Houston, with its 4.8 million inhabitants, is the fourth most populous city in the United States and is also one of the most family-friendly vacation destinations in the country, with many facilities and attractions created with families and children in mind. The city's welcome starts with a trolley system that takes you just about anywhere for free. The city's cultural community is well-supported. In fact, Houston is one of just five cities in the United States that sustains all the major performing arts with resident troupes.

Some of the historical "Must See!!"s in this sophisticated south western state are the Alabama Midland Railway Depot (Ashford ), the Atlantic Coastline Railroad Passenger Depot (situated at the junction of Powell St. and Headland Ave., Dothan) , the Dothan Municipal Light and Water Plant (126 N. College St., Dothan ), Dothan Opera House (103 N. St. Andrews St., Dothan ), Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (100 W. Troy St., Dothan), Main Street Commercial District, and the Purcell-Killingworth House. Their architectural styles vary from the Gothic to the Queen Anne and are a remainder of all the various influences that have left their mark on Houston.

Houston is renowned throughout the world as the home of the Texas Medical Center, the Lyndon Johnson Space Center, the Astrodome, the third largest port in the United States, and the San Jacinto Monument. The Texas Medical Center has one of the finest concentrations of medical facilities in the world located in one area. The Texas Medical Center is a monument to human achievement, knowledge, and ingenuity.

Located on NASA road, in the Clear Lake area of Houston, is the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, from which the nation's space missions are controlled. The space center has made Houston synonymous with the nation's space achievements. It was from the space center that man's first moon landing was directed. On display on the grounds of the center are replicas of the various spacecraft developed by the U.S. space program.

The Multipurpose Astrodomain achieved a lot of firsts, both nationally and worldwide, when it was opened in 1965. The complex includes the Astrodome, a domed Stadium; Astroworld, an amusement park; and hotel and convention facilities. Hailed as the "Eighth Wonder", the Astrodome is the first domed stadium ever constructed.

The Port of Houston has been one of the busiest ports of call for national and international ships ever since its completion in 1914. The ship channel extends from the Turning Basin down the Buffalo Bayou through Galveston Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. The Port of Houston is one of the few ports that handle containerized cargo.

The San Jacinto Monument and Museum are located on the San Jacinto Battleground. The edifice was erected as a tribute to the Texas army which, led by General Sam Houston, defeated the Mexicans in 1836. Atop the monument - the tallest masonry structure in the world, fifteen feet taller than the Washington Monument - carved in stone is the Lone Star of Texas. The sun dial on the main axis of the monument was erected by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Moored near the battleground since San Jacinto Day, 1948, is the Battleship Texas, open to visitors year-round and containing a museum of documents and memorabilia of its long service in the U.S. Navy.

Nature lovers might be surprised to know that this part of Texas has a warm, humid climate similar to coastal Louisiana. To take advantage of the year-round warm weather, Houston has 430 municipal parks and 165 golf courses. Parks are abundant throughout the city. The 545-acre Hermann Park, which contains the zoo and public recreational facilities, was named for George Hermann, an affluent Houstonian who, in 1914, donated the land for the park. Memorial Park is the largest public park in Houston, stretching over a thousand acres. The park contains the Houston Arboretum and botanical gardens and numerous recreational facilities.

Tranquility Park, designed by Charles Tapley and dedicated on the tenth anniversary for the first lunar landing, is a tribute to man's achievements in space travel. Neil Armstrong's words, transmitted from the moon, "Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has Landed", are written in many languages on plaques placed at the entrance to the park. The mounds and depressions on the park's surface represent the cratered lunar surface.

Named after the founders of Houston, the Allen brothers, Allen's Landing Park is situated on Buffalo Bayou at Main Street. Undertaken as a Bicentennial Project by the city, Allen's Landing is a historical theme park.

Houston plays host to a number of museums such as the Mickey Leland Library & Museum, The Museum of Fine Arts which features art from Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas from antiquity to the present. The Children''s Museum of Houston helps ignite a life-long passion for learning in children through interactive exhibits and innovative programming in the areas of science and technology, history and culture, health and human development, and the arts. The American Cowboy Museum in the century-old Taylor-Stevenson several hundred acre-ranch, focuses on African-American cowboys and cowgirls.

Various other entertainments include The Houston Ebony Music Society / Houston Ebony Opera Guild, a company of classical singers based on Houston's African-American community and committed to the expansion of opportunities. The Magic Johnson Theatre is the third in the Cineplex chain built by former basketball great Magic Johnson. It has a 12-screen, 3,500 seats-built theatre that anchors a mall, new stadium-style seating for unobstructed viewing, sparkling facilities, and attentive polite staff. The Traditional African Art Gallery contains a collection of African art acquired over the past four decades.

Whether you're a history buff, connoisseur of the arts, or just out for some good ol' fashioned fun, a trip to this sophisticated Southwestern city is guaranteed to make your spirits take flight!