Smack Dab In Houston's Center Is A Prestigious Neighborhood With Luxe Shops And High-Class Art

Everyone knows Houston is a thriving city that's home to some of the best attractions in Texas, including NASA's Johnson Space Center. While Houston boasts a population of nearly 2.5 million residents, there's a neighborhood within the city that visitors to the Lone Star State should know: River Oaks, a hidden gem that offers luxury shopping alongside high-class art, great food, and a must-see movie theater. While there are private areas in the neighborhood, it does include public amenities for visitors.

Situated right in the heart of the city of Houston, just about 7 miles from Houston's downtown area, River Oaks is a prestigious residential neighborhood with its own private security called River Oaks Patrol. The neighborhood was founded in the 1920s when attorney Hugh Potter and brothers Will and Mike Hogg bought up 1,000 acres of land in an effort to create a master planned community. 

Due to eventual deed restrictions, the community dictated that homes would have to cost more than $7,000 and that architectural standards had to be maintained, thus turning it into an exclusive community. Today, the neighborhood still has its exclusivity in that it's very expensive. Located west of downtown Houston, River Oaks is situated between Uptown/Galleria and Montrose, which allows residents to be close to the business districts, high-end shopping, dining, and cultural institutions.

One of the aesthetic pleasures in River Oaks is its architecture. Passing by homes, you'll notice styles that include Tudor Revival and Spanish Revival as well as American Colonial. The oldest home in River Oaks is a 1924 Colonial Revival–inspired house that was once owned by wealthy Houston elites. The Tomlinson-Blundell House, built in 1937, is another example of the Colonial Revival style with Georgian emphasis.

It may not be the oldest operating movie theater in the world, like the one in Washington, Iowa, but one of the must-visit attractions when visiting River Oaks is the River Oaks Theatre. First opened in November 1939, this historic theatre closed its doors in 2021, but was soon bought by Culinary Khancepts and Star Cinema Grill and reopened in 2024. Since then, the theater has become a delightful place where visitors can enjoy all kinds of films (from blockbusters to classics) and see live events that include music, comedy, and more. What makes the theater so architecturally unique is that it is one of the few remaining Art Deco theaters still around.

What you also get from visiting River Oaks is some wonderfully high-class art. Within River Oaks, you can find galleries like Laura Rathe Fine Art (in River Oaks District) and Heidi Vaughan Fine Art (in the downtown Houston area). River Oaks is only about 5 miles from the museum district, a cultural hub featuring unique places to explore like the Children's Museum, the Contemporary Arts Museum, and the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, to name a few.

The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston was founded in 1900 and is one of the 10 biggest art museums in the United States. It showcases an array of exhibitions, events, lectures, and film screenings for crowds of all ages. The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is another spot where visitors can take in high-class art, as the collection highlights the best of American furniture, ceramics, and paintings from around the world, spread out on 14 acres of gardens.

Luxury shops are everywhere in River Oaks, with places like Hermès selling high-end handbags, scarves, and other accessories. On top of this, Dior, Brunello Cucinelli, Dolce & Gabbana, and Rolex are just some of the other luxury shops you'll find when visiting River Oaks. The area is so prestigious that it arguably rivals the luxury shopping on New York City's Fifth Avenue.

If you're looking for some great places to dine out then River Oaks has you covered. Craving a good steak? Steak 48 is a fine-dining restaurant in the River Oaks District that serves up delicious appetizers like steakhouse meatballs and crispy shrimp. In addition to the prime steak and chop offerings, they serve fresh seafood sourced from sustainable fisheries when possible. This spot is so good that OpenTable listed the establishment as part of its top 100 restaurants in 2024. However, if you aren't feeling steak, Fielding's River Oaks is another gem of a restaurant. It is an upscale American dining establishment that serves house favorites like veal piccata and lamb chops as well as everything from pastas, pizzas, small plates, and brunch to an array of specialty desserts and cocktails. 

If you want to spend the night in or near River Oaks, then one of the best options for you is the Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston, an upscale hotel that was rated five stars by Forbes Travel Guide. Staying here will have you basking in luxury as all of the rooms are Bluetooth-capable with white marble bathrooms and amenities that include fitness classes, an outdoor pool, a spa, and 24-hour room service. Another great place to stay is the St. Regis Houston, another luxury spot which includes amenities like an on-site restaurant, an outdoor pool, private cabanas (which are available year-round), and a luxurious tea lounge.