Houston, Texas, USA - travel review

Houston is rapidly dispensing with the prejudices historically linked to Texas and the nearby Deep South and has earned a much-deserved reputation as America's metropolitan melting pot.

This weekend the world's eyes will be focussed on Space City as Superbowl LI touches down.

Thousands of new hotel rooms have been built, the city's George R Brown convention centre has been expanded, and an estimated one million people will enjoy free concerts, games and food downtown.

And it seems nothing can stop the United States' fourth largest city.

By the end of the decade it is expected to overtake Chicago to become America's third city behind New York and Los Angeles.

More than 2.4 million tourists a year visit Houston with direct flights from Manchester Airport with the award-winning Singapore Airlines starting at the end of last year.

Whether it is sport, food, art, science or shopping – Houston has it all and is now considered the coolest city in all 50 States according to Forbes magazine.

The city is synonymous with the Space Race and is where President J.F. Kennedy made his famous 'we choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard' speech.

It's also home to the Johnson Space Centre – NASA's Mission Control for the Apollo Moon landing project and space shuttle programme.

You can visit both the Johnson Space Centre and the nearby Space Centre Houston which has more than 400 space artefacts including the iconic Nasa 905 shuttle carrier aircraft and replica shuttle.

The landmark attraction is the world's only shuttle replica mounted on a shuttle carrier where the public can step inside both aircraft.

Inside the centre are also a lot of interactive games where visitors can experience what it feels like to take off into space or try to solve space problems.

If sport is your thing then the city boasts a team in every major professional league except the National Hockey League.

The Houston Astros (baseball) play at the impressive Minute Maid Park which was once the city's main train station.

Houston Rockets (basketball) play at the Toyota Centre, and the Houston Dynamo (soccer) are based at the BBVA Compass Stadium. But all attention is currently on the NRG Stadium, home of the American Football team Houston Texans, which will host this weekend's superbowl. The 72,000-capacity venue will host the world's biggest single sporting event with Lady Gaga performing the half-time show.

Away from the sporting arena is the vibrant Houston Museum District. With 19 museums including the 50-acre Houston Zoo, the district is one of the largest cultural districts in the country, with more than half a million square feet of exhibition space, and is also one of the most vital in the nation, drawing seven million visitors annually.

And they are all within walking distance of one another and accessible by METRORail, the city's tram line.

The Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1900 and is now largest cultural institution in the southwest region. The encyclopedic collection of the museum numbers more than 65,000 works and embraces the art of antiquity to the present. It has one of the world's largest photographic departments with more than 20,000 images and hosted a stunning Degas exhibition.

Founded in 1922, the Houston Zoo is an exciting live animal adventure that provides a unique educational and conservation resource serving more than 1.9 million guests each year. Set in a 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 exhibit that recreates the wilderness habitats of some of the continent's most majestic animals.

One not to miss is the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It's one of the most attended museums in the United States with more than two million visitors per year. Permanent exhibits at the museum include one of the largest world collections of dinosaurs.

Houston is also one of the finest performing arts cities in the world. The Theatre District spans 17 blocks and has 12,948 seats in a concentrated downtown area.

Beyond the skyscrapers of downtown, a diverse array of smaller companies call Houston home, offering a unique blend of cutting-edge performing arts and well known classics in a variety of intimate settings.

The latest figures show that more than four million people experience the magic of live theatre in Houston every year. The city boasts its own ballet, grand opera, and symphony orchestra.

For shoppers, they can indulge in their passion in The Galleria.

The mall has 400 shops and restaurants and is so big it has its own ice-skating rink.

More than 30 million people each year visit The Galleria which has Macy's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus as some of its anchor stores.

Below the skyscrapers is the beautiful Buffalo Bayou Park and waterway that spans 160 acres and stretches along the perimeter of the downtown. It is a little bit of heaven amid the bluster of one of the world's biggest cities.

It's well worth taking a cycling tour which you can arrange through Bayou City Biking Tours. For those that don't fancy getting in the saddle you can arrange a tour of the city with fantastic tour guide Richard Cook via Texantours.com.

And if there is one thing that Houston does well, it's food. There are now more an 10,000 restaurants to choose from catering for all tastes.

Jackson Street BBQ, in the shadows of Minute Maid Park, is the ultimate for legendary Texan BBQ.

The Grove inside Discovery Green Park is located in the heart of downtown and does a fantastic range of steaks, seafood and desserts. A stunning location for an evening meal.

A great place to try for lunch is Lowbrow on West Main Street. It has great comfort food in a relaxed setting. It's speciality is fried Brussels sprouts – it will change your perception of them for ever and you will want them again and again.

Houston also boasts some brilliant craft beer brewers and most restaurants and bars will stock their local produce. A tour of 8thWonder Brewery is a refreshing visit.

Underbelly restaurant epitomises Houston in food form. Diverse and cosmopolitan, chef Chris Shepherd uses local ingredients and fuses them with cultural influences from Houston's different ethnic and backgrounds. His food is an experience in itself.

To try the best Mexican food in the city head to Caracol close to The Galleria. You will struggle to find somewhere as tasty again. Chef Hugo Ortega is a genius.

I travelled on Singapore Airlines maiden flight from Manchester. Just shy of 10 hours, Singapore Airlines offer pure luxury with an incredible menu, drinks selection, and in-flight entertainment and comfortable seats.

With attentive and polite cabin crew, it's no surprise the airline is regularly voted as one of the world's best. They take the stress out of flying and get you ready for an amazing trip.

Worried about finding something to do in Houston? You'll have no problem.

By Rob Golledge