Houston Auto Show

Five days at Reliant Center, January 27 to 31, and the hours are not the same each day: Wednesday through Friday it runs 11am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 8pm, and Sunday 10am to 6pm. Sunday closes two hours earlier than the rest, which is the one that catches people out.

Go on a weekday if you actually want to sit in the cars. More than 500 vehicles are on the floor and most of them are open to climb into, but on Saturday afternoon there is a queue for the interesting ones and none at all on Thursday morning.

The Ride & Drives are the part worth planning around — they put you in a car on a real road rather than a carpeted hall, and they have limited slots. Camp Jeep, the indoor off-road course, is the equivalent for anyone with kids.

It is at Reliant Center, 8600 Kirby Drive, south of the Medical Center rather than downtown. Reliant parks by coloured lot and sells parking in advance. Admission prices are on their site.