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Largest city in Texas, United States
Photo: Hequals2henry, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Center of the city, still the home of high finance and big business. Houston is second only to New York City in corporate headquarters of Fortune 500 companies. Many of them are in downtown including some of the world's largest energy companies. Downtown Houston also boasts the second largest theater district in the United States and the city has world class permanent organizations such as the Houston Symphony and Houston Ballet. The Rockets, Astros, Dynamo, and Dash all play downtown.
Neartown encompasses Midtown, an older light industrial area cum trendy apartment archipelago; Montrose, a pleasant streetcar suburb that was abandoned and resurrected by Houston's LGBT community; and the historic 4th Ward, a Freedman's town that was built by the hands of freed African American slaves and now facing gentrification by a development company.
A large district of gingerbread Victorian homes as well as early 20th century bungalows. Like its sister neighborhood Montrose, the Heights is home to a diverse population from artists and musicians to wealthy professionals. Parts of the Heights are still dry, fostering a large number of BYOB restaurants ideal for those who enjoy their own selected wine.
To the south and east of downtown lie Rice University, the many attractions of Hermann Park, NRG Stadium, and the Texas Medical Center (or just "the med center"), including some of the world's best hospitals. The Rice Village is a highly concentrated area of restaurants, bars, and shopping. The Museum District is the center of Houston's visual arts and museums.
River Oaks is home to Houston's most exclusive and affluent neighborhoods and businesses, home to eye-popping mansions and the River Oaks Shopping Center, one of America's first suburban shopping districts and a great display of Art Deco architecture. This area has many great restaurants, vibrant nightlife, and infamous traffic jams during peak hours.
Uptown or The Galleria Area is known for its namesake, a huge high-end shopping mall complex and has the tallest building in the United States outside of a main downtown area, the Williams tower.
These districts are outside the I-610 freeway loop (except part of East Houston). Off the beaten track, these areas have plenty to offer for the patient traveler.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Dubbed the "8th Wonder of the World," it was one of the world's first fully indoor stadiums and the birthplace of astroturf (that was vacuumed by people in astronaut suits between innings). It was abandoned when the Astros threatened to move unless Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron Field) was built. The stadium is no longer open to visitors, but it is still a spectacle.
Celebrating Caribbean/West Indian Cultures.
A parade that must be seen to be believed. For example, in 2010, there were cupcake motorcycles, fire breathing chicken cars, and many other spectacular cars. There are vendors nearby selling water, hats, and food as well. It can get very hot!
Factory motocross racers from all around the world. to race once a year.
The teams representing the city's largest school, the University of Houston, compete in the Big 12 Conference. Most athletic venues are on campus, with the best-known being TDECU Stadium (football) and Fertitta Center (basketball). These venues are marked in the "South Inner Loop" page.
Rice University, the city's most prominent private school, remained in Conference USA during the near-constant conference changes in the early 2010s, but moved to the American Athletic Conference in 2023 (ironically, at the same time UH left The American for the Big 12). As with UH, Rice's main venues are on campus, among them Rice Stadium (football), Tudor Fieldhouse (basketball), and Reckling Park (baseball). These venues are marked in the "South Inner Loop" page.
Especially of interest to African American visitors, or those interested in African-American culture, are the teams representing Texas Southern University, the city's historically black university. The Tigers compete with other HBCUs in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Unlike Houston and Rice, whose football teams play in the top-level FBS, Texas Southern football is in the second-level FCS. Most venues are also on campus; the football team has an on-campus stadium, but occasionally uses Shell Energy Stadium and (less often) NRG Stadium.
Houston Christian University (renamed from Houston Baptist University in September 2022), a relatively new addition to Division I, is in the Sharpstown area along the Southwest Freeway. The Huskies joined the FCS-level Southland Conference in 2013, and started a football program at that time.
Billed as Texas' oldest microbrewery. Their brews are often sold in local bars. Very popular beers are the Texas Wheat, Oktoberfest (August through October), and Christmas Ale (November through December). The brewery tour is open Monday through Friday from 3PM to 4:15PM, and Saturday 11AM to 2PM.
It is building an expansion of the brewery and a restaurant/brewpub.
In the Washington Corridor. Focused on their Witbier recipe and interesting variation of that. Tours/tasting hours Saturday Noon to 3PM.
Great for a few beers before a Dynamo game away from the crush at Lucky's and Little Woodrow's.
Coffee roaster serving freshly roasted coffee via batch brew and pour overs (single origins) as well as espresso drinks. Front porch and back patio make it a great place to enjoy a fresh drink when the weather allows for it.
Coffee shop serving freshly roasted coffee (batch brew and pour overs), espresso drinks and mix of breakfast and lunch options.
By train
By car
Approximate distance from nearby cities (in miles):
By bus
S.S. Northbound buses from Mexico typically cross through Brownsville/Matamoros, Laredo/Nuevo Laredo or McAllen/Reynosa. Bus companies have many terminals and stops in different parts of the city.
By public transportation
Public transportation in Houston is operated by METRO, which runs light rail lines called METRORail, as well as bus lines. The cost to ride is $1.25 each way (Feb 2017).
By taxi
By limousine
Many Houston limousine companies offer full ground transportation options such as town cars, classic cars, stretch limos and luxury vehicles that can be utilized for special occasions like airport…
By bicycle
Houston is so spread out and (most of the time) hot and humid that bicycles are often best used for exercise or to get to somewhere that is close by.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Houston · International · HOU
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