The Woodlands Travel and Things to Do Guide

Located 27 miles north of downtown Houston, The Woodlands is more than just a Houston suburb - it is a beautifully master-planned 28,000-acre community with a reputation for being "green" in all senses of the word. The area is a model of New Urbanism, offering the ultimate in walkability and connected by landscaped walking paths, hiking and biking paths, and a trolley system. The Woodlands venues include green space in parks, private golf courses, and greenbelts – perfect for outdoor meetings, parties, weddings, concerts, picnics, and other gatherings.

With easy access to George Bush Intercontinental Airport, about 25 miles away, The Woodlands has lured more than 1,700 businesses and corporations to its environs, including major energy, media, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and administrative companies.

For large meetings and conventions, two properties dominate: The 4 Diamond 343-room The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center 70,000 square feet of meeting space that underwent a $6.2-million renovation in 2010; and The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center with 406 guest rooms, 60,000 square feet of meeting space, four restaurants and lounges, and five swimming pools with whirlpools, waterfalls, slides, and a 1,005 foot lazy river.

Special event venues in The Woodlands include The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, which is ranked first in the world in ticket sales for outdoor amphitheaters by Pollstar Magazine. It is also summer home of the Houston Symphony as well as host to top touring acts from opera to pop. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion features two on-site, year-round rental spaces: the 1,600-square-foot Woodforest Bank Club; and the newly constructed 21,000-square-foot Pavilion Event Center.

Central to the business and community life is The Woodlands Waterway, a 1.4-mile transportation corridor and linear park. Residents and visitors alike can hop on one of six Waterway taxi cruisers and travel to offices, residences, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, and parks in The Woodlands Town Center, a 1,000-acre pedestrian-friendly hub of leisure and business activity including the 1.2 million-square-foot Woodlands Mall. Town Green Park is at the heart of Town Center, and features many community events throughout the year.

Waterway Square boasts impressive fountains and water features, and is surrounded by Class A office space and unique retail, restaurant, and entertainment venues. Market Street is a 34-acre, Main Street-style special event destination, with outdoor shopping and dining, and home to the lovely Hyatt Centric The Woodlands, a boutique property featuring 70 luxury guest rooms and suites, and 2,690 square feet of meeting space.