The massive metropolis of Houston, sprawling across the Gulf Coast plain of East Texas from its busy port, is almost twice the size of the entire state of Rhode Island. Even with this heavy urban concentration, though, Houston is green and lush, sited at the end of a belt of forest coming down from the north, and characterised by marshlands and bayous lined with cypress trees in the southern reaches.

Houston, named after former Republic of Texas president Sam Houston, is hot and humid. To make life more bearable in the close-packed downtown area much activity has gone underground. The city centre sports an air-conditioned seven-mile (11km) pedestrian tunnel system full of restaurants and shops. Unlike most cities, downtown in Houston is the hub of residential development, so it remains busy and bustling long after dark.

Texas' largest city is not generally a sought after tourist destination, being concerned more with business than pleasure and leisure. Computer manufacture, gas and oil, and a huge concentration of medical institutions account for most of the economic activity, but all those hard-working citizens have to play sometimes, and there are some good attractions like excellent museums, the amazing Astrodome sports pavilion, some wonderful theatres and, thanks to the cosmopolitan mix of its residents, some ethnically diverse cuisine on offer in its many restaurants and neighbourhoods. For visitors the absolute 'must-see' in Houston is the famed Space Center, mission control for the US space programme.

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Address: 1601 NASA Parkway Houston

Admission: $19.95 (adults), $15.95 (children 4-11). Other concessions available. Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, weekends 10am to 7pm (extended hours in summer)

Telephone: (281) 244 2100

The visitor's Space Center is attached to the headquarters of America's manned space programme, Nasa's 'Mission Control' that directs the space shuttle project and guided the pioneering astronauts. The Space Center, Houston's most popular tourist attraction, is located at Clear Lake, 20 miles (32km) southeast of downtown, off the Gulf freeway I-45. There are numerous wonders to behold at this facility, which both entertains and educates, from a mock-up of a space shuttle to an Imax theatre and hundreds of hands-on exhibits. Tram tours run every half hour taking in the highlights, including Rocket Park where retired spacecraft come to rest, Mission Control and even astronauts in training.

Museum District

Address: Houston

Admission: Most institutions have free admission, otherwise entry fees range from $2-9 for adults Various

Telephone: (713) 715 1939

Set within a scenic part of central Houston is the city's Museum District, featuring 16 varied and interesting institutions and numerous restaurants set among some lovely green spaces like Hermann Park. One of the highlights in the area is the Byzantine Fresco Chapel on the corner of Branard and Yupon Streets containing 13th century frescoes from Cyprus. There is also a children's museum, contemporary arts museum and the Houston Holocaust Museum. One of the most interesting museums in the district is the Museum of Health and Medical Science, which features a walk-through re-creation of the human body. The Menil Museum has a collection of contemporary, surrealistic and 20th century art in an interesting building at Sul Ross. In Hermann Park is the comprehensive Museum of Natural Science and Planetarium, the Houston Zoo and a Japanese Garden.

The Orange Show

Address: 2402 Munger Street Houston

Admission: $1 Wednesday to Friday 9am to 1pm; Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 5pm (31 May to 6 September). Saturday and Sunday only 12pm to 5pm (10 March to 31 May and 6 September to mid-December)

Telephone: (713) 926 6368

For a touch of the bizarre call at the Orange Show to see how obsession can become art. A former postman spent 26 years of his life assembling a collection of weird and wonderful objects and meshing them together into a labyrinth of passages and staircases, almost all of it orange. The result is a quirky curiosity, which is billed as 'folk art'.

Sam Houston Historical Park

Address: 1100 Bagby Street Houston

Admission: $6 (adults) for Historic House tours; Museum gallery free Museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sundays 1pm to 4pm. Historic House tours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm, Sundays 1pm and 2.30pm

Telephone: (713) 655 1912

The Sam Houston Historical Park near the city's visitor centre in Bagby Street provides visitors with a large as life look at Houston history. The 19-acre park features seven of the city's oldest buildings that have been restored and relocated here. The oldest building is a small 1826 cabin that originally stood at Clear Lake, while one of the more recent is the 17-room home built in 1905 for oil field pioneer Henry T. Staiti.

Bayou Bend

Address: 1 Westcott Street Houston

Admission: $10 (adults), Admission to the gardens is $3 (adults) Other concessions available. Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. Guided tours are available Tuesday to Friday 10am to 2.45pm and Saturday 10am to 11.15am, but advance reservations are necessary. No guided tours in August. The gardens are open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm

Telephone: (713) 639 7750

The magnificent muted pink mansion in the marshy elbow of Buffalo Bayou in Houston's River Oaks area was the home of Miss Ima Hogg, a woman much loved in the community until her death in 1975, at the age of 93. Miss Hogg left her home and the gracious gardens that surround it as a legacy for the city. The house contains a remarkable collection of Americana and is regarded as a cultural treasure, with several thousand objects displayed in 28 period room settings in the mansion. Miss Hogg designed the gardens as outdoor living rooms, fed by bayou waters, and today they continue to provide a peaceful oasis in the heart of the metropolis planted with indigenous species as well as exotics like azaleas, camellias and magnolias.

National Museum of Funeral History

Address: 415 Barren Springs Drive Houston

Admission: $10 (adults), $7 (children) Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm; Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 4pm

Telephone: (281) 876 3063

At Barren Springs near Houston's International Airport is the unusual private museum run by a major funeral company in the United States, dedicated to funeral memorabilia. Customs, rituals and traditions associated with burial from ancient Egypt to the present day are covered in this interesting institution. Highlights of the collection are restored horse-drawn and vintage automobile hearses, and a unique 1916 Packard funeral bus. The museum also features a gallery devoted to the funerals of the famous, containing memorabilia from the funerals of Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy and Rudolph Valentino.

Rodeo and Livestock Show

Where: Reliant Park,Houston

When: 2-21 March 2010

Houston's raunchy rodeo is the largest in the world, and its accompanying livestock fair second in size only to the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. This three-week spectacular not only includes the world-beater rodeo competition and about 35,000 livestock entered in different categories, but it also offers hundreds of other agricultural-related activities from pig races to pony rides, and premier concert entertainment.

Houston Children's Festival

Where: Various venues in downtown Houston,Houston

When: April 2010 TBA

This major family fun event has become one of the biggest children's events in America, designed to bring out the child in everyone. The weekend-long festival includes 14 family 'adventure zones', all offering themed rides, games, activities, crafts, exhibits and sports. There are also several music stages pumping out ongoing entertainment, from health and fitness demonstrations to techno and karaoke. The Festival is organised by Child Advocates Incorporated and is in aid of abused children.

Houston International Festival

Where: Stretches across 16 acres of parks and streets around Tranquility and Sam Houston Parks, downtown Houston,Houston

When: April 2010 TBA

Each year a different country has the opportunity to be highlighted at Houston's massive celebration of international culture (Out of Africa in 2008). Houstonians love festivities, and this is one of the city's biggest and best, filling two weekends and 20 downtown blocks with music on outdoor stages, street performers, ethnic food stalls, craft booths and art exhibits. Dancing in the streets, fun and games and people-watching are the order of the day.

Buffalo Bayou Regatta

Where: Sesquicentennial Park on Houston's waterfront,Houston

When: March 2010 TBA

Houston's Buffalo Bayou, the waterways that weave through downtown, beckons visitors and locals alike to join in the fun at the annual canoe and kayak regattas, and Dragon Boat Festival. The serious racing is complemented by a hilarious 'Anything that floats' race, a relaxing picnic in Sesquicentennial Park, educational environment and nature demonstrations, and a trash pick-up with prizes.

Houston International Jazz Festival

Where: Bayou Place,Houston

When: 6 - 8 August 2010

Summertime in Houston is made even hotter during the first weekend of August when a variety of international jazz performers take over at Bayou Place for the annual Houston International Jazz Festival. Whether you prefer your jazz in Latin, contemporary or smooth mode, it is catered for at the Festival. It marks the start of a month-long citywide focus on jazz during which local clubs offer promotions and lectures, and radio stations focus on the popular music genre.