness preserve in the United States.