COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHY GIVE UP ON TOURISM NOW, WHEN WE’RE SO CLOSE? “The appeal of San Antonio as a tourist destination is completely lost on me. Riverwalk is poorly done and the Alamo doesn’t exist (and is not a point of pride in any case). Do they really get that many tourists who are not there for a convention? I honestly believe that if they turned the Astrodome into an indoor ski center and updated the Spacecenter then that + great food + Schlitterban + Menil + reasonable prices makes Houston worthy of a 1-week family vacation in the summer.” [Patrick, commenting on Comment of the Day: Houston Is Not a Destination]
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I just got back from Hawaii, and let me tell you Galveston hotels are far more expensive than in Hawaii. There is plenty of demand for vacation just from our local 6 million.
Sea World and Six Flags are what we are missign. Paging Tilman Fertitta ….
San Antonio has great charm (thanks to historic preservation and public projects), but the Riverwalk has evolved into an amusement park of gluttony. If New Orleans and San Antonio can become tourist destinations, Houston can too longterm, plain and simple, it just needs vision.
We’re just as well stacked geographically and while their 19th century history is more interesting, our 20th-21st century history is more interesting.
the alamo is a great draw as are the spanish missions. the commentator who says the alamo is not a point of pride evidently doesnt know his history or has never seen the crowds inside observing with silence and respect.
The Alamo doesn’t exist? What?
San Antonio riverwalk is charming.
Lots of beautiful missions, including the Alamo.
Theme parks for the kids.
Mexican market / restaurants right downtown / near the Riverwalk.
It is like if you had restaurants like Spanish Flower in Houston within walking distance or overlooking Buffalo Bayou + Buffalo Bayou was nicer + we had Disney World here for kids. Plus something like San Jacinto monument + historical sites that are within a few miles of downtown.
Houston can be a tourist town but it will never be like New Orleans or San Antonio which have historical charm and an area of town that is iconic to their city as well as theme parks in SA’s case. But Houston can be more like Chicago / NYC drawing tourists who want to experience a big city / shopping / dining etc. I think better public transportation to Galveston would also be great for tourism.
Why does everyone leave the MFAH off the short list of great things to do in Houston? I’d think it comes before the Menil for width and breadth of collected items. Not to mention the films…
Plus it’s as hot in NYC, DC, Dallas, Philadelphia in the summer! And I know several people that have second home IN Houston and come for the winters, food and wonderful people.
Call me a snob, but I for one would rather have a few motivated travelers coming to see the Menil and things like it, than gobs of tourists coming to experience whatever monstrosity the chamber of commerce might dream up as a ‘destination’.
Who on earth said the Alamo doesn’t exist, or isn’t a point of pride? People who respond to comments should have the courtesy of actually reading the comment they’re responding to first.
Umm…the Alamo DOES exist (I saw it recently – there it was), and it is quite a source of pride for many Texans. To those of us who appreciate it, it’s a symbol of the sacrifice, heroism and patriotism of our ancestors.
Please stop posting dispeptic dribble like this.
San Antonio has the top three attractions in Texas:
No. 1: The Alamo
No. 2: The San Antonio River Walk
No. 3: Sea World of Texas
It is not as hot in NY, DC, or Philly in the summer.
You might be able to find a day or two where it gets as hot in those places as Houston. But then there are the other 6 months of summer when it is not.
Conversely, 6 months of the year in this part of Texas range between acceptable and downright orgiastic. As bad as we want to go up north during our endless summer, they want to go someplace warm during month after month of grey, slushy, windswept misery.
The Alamo is important to Texans, because 3 years of Texas history is required in school, and the Alamo’s importance can be appreciated and put in context.
Most out of staters I know who have visited the Alamo usually respond with something like “THAT’S IT?!?”. I read earlier this year that it was one of the top 2 disappointing (or overrated or something like that) landmark in the U.S. With all of the talk about everything being bigger in Texas, I think a lot of people have a hard time imagining that an epic battle took place there – one that changed the course of history in the Western Hemisphere.
Why on Earth would you print this guys insults to the great city of San Antonio–the city is beautiful and facinating and the gateway to the Texas Hill Country–the RiverWalk is gorgeous and the Alamo is steeped in history–there is no Texas without the Alamo–it’s the symbol of the state!–the missions are beautiful and the zoo is world class–then you have Sea World–Fiesta Texas–really I question why Swamplot would make its Commment of the Day, some guy insulting a great proud historic city–I’m perplexed and more than a little disappointed
Not to mention this comment was a reply to my comment on Houston as a destination. I’m really seriously perplexed as to why this ridiculous comment, that few on here agree with would be chosen as a comment worthy of your “Comment of the Day”–who on Earth!!! would chose Houston over San Antonio as a tourist destination?!!! Look, I love Houston and think it’s underrated but come on, people love to visit San Antonio, it’s one of America’s favorite cities–
Yeah, the first time I saw the Alamo, there was a Woolworth’s across the street. I was shocked and disappointed. But you have to realize the city has grown up around it. It is pretty small too (the gift shop seems bigger!) So to out of staters, yeah it’s a shock.
But let’s quit obsessing about Houston trying to be a tourist town. It’s not. We get the odd conventioneer or business traveler. That’s ok. Houston is a great place to live. Enough said.
San Antonio is nice to visit once or twice. After that I found it very boring.
What makes the Alamo impressive is the fact that it is so small. Why would anyone care if they held off an entire army holed up in a giant fortress?
Do y’all really want hoards of tourists especially the mainland Chinese coming here and annoying the shit out of everyone with their spitting and shitting in the middle of the roads and their pushing, shoving, and disconnection from the citizens who live here. Houston doesn’t need to be a tourist city. It’s fine the way it is!
Mike: Take your own advise…