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Shopping
If you thought Houston was all about barbeque ribs and rodeo, think again. From the Galleria Shopping Center -- the fifth largest mall in the country -- to the artsy Montrose area and the Antique Pavilion in the Kirby District, this city offers some of the finest shopping in the country.

With five million square feet of retail space, Uptown is where it's at, rivaling even Beverly Hills for its demographics and shopping. It's the Uptown's famous Galleria that takes center stage, showcasing more than 400 shops, including well-known boutiques with unprecedented luxuries and daily bargains. It even has its own colossal skating rink. With 24 million annual visitors, the Galleria is by far the most popular shopping and tourist attraction in the city. (And of course, if it's hand-made cowboy boots and a Stetson that you're after, add the nearby Pinto Ranch to your list.)

Houston loves malls -- and they're everywhere! But one aspect that makes the Texas capital such a unique shopping experience is the sheer number of specialty shops and boutiques you'll find inside the malls. From hard-to-find French brands at Meli-Melo in Rice Village, to the NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway store at the Katy Mills Outlet Mall, there's something for everyone in Houston. Just 25 miles west of downtown, Katy Mills features over 200 specialty shops, as well as themed restaurants, a rock-climbing wall, and a 20-screen movie theater.

If antiques and folk art are your passion, then the Heights and the hip Montrose area offer a fun alternative to mall shopping. Specializing in second-hand shops and antiques, these two districts are closely connected and related in terms of the kinds of merchandise. The colorful Montrose neighborhood especially has numerous galleries, exhibiting and selling all kinds of Mexican craftwork, from portraits, antiques and ceramic, clay, metal and wood artifacts and figures, to the most varied artistic elements.