THE HEIGHTS. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this neighborhood was established at the end of the 19th century as a suburb of Houston. Not far from Downtown, it was originally accessible by streetcar and was intended to be a clean, new escape from the growing city. Today, picturesque Heights Boulevard is lined with quaint Victorian homes, parks, and churches ­ perfect fodder for sightseeing and for checking out vintage architecture.

HOUSTON. One of the nation's busiest commercial ports, this area sees tons of traffic each day. Within its turning basin, tankers and other large ships shift position before heading back to the Gulf. For folks who want to check out the maritime activity, the Loop 610 bridge over the Ship Channel provides spectacular nighttime viewing of the oil refineries and their lights. Plus, the "Sam Houston" ship offers free 90-minute tours of the Ship Channel ­ reservations required.

HOUSTON. Labeled the "Eighth Wonder of the World" when it was built in 1965, the Astrodome was the world's largest indoor and only domed stadium at the time. When the baseball field's grass died due to a lack of natural light (after the ceiling's Lucite panels were painted over to cut glare), a new synthetic covering called AstroTurf was introduced. The Astrodome primarily serves as a venue for concerts and trade shows these days, supplanted by other structures in Reliant Park.