@IWannaHelp let me educate about Rice which unlike Northwestern isn’t twenty miles from the city and doesn’t border towns like Skokie and Wilmette. This is a good resource I put together.
Houston is the 4th largest city in the country. It has 10,000 restaurants. Rice neighbors:
- Texas Medical Center - (Rice touches it)
The largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research. The center contains 54 medicine-related institutions, consisting of 21 hospitals and eight specialty institutions, eight academic and research institutions, four medical schools, seven nursing schools, three public health organizations, 2 pharmacy schools and a dental school. The Texas Medical Center is the 8th largest business district in the U.S.
- Museum District (Rice neighborhood) The Houston Museum District is an association of 20 museums, galleries, cultural centers and community organizations located in Houston, Texas, dedicated to promoting art, science, history and culture. Attracts 8 million visitors annually. Many are free to students.
- Rice Village (next to campus) Rice Village, is a fashion-oriented shopping haven with an eclectic mix of national brand names and unique, one-of-a-kind boutiques. The Village, as it is known by locals, has been one of Houston's oldest and best-loved shopping destinations since the 1930s. With more than 300 shops / restaurants in the immediate 16-block area, Rice Village is known for its small and eclectic shops and boutiques. Rice Village is also home to some of the best and most varied places to eat in Houston, featuring Italian, French, Indian, Mediterranean, Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants.
- Hermann Park (few blocks campus) Hermann Park is one of Houston's most-visited public parks. Situated between Fannin Street and Cambridge Street, it is within walking distance from the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, and the Museum District. The historic 445-acre (180 ha) park space is home to numerous cultural institutions including the Houston Zoo, Houston Garden Center, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Hermann Park Golf Course.
- The neighborhood around campus Rice campus is surrounded by multi-million dollar homes owned by TMC doctors, Rice professors, oil executives and professional athletes.
- Within couple miles all on Metro Rail (station Rice Campus)
- NRG Stadium (2 miles) Home to NFL Houston Texans. Host 2017 Super Bowl.
- Toyota Center (4 miles) Home to NBA Houston Rockets. Host 2016 NCAA Final Four.
- Minute Maid Park (4 miles) Home to MLB Houston Astros.
- Jones Hall / Wortham Center (5 miles) Home to Houston Symphony and Grand Opera
- Within 15 minutes in city
- Chinatown Houston is home to the second largest Asian population in the United States (behind Los Angeles), so naturally a part of the city is full of restaurants and businesses run by the Asian community. The area is known colloquially as “Chinatown,” but is by no means limited to only Chinese influence. Originally, Chinatown was located on the East side of Houston (now known as EaDo, now has grown and largely relocated to the Southwest. This section of Southwest Houston is populated by Houstonians with Vietnamese, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Korean, and many other heritages.