WEST HOUSTON. Following an extensive renovation, Memorial City has emerged as a shopping force to be reckoned with, and folks flood in regularly to check out the reconditioned shops and family-friendly perks. Besides browsing anchors JCPenney, Target, Dillard's, and Sears, visitors head to the busy food court with its double-height carousel, take their kids to an extensive soft-play area, and hit the ice at a new skating rink. Upholstered furniture peppers the mall, offering refuge to tired but supportive husbands and weary little ones.

GALLERIA. One of the country's largest malls and an enormous Houston attraction, The Galleria offers more than 350 retailers beneath its stunning atriums. Attached to two hotels and boasting an ice-skating rink, the complex also gets a designer punch with businesses like Tiffany & Co., Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Burberry, Gianni Versace, and Cartier. Of course, you'll find many mall standards here as well, not to mention a host of terrific restaurants, including BiCE and Ninfa's. Fast-food options can also be had.

HOUSTON. Dressed with limestone, wrought iron, large pastoral murals, and a grand central fireplace, West Oaks has a decidedly comfortable ambience that just makes people want to stay a while. Its retailers include all the usual suspects, including Hollister, The Limited, Victoria's Secret, and American Eagle Outfitters. Anchors include Macy's, Sears, Dillard's, Steve & Barry's, and Linens 'N Things. A kids' play area and fast-food restaurants are available for fun and snacking, respectively.

THE WOODLANDS. With both indoor and outdoor shopping venues ­ plus a waterway with gondolas, a children's play area, and a merry-go-round ­ this mall promises not only terrific shopping but a bit of entertainment and visual appeal as well. Anchors include Sears, Macy's, JCPenney, and Dillard's; other options range from The Buckle and Urban Outfitters to Anthropologie, Express, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, and Gymboree. Upscale sit-down restaurants and a food court make sure that everyone's tastes are accommodated.