Plans for the 20 l I COCA Convention in H ouston, TX a re we ll under way to make thi s years co nven tion another exciting COCA event. l know
that it seems like the 20 I I COCA Co nve ntion is a long ways off, but I also know th at it helps to make travel plans we ll in advance. I am se nd you a li st
of th ings that you mi ght want Lo co nsider doin g whil e in th e Houston area. l hope that thi s will help yo u whil e makin g your travel a rrangements. For
those of you who showed interest in bus transportation, we are still workin g on thi s and hope lo have thi s in for mation by the next COCA spnng meet-
ing at the C hi cagolancl show. If you have any question s abo ut the convention, please feel free lo contact me al foxsnakc@ao l. com or on my cell phone,
4 14-350-7623 .
l hope to see yo u at the next Ch icagolancl Show, JVl arsha Blau
Things to do while in Houston
ArtCar Musewn - 140 Heights Blvd., Houston, Tx 77007 - (713) 861-5526
Housto n's arts com munity is a li ve and kickin g and one place yo u' ll find an iconic Houston a rts experience oil the beaten path is at th e ArtCar
Muse um. Displaying both fine and public art, ofi.cn in the form o f gussied up automob iles, the mu se um opened in 1998, as a natural outgrowth of
Houston's popu lar Art Car Parade
hllp: / /www. hell ohouston.com/ Articles/ Attraction /3 7 58/ ArtCar_Muse um_A_Houston_original.Cfm
Museum of Fine Arts Houston - 1001 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005 - (713) 639-7300
The .1vluse um of Fine Arts H ouston has impressive collecti ons, but perhaps the most im pressive thin g about it is how it manages lo be a repository of
great art whil e simu lta neo usly cxcucli ng an "everyone is we lcome".
vibe.hllp: / /www. hcll ohousto n. com/ Articles/ Allraction/3621 /1\llu se um_of_Finc_Arts_Houston_Art_for_cvcryo ne.Cfm
Moody Gardens - One Hope Blvd., Galveston, Tx 77554 - 1-800-582-4673
Looking for a multi-ge nerational fam il y outing in a tropi cal selling? Think of Galveston ·s Moody Garden s as Houston 's closes t thing lo Disney's Epcol
Center with a beach. Designated as H ouston's top touri st spot by Nickelodeon's ParentConnecl.com, the complex offers educational, conse rvation-
oriented ex hibits like th e Aquarium Pyramid and Rainforest Pyram id. But th ere 's also a crowd-pleasing, white sand beach, an IMA.,'C 3D theater, and
an amp hi theatre featurin g fam il y-focused shows.
hup ://www.hcll ohouslon .com/ Art icles/ Allraction/3762/ M oocl y_Garclcns_ Fu n_for_eve ryo ne.Cfm
Downtown Aquarium - 410 Bagby St., Houston, Tx 77002 - (713) 223-FlSH (3474)
H ous ton's D owntown Aquari um offe rs a mix of ac ti vities that just might span an exte nded fam il y's diverse se t o f needs. Educational exhibits for th e
yo un g schola r?
http: / /www.hellohouston.com/ Articles/ Attraction/3506/Downlown_Aquarium_showcases_aquatics_ricl es.Cfm
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens - 1 Westcott St., Houston, Tx 77007 - (713) 639-7750
Let's ge t past the name of the matron of Bayou Bend right away. Mi ss Ima Hogg's legacy an d amaz ing home has fa r surp assed any disco mfort she
eve r felt about her un fortunate moniker. Her estate, left to the Muse um of Fin e Arts, Housto n in 1957, was bu il t in 1928 for her and her brothers.
The Southern plantati on style hom e co ntains her memorab le collec ti on of Am erican decorative arts th at spans the 17t h ce ntury and beyo nd. Credit is
al so given to Miss H ogg for th e home's innovative a rchitecture and stunning ga rden s carved out of what had been a dense thi cket.
hllp: //www. hcll ohouston.com/ Arti cles/ Attraction/ 4599 / Bayo u_ Bcncl_To u r _to_thc_past.C f m
Houston Pre1niu1n Outlets - 29300 Hempstead Rd., Cypress, Tx 77433 - (281) 304-5820
The outlet mall , off o f Hi ghway 290 headin g west, is add ing 25 new shops fo r a total of 14-5 . There is trul y so meth ing for eve ryone in thi s a ll-star
shoppin g lineup: Mi chae l Kors, Escacla, J uicy Couture, Hurl ey, Im el , DKNY, Converse, Coldwater Canyon , 7 For All M anki nd, and Kate Spade arc
among the ma ny big names that a re currently at home here.
http: //www. hell ohouston .co m / Articles/ Attraction/ 5656/ Pre mi um_ Outlcts_All-sta r_shopping_li neup. Cfm
Pirate's Bay Water Park - 5300 East Road, Baytown, Tx 77520 - (281) 420-6597
O lder kids and adu lts will thrill at th e fl owricler surfin g machin e, whi ch creates a surfin g experience by moving a n endl ess mountain or water. Cov-
ered bleachers offe r a ni ce view for th ose watch ing th e surfer eludes in action.
http: / /www.hell ohouston .co m / Articles/ Attraction/395 7 / Pirates_Bay_ Water_Park_Ahoy_fun.Cfm
Houston Zoo, Houston - 6200 Golf Course Dr, Houston, TX 77030-1710
Situated in th e lovely H erm ann Park , H ouston Zoo is home to more than 4-500 a nim als from ove r 800 species.
h ltp: //trave l. yahoo.com I p-travc lgu icle-27 4458 1-houston_zoo logical_garclens_housto n-i ;_ylt =A ij lax Pr. 4-U q0yQPH pX x 17 jAFmoL
Space Center Houston, Houston - 1601 Nasa Pky, Houston, TX 77058-3145
Ever sin ce th e Apoll o Flights, Housto n has been sy non ymous with space travel. Space Ce nter H ousto n of NASA's J ohn son Space Center, all ows visitors
to study a nd understa nd the makin g of space history
http: // trave l. yahoo.com/p-trave lguicl e-2744-632-space_ce nter_ houston_houston-i;_y1t=AphXXQAn_ezE54-_XsGZCvC_AFmoL
Houston Fire Museum, 2403 Milani Street, Houston, TX 77006-2359 - + 1 (713) 524 2526 or + 1 (713) 524 5395
T he H ouston Fire Muse um a ims to capture th e ri ch history of the Houston Fire D epartm ent. For kids who li ke fire tru cks, th is muse um has a ''.Junior
Fireho use Educational Interactive Area," wh ich co nsists of mini ature bunker coals a nd helmets, an E-1 Cab to simulate th e fee l of a real fire truck, a
1938 REO antiqu e fire tru ck, and a video educationa l lib rary.
h llp: //attraction s.uptake.com / m use ums/ texas/ housto n / housto n_ fi rc_m usc u m_ 16883005 . h tm I
Military Museum. of Texas - 8611 Wallisville Rd, Houston, TX 77029-1313
D edicated to prese rving the memory of Texans who se rved in the a rm ed forces, th e Milita ry Muse um di splays uniform s, weapons, equipment, ve-
hicles and other memorab ilia th at elate back to Wo rl d War 11.
httv: //attractions.uptake.com/ mu se ums/ lexas/ houston / mi Ii ta ry _ mu se u m_of_ lexas_ 16882892 . htm I
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum - 1834 Southniore Blvd, Houston, TX +1 (713) 942 8920
The Buffalo Soldiers National Muse um ho uses a unique collecti on or arti facts relating to the African-American troop formed in 1866 by the U.S.
Arm y. Step back into time with videos, prints and oth er hi stori c mementos that a llempt to capture the brave and moving history of the Buffalo Sol-
di ers.
The History T he term " Bu ffalo Soldier" has its roots in the tribes of th e C heyenn e wa rri ors. In 1867, the ni ckname " Wil d Buffalo" was
given to any person who demon strated ex traordin a ry co urage and strength. O ve r time, the term was encom passed to incorpo rate . ..
htqJ: //attracti ons. uptake.com/ mu sc u ms/ texas/ ho uston / buffa lo_solcliers_nation a l_ mu se um_ 79503 24-. h tm I
Houston Maritime Museum. - 2204 Dorrington St., Houston TX 77030- +1 (713) 666 1910
Muse um offers insight into maritim e history throu gh historic ship models, the Lu ykx Navigation Instrum ent Collection and num erous nauti cal items.
The H ouston M a ritime Muse um is th e first of its kind in Houston.
hllp: / / attractions.uptake.com/musc ums/texas/ ho uston/ho uston_maritime_musc um_ 1803 1380.html
Saint Arnold Brewing Company - 2522 Fairway Park Drive, Houston, TX 77092- +1 (713) 686 9494
brewe ry@sainta rnold. comwww.saintarno ld.com
"Who does n't like free bee r. "
Brewery Tap - 717 Franklin St., Houston, TX 77002- +1 (713) 237 1537
Tap offers bee r snobs a wide variety of pricey brews lo choose from. The space itself is dark, but th e hu ge wood tables give the Tap a charm ing, Old-
World fee l. Add ing to th e relaxed atmosp here, clogs are as we lco me.
httl):/ / nightlifc.uptakc.com /brewe ri es/ texas/housto n/brewcry_lap_ 152699 16.html#ixzz I BGclv2 WV
Want to go for a ride and explore m.ore of Texas?
Driving distan ce from H ouston Lo San Antonio TX is 189 mil es, The ri ve r Walk, T he Alamo, the M ercado th e H ouston Street Historic Wa lki ng
tour and more. Other cities close lo Houston are Galveston, 4-8 mil es, Austin, 14-6 mil es, and Corpus C hristi is 184 mi les. The driving di stance from
Houston , Texas to New O rl eans, Loui siana is 35 1 mil es or 5 hours 32 minutes.