nowhere is the expression “everything’s bigger in texas” more prevalent than in its largest city: houston. whether you live inside or outside loop 610, you are just minutes away from some of the biggest and most significant institutions in the country. one of houston’s biggest annual events is the houston livestock show and rodeo. with an average yearly attendance of over 2.5 million, it is the world’s largest livestock and rodeo event. for three weeks in march, everyone can tap into their inner cowboy by watching or participating in bull riding, livestock judging, concerts, carnivals, and a slew of shopping, art auctions, and food and wine tasting. texans are known to be big on fun, but thanks to the cultural metropolis of houston, texans are also big on the arts. downtown houston is the host of the museum district, which includes resident companies in all major areas of performing arts. at any time of the year you can catch an opera, a ballet, a symphony, or countless theatrical performances. if retail therapy is your favorite activity, houston’s galleria is the largest shopping mall in texas. for the sports-nut, reliant stadium, minute maid park and the toyota center are all home to houston’s professional sports teams. for a truly otherworldly experience, one can visit nasa’s lyndon b. johnson space center. with such an important institution in our nation’s history located in the heart of texas, it is no wonder that houston is nicknamed “space city”. while houston is the fourth-largest city in the u.s. and has some of the tallest buildings in the country, houston still can’t give up texas’s wide-open spaces. for the nature lover, memorial park is located right in the middle of the city. if you’re working in the downtown area, you can have a picnic, take a jog, or even play some tennis—all during your lunch hour. in case that wasn’t enough, the buffalo bayou runs right through downtown. with opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking, the great outdoors is just a few feet away from all the big city pleasures. being big has its advantages. whatever you’re looking for, houston has enough room for it. whether you want the comforts of modern life or want to feel like a texas cowboy, houston truly is the biggest and best.