Midtown fills the 1.24 square miles between downtown and the Museum District, and it is built for getting around without a car. The METRORail Red Line runs down Main Street with three stations, Wheeler, Ensemble/HCC and McGowen, so museums, the Medical Center and downtown are each a short ride away. In the 1970s Vietnamese immigrants built a Little Saigon here; many businesses later moved west, but Vietnamese street signs and a heritage plaza in Elizabeth Baldwin Park keep the story visible, and the city designated the area Little Saigon in 2004. By day, the line outside The Breakfast Klub is a Houston rite. By night, the bars around Bagby Street and Midtown Park pull a young crowd. For culture, The Ensemble Theatre, founded in 1976 by George Hawkins, stages work centered on the African American experience on Main Street.
What to expect
- Street spots are metered; there is a garage under Midtown Park at 2811 Travis.
- Bagby Park, at 415 Gray, has shaded lawn under sycamores and red oaks.
- Glover Park, at 3104 Austin, is designed for dogs and their owners.
- Elizabeth Baldwin Park, at 1701 Elgin, has century-old oaks and a new playground.
What to do
- Wait in line for wings and waffles at The Breakfast Klub
- See a show at The Ensemble Theatre
- Ride the Red Line south to the museums
Where to eat nearby
- The Breakfast Klub
- Brennan's of Houston
What to see
- The Ensemble Theatre
- Midtown Park
- Elizabeth Baldwin Park
- 1.24 square milesArea
- Wheeler, Ensemble/HCC and McGowenRed Line stations
- Officially designated in 2004Little Saigon
- Founded 1976 by George HawkinsThe Ensemble Theatre