Northwest Airlines Flights from Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS) to Houston (IAH)
As part of booking roundtrip flights which depart from US airports,
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Northwest Airlines, which operates a non-stop flight everyday except Wednesday from Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS) to Houston (IAH), regularly scheduled to depart at 2:40pm and arrive at 6:50pm. Usually a Boeing 737 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Houston, TX is 11 hours and 10 minutes.
During your Houston vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park
A couple of blocks from Houston's visitor center is this park, which serves as a repository for eight of Houston's oldest houses and buildings, moved here from their original locations. The oldest dates from before Texas's Independence; it is a small, simple cabin originally built close to where NASA is today. Another house was built by a freed slave in 1870. There's a church dating from 1892. The Heritage Society restored them to their original state and furnished them with pieces from the appropriate eras. The only way to see these buildings is by guided tour, which leaves every hour on the hour from the tour office at 1100 Bagby; it takes about 45 minutes. The guides are well informed and add a lot to a visit here. The Heritage Museum can be visited without taking the tour. It's free and features permanent exhibits on Texas history.
Museum of Health & Medical Science
We have all heard about what an amazing thing the human body is, but just how much do most of us know about its workings? This family museum will surprise most visitors with its extensive use of audio, video, holograms, and medical technology to provide a graphic view of human physiology.Because of the Texas Medical Center, Houston has a large medical community, which has been the driving force behind the creation of this museum. With additional contributions from corporations and individual doctors, it has constructed an eye-catching interactive exhibition called the Amazing Body Pavilion. The exhibit is itself a metaphor for the body. Visitors enter through the mouth and proceed down the digestive tract learning about all the organs that process our food. (Children seem to think this is pretty cool.) The exhibit covers all the major organs in ways that provide lots of interaction for children, and explanatory text and monologues by little holographic figures are well written and manage to provide info that most adults will find interesting. Of course, with so many doctors involved, you can be sure that there will be some preaching about the need for a good diet and to avoid smoking, and don't expect the museum's snack bar to offer any junk food. But do check out the gift shop; it has an assortment of curious and intriguing items that you won't easily find elsewhere.Seeing the exhibit takes a little more than an hour. One other note: You might want to ask at the front desk about the next scheduled organ dissection. When I was there, the organ of the month was the sheep brain; I opted to forego the performance.
Battleship Texas and San Jacinto Monument & Museum
On the San Jacinto Battleground in 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico with a crushing surprise attack by the Texan forces, whose battle cry was "Remember the Alamo!" To commemorate that victory, civic leaders in 1936 built a towering obelisk as tall as the Washington Monument but topped with a Texas Lone Star. In the base of the monument is a small museum of Texas history with some interesting exhibits, such as one about the relatively unsung Texas hero, "Deaf" Smith, and a collection of watercolors of the Mexican War painted by Sam Chamberlain. There is also a small auditorium where you can watch a 35-minute documentary of the battle. If you would like to view some of the Port of Houston as well as the rest of the land for miles around, you can take the elevator up to the observation room in the top floor of the tower, which is more than 500 feet above the ground.Across from the monument, in roughly the same place from where the Texans began their advance, is the USS Texas. Built in 1914, before improvements in warplane technology made these large dreadnought battleships vulnerable, she is the last of her kind. Between the wars the navy modernized the ship with antiaircraft and torpedo defenses, but it's still surprising that it survived World War II, having fought in both the Atlantic and the Pacific theaters. When you visit you can clamber up to its small-caliber guns or onto the navigation bridge, inspect the crew's quarters and check out the engine room. Life on board was no picnic -- the quarters were cramped and facilities were minimal -- so it is interesting to learn that this ship was considered a lucky assignment. Plan on at least an hour to see the Texas, and as much again for the monument.
Four Points
This is a businessperson's hotel that's comfortable and well situated. It has easy access to the freeway, and you can get in and out quickly without having to negotiate a parking garage. The location is convenient -- between downtown, the Rice University/Village area, and the Galleria. Rooms are being thoroughly remodeled and have plenty of light. The furnishings are modern and functional without looking cheap; some rooms have sofa sleepers. Improvements include plush new mattresses -- one king-size or two doubles -- and well-finished bathrooms (medium size).
Drury Inn & Suites Near the Galleria
One of the best lodging values in this area is this Drury Inn. Rooms are midsize and comfortable, with extra-long double beds for tall folk. Instead of the usual easy chair and ottoman, there is a recliner; the TV is larger than normal. King rooms are slightly larger and come with microwave and fridge. While the bathrooms are of okay size, they offer limited counter space. The hotel doesn't have a restaurant, but it offers free evening cocktails Monday through Thursday and a breakfast buffet every morning. Guests also receive an hour of free long-distance calls within the U.S.
Best Western Downtown Inn and Suites
Located in the shadow of downtown's skyline, this hotel offers convenient location and extra large rooms with one king-size or two queen-size beds. On the down side, style takes a back seat to comfort and convenience, and there's no restaurant or room service. The greatest savings are had during the week; for a weekend, I would pay a bit extra to stay at one of the fancy hotels.
