May be going to the Texans and dolphins game in a couple weeks. I’ve been to Houston a couple times but basically in and out for work. Is the area around NRG stadium good to stay in? I see there are a few hotels, is this a walkable area for game day? I’ll have my young son with me, so don’t really need an area with a good night scene. Would like to be able to stay nearby and walk to the game. But I know Houston is not really a “walking city” or at least the areas I’ve been to. Any advice or recommendations would be helpful.
OT: Houston question
- Thread starter ronpolk
- Start date
I've lived in Houston since 2006. I lived about 3 miles from NRG for several years. I would not recommend the hotels within walking distance of NRG.
Depending on your budget, I'd suggest staying at Hotel ZaZa. Good food. Great hotel. Right next to Hermann Park, Zoo, and the Museum. A train station that drops you in the NRG parking lot is also within a block of Zaza. It's pricey, but should cover everything you need for a football game.
If that is too pricey for you, check downtown.
There is only one hotel that I'd stay in in the Galleria nowadays and it's way too expensive (Post Oak Hotel). Even places like Hotel Derek have run themselves into the ground. Hotel Derek makes me sad too - me and the wife stayed there the night of our wedding in 2010. We stayed there for a date night earlier this year and it's a ******** now. The entire place smelled like marijuana.
If downtown and Zaza don't work, go to the suburbs and find a nice Marriott.
Depending on your budget, I'd suggest staying at Hotel ZaZa. Good food. Great hotel. Right next to Hermann Park, Zoo, and the Museum. A train station that drops you in the NRG parking lot is also within a block of Zaza. It's pricey, but should cover everything you need for a football game.
If that is too pricey for you, check downtown.
There is only one hotel that I'd stay in in the Galleria nowadays and it's way too expensive (Post Oak Hotel). Even places like Hotel Derek have run themselves into the ground. Hotel Derek makes me sad too - me and the wife stayed there the night of our wedding in 2010. We stayed there for a date night earlier this year and it's a ******** now. The entire place smelled like marijuana.
If downtown and Zaza don't work, go to the suburbs and find a nice Marriott.
Went to a game there in 2022, same as you, with a young son (10 at the time), in December matter of fact. So maybe I can help you. Stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Houston Medical Center, and it was fine, nice hotel and decent price. Lot of opposing fans there with kids, and nice breakfast area. We drove in, parked at the hotel, and Uber'ed the next morning to NRG, which was a breeze, but we got there a few hours early. HOWEVER, getting out of there was a nightmare. All Ubers were bad expensive and taking forever. So we bailed out and just walked. Went Fannin, up to Old Spanish Trail, then cut through the medical area there to get back to hotel. It was fine, never really felt weird, although it wasn't say, the nicest area ever. It also wasn't bad, but I'm used to that sort of thing. It was a little over 2 miles, but again, I'm used to walking.
You can pretty much drive anywhere, outside the game. We went over to the area from Hermann Park up around Rice and up to I-69, it's all a nice area. We ate at hotel, game, and then went up to In-N-Out way up on the northeast side. Just had to dodge the tolls. Left early Monday morning.
Anyway, that's what I did. I don't know much else about Houston. I don't much about the train, I'd probably look into that nowadays since I've been doing some of that the last year or so in other cities and I like the convenience, but again, all trains will have a few unsavory characters it seems like.
Hyatt Regency downtown is nice enough and usually inexpensive. My kids love it because it's one of those hotels with a huge atrium and glass elevators that you can look out as you go up 30 stories or so.
Unless you get out in the suburbs you'll likely pay around $50/night for valet parking wherever you stay in Houston.
If you have Chase points you can get great value by transferring them to Hyatt. I can usually book this hotel for 6500 points per night.
I've stayed at a Marriott hotel, Springhill Suites or something, just north of that stadium and walked to the game. It's very walkable on gameday. Not a lot really around it other than some chain stuff though, but Houston's big enough you can go to where you want to eat.
Speaking of which, go to House of Pies. Get the Bayou Goo. It's amazing.
Take the kid to NASA. It's cool.
Get some good BBQ of course. Truth BBQ, Blood Bros, & J-Bar-M are all in the city and top of class according to Daniel Vaughn.
If I were in Houston number one on my list would be Brisket and Rice. Vietnamese rednecks combine killer Brisket and BBQ fried rice. Done.
I got the BBQ plans already covered… I understand there is a buc-ee’s location right off I 10… can’t pass up that brisket****
seriously, thank you for the recommendations! Definitely a good Tex mex spot or bbq spot (or probably both) will be visited.
Lots and lots of good options (duh!) for Tex-Mex. I'm very partial to Lupe Tortilla. Didn't know the place at all the first time I was taken, but I've always had superb meals there. When I lived in the Houston area, we took all of our out-of-town guests there, and they all loved it.
Interesting watch and love a good risk taking and first/second gen immigrant story. Thanks for sharing.
Also love fried rice and brisket so now I'm hungry.
Yeah, that video was very interesting. The fried rice looked amazing
From going to the Oklahoma State game there in 2013, I don’t remember there being much of note around the stadium. Seemed like it was just that and the Astrodome and not much else nearby. Guess I’d join the “don’t stay near the stadiim” contingent.
Speaking of top golf, the one in Ridgeland has to be getting close to opening. It looks completely built.
Yep that seems to be the consensus. I will probably follow missouridawg’s advice. I’m not even 100% sure we will go. My son would love to go. It’s unfortunate but I’ve passed on 2 of my worst qualities to him… being a dolphins and Mississippi state fan. I foresee a lot of Saturday and Sunday’s of hopelessly staring at the TV with a lot of pain.
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