Houston

Houston's history is tainted with oil, and its modern landscape is dotted with skyscrapers belonging to Citgo, Shell, and a slew of other companies. What you may not realize is that Houston has grassy parks, eclectic galleries, a thriving art scene, and Tex-Mex restaurants all competing for attention downtown. And, outside of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston is one of the best shopping destinations in Texas: Have you heard of the Galleria?

There are also plenty of nice hotels to stay in, as well as a variety of fun things to do with the kids, such as the zoo and the children's museum. Those with a keen interest in space can learn everything there is to know about NASA's program at Space Center Houston, while science buffs can visit the extensive Museum of Natural Science. So it's a huge sprawling city of more than 2.3 million people, but with pleasant weather almost all year, a plethora of entertaining festivals, and plenty to do, you should give it a shot.