Houston Travel Guide

Geography

Houston is situated on the gulf coastal plains of southeast Texas, about 55 mi/90 km from the Gulf of Mexico and about 120 mi/195 km from the border with Louisiana. The city is connected to Galveston Bay, which opens into the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast by the Ship Channel.

Houston's extensive freeway system is shaped much like a wagon wheel and is dispersed across the city's sprawl. Two concentric rings circle the city—Loop 610 and Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway). Farther west, Highway 6 makes a half-circle, and beyond, Highway 99 circles from the far southwest to the northeast. Interstate 10 runs east-west and cuts the city in half, and I-45 and U.S. I-69/Highway 59 intersect each other in the center, like wheel spokes, and run more or less north-south. The Hardy Toll Road also runs north and is the fastest route to the Bush Intercontinental Airport from downtown. State Highway 290 goes only northwest, and State Highway 288 shoots directly south of the city. The latter is the main route to the Texas Medical Center.

Mass transit can be problematic, consisting mostly of buses crisscrossing the city, except for METRORail's 23-mi/37 km light-rail through downtown, the Texas Medical Center and the Museum District. The most dependable way to get around the city and surrounding areas is by car with a GPS or good map.

Most areas are referred to as being inside or outside the 610 loop. The area enclosed by the loop, though still a large area, is often referred to as the "inner loop" or "inner city." There you will find such major areas as the Theater District downtown; the Museum District and the Texas Medical Center south of downtown; Greenway Plaza, an office and retail complex west of downtown; and the Port of Houston east of downtown. Inner-loop neighborhoods include Montrose (artsy and bohemian, with a significant LGBTQ population); Rice Village and Upper Kirby (hip centers for restaurants and small retail shops); River Oaks and West University (the city's two most affluent neighborhoods); and Houston Heights (Victorian homes and antiques shops).

Just outside the loop to the west are the Galleria and Post Oak areas, renowned centers for shopping and international commerce. Southwest of downtown, on the southern perimeter of the loop, is NRG Park, which includes NRG Stadium and the now abandoned Astrodome. Between the loop and Beltway 8, south of downtown, is William P. Hobby Airport. Outside Beltway 8 to the north is George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

And keep in mind that Houston is only about a 50-minute drive away from Galveston Island on the Gulf of Mexico, a popular tourist destination with historic, turn-of-the-century homes and miles/kilometers of sandy beaches, although they're sometimes awash with tarry globs of oil from the rigs offshore and pesky beds of seaweed. Then there are the hurricanes, which threaten the area annually during August and September, the hottest and stickiest time of year to visit.

History

Houston was founded in 1836 by two brothers from New York, John and Augustus Allen. For US$1.40 an acre/US$3.46 a hectare, they bought 7,000 acres/3,000 hectares at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River—hence another of the metropolis' nicknames, the Bayou City. Flamboyant promoters, the Allens created a small trading post in spite of mud, mosquitoes, alligators and natives who weren't eager to give up their land. They named the new town after their friend Sam Houston, president of the young Republic of Texas, and boasted it would become the next New Orleans.

Serving twice as the capital of the Republic of Texas, Houston flourished for a while because of cattle and cotton. After Texas became a U.S. state in 1845, the city languished until the arrival of the railroads in the late 1880s. Then two very different events conspired to change its course: The Great Storm, the 1900 hurricane, destroyed its neighbor Galveston, a thriving island port and major banking center on the Gulf of Mexico. A year later, the discovery of oil at Spindletop, 100 mi/160 km to the east of Houston, brought a wave of entrepreneurs to Houston in search of quick riches. With its new prosperity, the city widened Buffalo Bayou, creating the Ship Channel, and Houston replaced Galveston as a leading port.

World War II transformed Houston into a major center for shipbuilding and steel manufacturing, in addition to oil refining. It became the headquarters of several U.S. oil companies in the 1970s when oil prices rose to historic heights (known locally as the oil boom) and the industry flourished. But the local economy suffered when oil prices collapsed worldwide in the 1980s. A concerted effort to diversify into health care, aeronautics, international banking and high technology revived the city. Houston remains resilient in all economies.

The city attracts major corporations to headquarter there and is home to the world's largest medical center, which continues to expand. Houston's local economy is somewhat impacted by the ups and downs of the oil and gas industries, but has continued to grow with a major push into the high-tech field, especially related to energy, medical and software industries, and expansion into fledgling, leading-edge industries such as nanotechnology.

Once a place for legendary cowboys and oil wildcatters, this Texas town has evolved into a sprawling, diverse melting pot of industry and cultures. Houston accounted for the largest growth in the Hispanic population in the last U.S. Census, and there are also growing Asian and Middle Eastern populations. There are places of worship for every major religion and restaurants representing almost every ethnicity. In fact, Houston is noted as the most diverse major American city.

Sightseeing

Because Houston's skyline will likely be the first impression you get of the city, downtown is a good place to start your visit. The majority of the city's architectural gems—soaring corporate towers of glass and steel—are there. Witness a downtown renaissance that has brought in sport arenas, entertainment, restaurants, lofts and nightclubs back to that part of town.

The city's art museums are located conveniently near one another in the Museum District (southwest of downtown, in the Montrose area near Hermann Park).

For a look at one of Houston's main industries, drive east of downtown and over the Houston Ship Channel on Loop 610. The bridge provides a spectacular nighttime view of the lights of the oil refineries lined up along the channel. During the day, you may be able to see an enormous oil tanker gliding slowly along the waterway, which used to be an alligator-infested bayou.

This is not a pedestrian-friendly city, but there are a few areas—in addition to the downtown district along the revitalized Main Street area with its bars and restaurants, many nice parks and huge shopping areas—that are easily explored on foot. Houston Heights, for example, is filled with Victorian houses and churches, plus funky bars, shops and authentic Tex-Mex restaurants. Rice Village, next to the upscale West University neighborhood, is a pedestrian-friendly retail zone with boutiques and shops, and trendy restaurants, outdoor cafes and bars.

Nightlife

Houstonians play as hard as they work. Live music, everything from Texas rock to jazz, is a favorite in this town that gave rise to such legends as ZZ Top, Beyonce and Kirk Whalum. As in any other major metropolis, Houston's trendsetters are fickle, and the "in" dance clubs skyrocket in popularity and fall out of favor just as quickly.

Houston's past nonexistent downtown nightlife has been brought to life by an extensive urban-renewal drive. Now it surges with energy, fueled by top-notch restaurants, sidewalk cafes and nightclubs. The area from Texas Avenue to Minute Maid Park is a happening place, and you can find a variety of sleek clubs along and around Main Street.

Culturally diverse and bohemian Montrose has always had its share of interesting places. The Rice (University) Village and Upper Kirby areas attract millennials and professionals from the nearby Texas Medical Center, as does the upscale Midtown neighborhood. Washington Avenue near Houston Heights is known for pulsing nightclubs and dives that feature live music.

Throughout Houston, drinking ends at 2 am, and all clubs strictly enforce it, although you can continue your festivities at a variety of nonalcoholic after-hours clubs.

Dining

Houston is easily as cosmopolitan as New York—more than 90 languages are spoken there, and nearly as many cuisines can be sampled at its staggering number of restaurants. Along with the expected steaks, barbecue and Tex-Mex food, you can find Cajun, Vietnamese, Indonesian, African, Middle Eastern and other ethnic fare. You'll also find Continental dishes and cutting-edge American fusion cuisine. Houston has its collection of long-lived hometown restaurants, but its trendy restaurants tend to have the same lifespan as the fashionable clubs—a restaurant can be the in place to eat for a while, only to give way to another hot venue (and world-class chef).

Expect to pay within these general guidelines, based on the cost of a dinner for one, not including drinks, tax or tip: $ = less than US$10; $$ = US$10-$20; $$$ = US$21-$50; and $$$$ = more than US$50.