On the Road

How to get the most out of small-but-spectacular Shenandoah

With its distinct Venetian-style architecture, the Portofino Shopping Center is a pretty place to browse.

With its distinct Venetian-style architecture, the Portofino Shopping Center is a pretty place to browse.

Photo courtesy of Visit Shenandoah

Looking for a destination for an overnight trip, weekend getaway, or family vacation? You might want to consider Shenandoah.

Situated in the booming North Houston area and adjacent to Conroe, Spring, and The Woodlands, Shenandoah packs a punch with more than 60 restaurants, 13 well-reviewed and affordable hotels, nine family-friendly entertainment venues, five shopping centers, and a variety of outdoor amenities such as four city parks, all in an easy-to-navigate, compact footprint of 2.2 square miles.

Here’s your short list for how to best enjoy Shenandoah:

Browse and shop
If you like to shop, Shenandoah is your mini mecca, with a multitude of options. You’ll love the Portofino Shopping Center, with its distinct Venetian-style architecture and mix of nationally recognized stores, specialty boutiques, and salons.

The Sam Moon Center is home to the eponymous Sam Moon Trading Company, which is renowned for its tremendous selection of affordable women’s handbags, jewelry, and accessories, as well as being home to a number of upscale resale shops including Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closet, and Style Encore. Be sure to check out Space Cadets and Violet K-Pop, stores that are sure to appeal to the anime, comic book, K-pop, and plushie toy-lovers in your family.

Adjacent to the Sam Moon Center is the city’s Metropark Square, which is quickly gaining awareness for its collection of Asian and women-owned restaurants, shops (like Daiso Japanese dollar store), and along with the Sam Moon Center, its breadth of family-friendly, indoor entertainment venues.

Shenandoah also has a variety of locally owned specialty shops worth exploring, including Bikeland and Bike Lane, each with a vast selection of road, mountain, and ebikes.

There's also Precision Camera & Video, one of the largest camera stores in Texas, which offers a variety of classes for the public.

Pop into Picket Fences, located just down the road in the city’s Research Plaza Shopping Center. It’s renowned for its stylish selection of furniture, home decor, gifts, and accessories, as well as its constantly rotating seasonal merchandise.

Dish and dine
Foodies, take note: There are actually two, twice-nominated James Beard semifinalists in town.

Le Cordon Blue-trained chef Ronnie Killen operates Killen’s Texas Barbecue, his nationally renowned barbecue joint known for its succulent smoked Texas meats and delicious sides. It’s sister location just received a Bib Gourmand designation in the inaugural edition of the Texas Michelin Guide.

Fellow Beard semifinalist chef Levi Goode operates his two upscale establishments, Goode Co. Fish Camp — known for its fresh Gulf seafood and robust cocktail program — and the Tex-Mex gem Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina. Be sure to ask about their Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie, twice named best mail-order pie in the U.S. by Bloomberg News.

New restaurants that opened in Shenandoah this past year include Adriatic Cafe, Gloria's Latin Cuisine, Kyu Ramen (featuring TBaar drinks), and Munch Munch Mochi Donut, Tea & Dessert, an Instagram-worthy mochi donut and creme puff shop that foodies won’t want to miss. Also coming to Shenandoah soon are Knead Me Bakery, KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, and Pluckers Wing Bar.

On the fast-casual front, be sure to check out Califa’s Tacos and Beer. This family-owned restaurant features Cali-style tacos and burritos made with the freshest ingredients, and has even been voted the best tacos in The Woodlands area.

Late-night cravings can be filled at Katz's Never Kloses deli, also recognized for having “The Best Sandwich in Houston” by the Houston Press' Readers’ Choice Awards.

Be sure to leave some room for dessert! Ice cream lovers are sure to find a treat at The Sweet Swirl, a shop that makes both soft and hand-scooped ice cream featuring Asian-inspired flavors, floteas, and coffee drinks; and SomiSomi, a new Korean-style ice cream and taiyaki store in Metropark Square.

See and do
Shenandoah is now home to nine family-friendly, indoor entertainment venues, and is gaining recognition as an entertainment and gaming mecca in the greater North Houston/Woodlands area.

In the past year, five new venues have opened in the Sam Moon Center and Metropark Square, and they include: BRKTHROUGH, Cheeky Monkeys, Color Me Mine, Escapology, and Game Show Battle Rooms. They join the city’s four other indoor entertainment venues: AMC Cineplex with IMAX, Dave & Buster's, Main Event, and Urban Air Adventure Park.

Looking to pamper yourself? Consider booking an appointment at the Aveda Institute, one of Aveda’s largest training centers in the country. You can get a variety of hair and body treatments for less as you help support students with their education (just be sure to allow a little extra time). Master trainers work alongside students as part of their training.

Shenandoah is home to four outdoor parks, including Vision Park, the city’s newest, which is home to Shenandoah Veterans Point at Vision Park, a lovely outdoor plaza and memorial honoring residents that have served in the armed forces. Outdoor enthusiasts can also connect with nature at the W.G. Jones State Forest, which is one of the nation’s largest working urban forests, or the George Mitchell Nature Preserve, with its miles of hike and bike trails across 1,800 acres — both are just minutes away.

For a full list of places to see, shop, stay, and savor, head over to Visit Shenandoah.

BRKTHROUGH Shenandoah

Photo courtesy of Visit Shenandoah

BRKTHROUGH has 40+ unique, high-tech challenge rooms.

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Downtown News

Dallas convention center re-do will shut down DART stop for 3 years

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

Courtesy photo

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is about to shut down its stop at the Convention Center Station for the next three years.

The agency is being forced to close the station to accommodate the city of Dallas' construction and redevelopment of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. As part of the project, the station will be closed for the duration of construction, which is currently estimated at three years.

The Convention Center Station is a stop on both the Red and Blue lines, and the shutdown will affect anyone traveling to or from southwest Dallas. North Dallas, Plano, Rowlett, and Carrollton will thankfully be spared.

Rail detours
Riders who previously used the Convention Center Station will be directed to nearby alternative stations at Cedars or EBJ Union. DART has prepared clear signage, rider alerts, and bus connections to support customers and make navigating the closure as easy as possible.

Bus detours
Routes 28 and 106 will maintain regular service outside of downtown. Within downtown, instead of taking Lamar to the Convention Center, the bus will turn left on Young Street, right on Akard Street, right on Marilla Street where the Akard and Marilla bus stop is located (stop number 20685).

Outbound, routes 28 and 106 will turn left on Young Street, right on Lamar Street and then proceed on their regular route.

Layover at Akard and Marilla: Passengers deboard at Cedars Station and take the special South Dallas GoLink to bus stops at Akard and Marilla or to EBJ Union Station.

Route 224 will operate a detour going inbound. Inbound trips will come downtown via Elm and continue to Houston, turn left on Commerce and continue to Harwood. It will then turn left to go to the East Transfer Center where it will layover. Outbound trips will originate from the East Transfer Center and operate a regular route out of downtown.

Layover at East Transfer Center

Passengers arriving by train can deboard at Convention Center Station to board route 224.
Another option for passengers is to deboard at Akard Station, then board 224 at Elm and Akard.

Route 383 East Transfer Center is your final stop. 383 will not continue past this station. This route will be discontinued on February 02, 2026.

DART will implement a new GoLink Zone for Convention Center Station customers that will only provide service for trips originating at EBJ Union Station, Cedars Station, or the substitute bus layover location on Akard and Marilla and terminating at one of those locations.

The service will operate 7 days a week, from 5 am to midnight. Customers using this GoLink Zone may only travel between these three designated points.

All changes will be reflected online and in the GoPass app for the duration of construction.

downtown transportation

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