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Uptown - Houston Hotels .com

With over 5 million square feet of retail space, the Uptown District offers shopping on a Texas-sized scale. Its most famous destination is the Galleria (5075 Westheimer Rd.), the largest shopping mall in the state of Texas and the fourth largest in America, with over 350 shops representing such luminaries as Armani and Versace. However, Uptown is much more than the Galleria: here you'll find many upscale boutiques as wells as commonly available chain stores and popular eateries. The neighborhood also has the distinction of being home to Houston's largest hotels, hosting over 20 million visitors a year. Part of the retail success of the area is due to the discretionary income of its residents; the average per capita income within a 3 mile radius of the neighborhood is higher than that of Beverly Hills, California.

For the visitor weary of shopping, there are several ways to spend an enjoyable afternoon or two. The Galleria's own ice skating rink, recently voted by the Dallas Morning News as one of the "Best Places to People Watch," has been a celebrity hangout for actors Tom Cruise, Kevin Coster, Oliver Stone, Janet Jackson, along with Olympians Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton, to name a few. For the epicurean traveler, not to be missed is Cafe Annie (728 Post Oak Blvd.), an extremely popular restaurant serving southwestern cuisine which has garnered top awards from chef James Beard and Gourmet magazine.

For outdoor recreation, adjacent to Memorial Park (4501 Woodway), is the Houston Arboretum, home to 155 acres of natural forest and native plants. Both a recreational site and a wildlife preserve, the arboretum features five miles of trails that wind through the wooded areas, as well as daily guided tours and educational programs.