Golfcrest Houston, TX

Golfcrest's history began in 1833 when Isaac Batterson, the son of a Revolutionary War veteran, settled in the Houston area with his family. He then purchased 1,000 acres from Ezekiel Thomas' estate to create the neighborhood of Golfcrest and its surrounding areas.

There are no museums in the Golfcrest neighborhood, and the closest is the 1940 Air Terminal Museum on Travelair Road. As the name implies, an old air terminal that was used in the 1940s has been converted into a museum. Planes come in once a month to give viewers a chance to have a closer look. Closer to downtown is the Blaffer Art Museum, which is located on the University of Houston's campus

You have to drive down a few miles to Hermann Park to get a glimpse of fun festivals. The Houston Japan festival on Hermann Park gives you a peek into Japanese culture as people dress up in traditional Japanese clothes and vendors serve authentic Japanese food.

Telephone Road and Park Place Boulevard are home to most restaurants in this neighborhood. To get top-quality pizza, head to Spanky's on Telephone Road. Freshly made dough topped with your choice of ingredients and home-made cheese make these pizzas mouth-watering. Spanky's chicken wings are equally popular among locals.

To get a taste of authentic Mexican food, visit Pupuseria Emanuel on Telephone Road. Its chicken and cheese pupusas melt in your mouth while the cabbage salad mixed with hot spicy sauce makes for an authentic Mexican treat. Other popular pupusas include frijoles, reveultas, camaron con queso, calabaza con queso and mixtas con loroco. These pupusas are cheap, each selling for under $2, and just a few can provide a satisfying and authentic Mexican meal.

For a quick bite or a hearty breakfast, check out Frank's Grill, also located on Telephone Road. Large portions of hash browns, French toast and omelets cooked to perfection make this place a favorite hangout among locals, not to mention their friendly waiters and fast service. If it's a snack you're after, stop at the Original Kolache Shoppe which serves the area's best kolache.

To experience Golfcrest's more laidback nightlife, head to Cockpit Bar & Grill. Say hi to Charlie the owner as you drink a pint of Houston's local brew, St. Arnold's. It's a perfect place to see your favorite teams in action with the company of your good friends.

A whopping 28 percent of the local population carpools to get to work. Alternately, some prefer to drive their own cars to work due to Golfcrest's proximity to I-45 and I-610, as well as the city's abundant free parking. Public transportation is limited as you have to walk long distances to reach the nearest bus stop and a ride costs $1.25. Walking and biking are not popular either because of the large distances between places. However, some residents walk or bike for short errands. The availability of taxi cabs and Uber also makes cars the de facto mode of transportation in Golfcrest.

A good place to take your kids for a picnic is Charles H. Milby Park on Central Street. This park has a big play area for young kids, while the walking trail that goes around the park is good for walking your dogs. The dual fireplace pavilion makes it convenient for winter as well. With lots of trees and green spaces, this is a fun park for a day out.

Reveille Park on Grove Ridge Drive is another neat park for kids and adults. Its relatively small size does not offer much for exercise, but its open green spaces excite kids. For an exercise-centric park, head to MacGregor Park on Calhoun Road. Its disc golf courses, tennis courts and open space makes it perfect to get a workout.

Golfcrest is an affordable neighborhood for most people as its cost of living is 1.8 percent lower than the national average. This affordability reflects across all aspects of daily life, as a single bedroom apartment rents at an average of $720 per month while a pint of beer at the local pubs cost an average of $4.02. Gas prices are easy on the wallet too, as a gallon of gas in Golfcrest costs 8.73 percent less than the national average.

You have to drive a few miles out for shopping malls. Almeda Mall in the Ellington/South Belt area has good apparel stores and food joints. Its nice view of fountains and plants makes it a good place to hang out. The Shops at Houston Center located on McKinney Street in downtown Houston houses different shops such as apparel stores, medical and vision centers, a pharmacy, and restaurants.

The local furniture shop, Aztec Furniture, has the best selection from the most renown brands. If you're searching for a good place to get first and second-hand clothing, furniture and other household necessities, stop by Arlene's Apparels & More.

For your grocery needs, go to Kroger Food Stores or El Ahorro Supermarket, both located on Telephone Road. To get fresh produce, you have to go to downtown Houston and shop at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market.