Tex and the City

However, for Carrie Bradshaw-style and substance, Houston is trending in America, topping the 'best of' lists for shopping, food, culture and sport - and it has the added advantage of a fabulously warm climate all year round - not quite as hot as the Abu Dhabi featured in the aforementioned film but with just as much luxury.

Far from living up to any Southern stereotype, America's fourth-largest city has all the fascinations of a major city and, as you would expect in Texas, the attractions are bigger and better.

Texas might be harder to get to but it has one of the top airports in the world and is well-equipped to deal with the huge numbers of visitors it receives every year.

As Houston has won accolades for so many aspects of city life, it’s hard to focus on one. As the New York Times stated in a recent article: “Maybe that’s what makes Houston such an unusual and wonderful place - there are so many different Houstons to see.”

As such, I will summarise this diverse city’s major points of interest.

Shopping

Forget New York’s Fifth Avenue, Houston is an internationally acclaimed shopping destination that runs the gamut, from vintage to today’s hottest designers, with deluxe malls boasting hundreds of shops.

On a trip to NASA, my partner and I took a trip with Houston’s top tour operator - Roberto Hernandez. He told us that his most popular tour for Americans takes in all the major retail parks and malls. Staying Downtown at the Indigo hotel, we headed to the nearby Galleria, Houston’s premier shopping destination, with more than 375 fine stores and restaurants and a full-size ice rink. However, a word of warning - you will need a Texan-size wallet if you want to do more than mere window shopping as the prices are more Dallas than Dagenham. But the luxury stores it boasts are full-on Big Apple - you can have breakfast at Tiffany’s, style and substance at Sak’s, and big-name designers at Neiman Marcus.

If the Galleria is too rich for your blood then you could head Uptown to Highland Village, which is a more European-style shopping centre - though maybe a little more upscale. It also features more speciality shops - great for Christmas shopping.

Most of the chain stores are catered for in the huge Katy Mills Mall, a sprawling shoppers’ paradise covering 1.3m sq ft. And there’s also something for the kids - at Outdoor World, there is a giant aquarium and rock-climbing wall. While Memorial Mall pulls out all the stops, with a wealth of stores, food and entertainment choices. River Oaks is Houston’s oldest mall and is worth seeing for its Art Deco styling. But the most popular place to shop is Houston’s premium outlets - a designer discount Heaven with hundreds of big names. And, of course, there is a wealth of farmers’ markets, independent shops, and the romantically named Historic Heights district, with an abundance of vintage fashion.

Culture

If you were dazzled by the designer gems on offer in the malls, then prepare yourself for the glittering jewel of the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals at the Museum of Natural Science - the world’s finest gemological collection. The rooms are lit from within with some of nature’s finest stones, scintillating in the darkness.

However, first you need to get past Stan, the guardian of the museum. The famous skeleton of a huge T-Rex greets you as you enter. A museum with exhibits that appeal to children and adults alike, I can see why is it one of the top 10 most visited attractions in the US, with an IMAX theatre, planetarium, and butterfly centre.

All the museums are in one district and I definitely recommend the nearby Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH), the oldest museum in Texas yet striking in its modernity. For instance, this building features possibly the most beautiful corridor in the world - a beguiling light tunnel that is actually a piece of modern art called The Light Inside. But there is not just modern art, there are also famed photography exhibitions, and Rembrandts sitting alongside major exhibitions featuring works from all the major art museums in New York. While a short drive away is The Menil Collection, which boasts one of the most important private art collections in the world and features ancient, Byzantine, Surrealist and modern treasures.

There are many more museums to visit, including the Children’s Museum, Holocaust Museum, and Funeral Museum, but for those who want to experience more living history - and a true taste of the traditional Texan lifestyle, there is always the George Ranch Historical Park, just outside Houston, with costumed re-enactors and historic homesteads.

To see some of the more traditional actors, head to the Theatre District, which spans 17 blocks. Houston is one of only a few US cities with permanent resident companies in opera, ballet, music, and theatre. Like New York, there is Broadway, which offers the biggest hits direct from New York and the West End at the famous Hobby Centre. Houston also has an “off Broadway”, just like New York, which is a district with cheaper productions. p> While Houston Pavilions has a House of Blues and Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar.

Food

Like New York, Houston is a centre of culinary excellence with a wide variety of choice, from Tex-Mex to Chinese through every ethnicity. If you are in the Pavilions, then it’s worth checking out some of the bars and restaurants. The hip crowd hangs out at The Grove restaurant and bar, while The Roof is nearby in Downtown, famed for its rooftop terrace overlooking the skyline.

Some of the best restaurants in the world can be found in Houston. Foodies should try out the Where The Chefs Eat tour, where top international chefs showcase the best restaurants in the city. Though, at $180, you might want to take pot luck - after all, with 8,000 restaurants on offer in the city, you won’t be stuck for choice. Texan’s tourist office recommends Mark’s, Da Marco, RDG Bar Annie, and Chez Roux for some of the fanciest upmarket dining experiences.

Sport

Houston boasts professional teams for every major sport and is a major destination for fans. And don’t just think it’s confined to sports like American football (though the Houston Texans team might well disagree). The Dynamos are the city’s professional soccer team and won the Major League Cups in 2006 and 2007. And why not improve your handicap on some of the world’s finest golf courses. Tee-off on a course where some of the greatest names have stood at Memorial Park - the original host if the Houston Open. Or, for a country club experience, why not try the Redstone Golf Club. It boasts a Tournament course which has hosted the PGA Tour open and was designed by leading architect Rees Jones. Though, if you want to take in the all-American atmosphere of a truly home-grown sport, then why not watch baseball with the Astros at Minute Maid Park or catch some basketball by watching the Rockets at the Toyota Center.

NASA Space Center

You can’t discuss the merits of Houston without discussing the city’s major employer - NASA. Home to some of the world’s finest astronauts, we were taken on a tour of Mission Control, the Saturn 5 rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programmes until 1973, and the astronauts’ training facility - which all have the wow factor. Plus I recommend the jet simulator, which allows you to spin through 360 degrees as you fight moving targets (even though we had the embarrassment of being told the NASA staff were watching us on a small monitor!). Also, take in the space artifacts, such as the original spacesuits worn by the astronauts, and buy space food in the souvenir shop.

Galveston

Near NASA, and somewhere where I wanted to visit but couldn’t find the time, is Galveston Island. Like The Hamptons in New York, Galveston is an upmarket holiday resort with historic Victorian architecture - and three glass pyramids overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. There is luxury accommodation for guests, as well as fine dining, spas and a beach, with a waterpark for the children.

To make the most of the above attractions, I recommend the City Pass, currently on offer for $39 ($29 children) which allows free entry to six top attractions, including NASA. Visit www.citypass.com/houston. To book a tour, visit www.houstongs.com, email Roberto Hernandez on robertoh@hostongs.com or call 281 558 5882 when you are in Houston. Prices at the Hotel Indigo are from $187.69 per night. Visit www.houstonluxuryhotel.com. Flights to Houston are about £450. Visit Delta Airlines on www.delta.com for details.