Things to do while in Houston for the Classic

Welcome to Houston! Besides taking in all the excitement of the Bassmaster Classic weigh-ins at Minute Maid Park and walking the aisles of Bassmaster Classic Fishing Expo at the George R. Brown Convention, stay a couple extra days and see some of things that Houston has to offer.

DOWNTOWN:

Parks:

Discovery Green Park has something going on all the time. Listen to local musicians perform live on stage. Plenty of room to fly a kite in March, or spread a blanket out and have a picnic.

Allen’s Landing is often described as “Houston’s heart” and Houston’s “Plymouth Rock.” It was here in 1836 that August C. and John K. Allen stepped ashore and claimed Houston as their own. The confluence of Buffalo and White Oak bayous also became Houston’s first port and a thriving commercial hub.

Museums:

Garage Mahal, the Art Car Museum is unlike anything you’ve ever imagined. It’s the only place you’ll find the antennae and wing-cloaked Roachster or the Honda motorcycle that has been transformed into a shiny red rolling stiletto art car. 

The Menil Collection houses the art collection of philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil. Widely considered one of the greatest of the twentieth century, the collection consists of more than 16,000 works dating from the Paleolithic era to the present day. 

Contemporary Arts Museum focuses on showing new work from national and international artists.  

Blaffer Art Museum serves as a catalyst for creative innovation, experimentation, and scholarship in contemporary art. As the gateway between the University of Houston and the City of Houston, Blaffer Art Museum fosters engagement and exchange by and among artists, curators, scholars, and the museum’s diverse audiences through exhibitions and public programs.

Sam Houston Park and the Heritage Society Museum are the city’s only interactive, outdoor museums. The site features structures dating back to the 1820s, including a 4th-ward cottage and a Greek revival house build for Rice University founder William Marsh Rice.

Don’t forget the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, Children’s Museum of Houston, The Health Museum, Holocaust Museum Houston, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Theater District:

The A.D. Players founded in 1967 by Jeannette Clift George, pioneered a unique style of theater committed to producing plays and programs that uphold human value, offer creativity and promote literacy and education. From a small group of part-time actors, the company has increased in size to one of Houston’s largest resident theaters, impacting more than nine million people. 

Bayou City Theatrics The Houston-based music theater company specializes in producing unique performance pieces you won’t find elsewhere around the city as well as their own version of Broadway favorites such as Aida and Les Miserables.

Broadway at the Hobby Center sponsored by Bank of America presents first-rate touring shows direct from Broadway and London’s West End. A leader in subscription series programs and group ticketing, BAA-Houston is dedicated to creating memorable experiences for all guests.

Chamber Music Houston has been presenting great chamber music by great performers for 46 years. Each year, the Chamber Music Houston board of directors sifts carefully through more than 100 internationally recognized performing groups. 

Side trips that kids and adults will like:

Port of Houston: Set sail on a free, 90-minute boat tour of the Port of Houston. While on board the 90-passenger boat, you’ll learn about the history of the seaport and be able to watch ocean freighters and barges navigate the 50-mile channel.

Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center, is Houston’s No. 1 attraction for international visitors and the only Smithsonian Affiliate in the greater Houston area. Discover the exciting future and remarkable past of America’s human spaceflight program set among the largest collection of space artifacts in the southwestern United States. There are more than 400 space artifacts including flown spacecraft, the largest collection of moon rocks on public display and at least three major exhibits a year, Space Center Houston offers an array of exciting attractions for people of all ages. A must-see is the new international landmark Independence Plaza presented by Boeing. It is the only shuttle replica mounted on a shuttle carrier aircraft, and the only place where visitors can enter both vehicles. The eight-story, multiple-exhibit complex gives visitors a rare glimpse into the historic shuttle era and the NASA breakthroughs and technological advances gained from the Space Shuttle Program which impacted future exploration.  

Part attraction, part restaurant, the 500,000-gallon Downtown Aquarium complex is multi-functional destination boasting a Ferris wheel, an aquatic carousel, Shark Voyage, a white tiger exhibit and a restaurant. The spectacular wall-to-wall aquarium view complements the surf-and-turf menu. Parents can dig into silky lobster bisque and crabmeat-topped Gulf red snapper, while the little ones nosh on popcorn shrimp, ‘sand dollar’ pizza and ‘Captain’s’ grilled cheese. During dinner, keep an eye out for scuba divers feeding fish in the restaurant-set tank.  

The Houston Zoo is an exciting live animal adventure that provides a unique educational and conservation resource. Set in a 55-acre lush tropical landscape, the zoo is home to more than 6,000 exotic animals representing more than 800 species. Visitors can experience the wonders of Africa at The African Forest, the new 6.5-acre, $40 million addition featuring chimps, rhinos, and giraffes.

Sports and Recreation:

The NBA Houston Rockets will be playing in Houston the week of the Classic at the Toyota Center. The Rockets were winners of back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995 and continue to be top competitors in the Western Conference of the NBA. 

Houston Parks & Recreation public golf courses include Memorial Park Golf Course, Glenbrook Park Golf Course, Sharpstown Park Golf Course and F.M. Law Park Junior Golf Course.

Shopping and Restaurants:

Space does not allow the listing of all the great shopping centers, including the Galleria, Memorial City Mall and Katy Mills Mall. Same thing for all the great places to eat. If you can’t find a great place to dine, you haven’t looked very hard

And, if you don’t mind a short drive down I-45, take a one-day trip to Galveston. Walk the beach along the Gulf of Mexico, let the kids collect seashells and get their feet wet in the surf. If you brought your fishing tackle, try your luck at catching speckled trout, redfish, flounder or any of the other inshore saltwater fish.

There’s much more to do, see, and sample on your trip to Houston and Lake Conroe for the 2017 Bassmaster Classic. Go here for more information.