Houston has a humid subtropical climate, prevailing winds bringing in the heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico during most of the year. Summers are swelteringly hot and humid, making air-conditioning a necessity rather than a luxury. Summers are characterised by afternoon thunderstorms, which bring rain most days, and sometimes tornadoes. Winters, by contrast, are cool and temperate, with no snow but some rain. The coolest month is January.

The ample girths of the average Texan testify to the good eating on offer in the Lone Star state. Houston just about edges out Dallas in the battle for best regional dining scene and is home to some truly excellent restaurants. Don't miss trying the two great indigenous cuisines Tex-Mex and Barbecue.

Visitors to Houston are well advised to hire a car, which is relatively inexpensive and provides the quickest and most convenient way to navigate the spread-out city. There are plenty of car parks and a well-managed road system. To hire a car, a full national driver's license is required and drivers must be at least 25 years (some companies hire cars to those aged 21 to 24 with surcharges). Those opting for public transport will find that the Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) has it well covered with an efficient and extensive bus service, as well as a new light rail line which links Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. Correct change is required for on-board bus fare boxes, or purchase tokens or a day pass in advance from local stores sporting the Metro sign. Taxis are a rather expensive option, though readily available downtown.

Houston is a very kid-friendly city, making this a perfect destination for a family holiday or fun-filled long weekend. Very few children aren't excited by the idea of space travel, so launch your visit with a trip to Space Centre Houston, the visitor base for NASA's Johnson Space Center. There is plenty to see and experience here, including space flight simulators. The Orange Show is one of the quirkiest, most popular and engaging attractions in Texas. Created over 24 years by Jeff McKissack, a retired mailman, this is an architectural wonder of walkways, arenas and sculptures using found objects and decorated with mosaics. It's hard to explain, but children invariably have a strong connection with this unique artwork. The Houston Zoo is a 50 acre facility on the grounds of Herman Park. It has a children's zoo that aims to teach and delight in equal measure. Old MacDonald Farm on the edge of town is a petting scale on a truly Texan scale with 12 different petting environments for the children to get up close and personal with the animals. The excellent Children's museum of Houston is a hugely interactive and fun experience for children of all ages - and adults too! Exhibits like Kid-TV give youngsters a hands-on feel for what it's like to put on a TV show. Finally, head to Six Flags AstroWorld for a day of roller-coaster rides, carnivals and shows that will get young and old screaming for more.

English is the most common language but Spanish is often spoken in south-western states.

The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.

Houston's nightlife is focused on Midtown in the area, downtown near Montrose, and in the Uptown area around the Galleria.

Houston is one of the very few American cities to have resident performance companies in symphony, ballet, opera, and theatre. The main downtown venues are Jones Hall, the Alley Theatre, and the Wortham Theater Center. In terms of modern music, Houston does have venues for live gigs but doesn't attract the cachet of musicians that nearby Austin does for example. The best venues are The Big Easy, which has a great blues lineup, and McGonigel's Mucky Duck for acoustic performers.

Houston has plenty of mega-clubs in the city centre. Check out the vast expanse of HUSH for techno and house, and Liquid for Latin and hip hop. Clubs and bars generally have a smarter dress code than many are used so it's worth dressing up before a big night on the town. For details of nightlife options check out The Houston Press, published every Thursday with full listings of who's playing and what's hot in the city.

Texas is a state where you either go large or go home, and Houston's shopping is no exception. Here the malls and credit card bills are super-sized - so be careful when embarking on a shopping spree! Houston's most famous shopping zone is undoubtedly the Galleria, the fifth largest retail complex in the USA. It hosts high end stores and all the big names in fashion along so-called Millionaire's Mile, with 320 shops in total plus high quality entertainment and restaurant options in a glitzy, gleaming mall where it is quite normal to wear sunglasses. If this is all too intense for you, stop by the Galleria's predecessor Highland Village which has all the glitz of the quality stores without the elitist attitude. At Uptown Park visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of a European village as they stroll from store to store. In Kirby District you can find The Village, a 16-block shopping zone with plenty of boutiques, galleries and spas aimed at the more affluent shopper. Finally, Houston's oldest department store, Foley's, has recently become Macy's but is still a pleasant and worthwhile place to shop. On weekends don't miss Trader's Village, an enormous flea market with everything from jewellery, and clothing to tools and old Texas number plates. A great place to find a really unique memento of your visit to Houston. An ideal souvenir of your Houston visit is some Western gear - look no further than Pinto Ranch which stocks belt buckles, boots, saddles and even ten gallon hats.

The largest city in Texas offers visitors plenty to see and do making it the perfect destination for a short holiday or weekend away.

Culture lovers will enjoy the Museum District, which features 16 varied and interesting museums as well as numerous restaurants in this leafy green area where travellers can stop and rest their weary legs, grab a bite to eat and move on to the next museum, or relax under the shade of a tree in Herman Park. And while you're in the area, visit the Miller Outdoor Theater to see what's on, check out the animals at the Houston Zoo or get into the swing of things on the Hermann Park Golf Course.

For something completely unique check out the quirky Orange Show, a celebration of orange folk art while science lovers will make a pilgrimage to the Lyndon B Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake where they can view the actual Apollo and Mercury launch vehicles and even check out the space flight simulators.

Visitors should get hold of the Houston CityPass, which is valid for nine days and entitles bearers to free admission to six of the city's attractions.