Houston

Introduction

Downtown Houston

© Reece Sanford

Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and the largest in Texas with around 2.3 million people living in the city and almost 6 million in the metropolitan area. Houston was founded on August 28, 1836 near the banks of Buffalo Bayou (now known as Allen's Landing)[8][9] and incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 40 kilometres east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population. In the mid-20th century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions - and NASA's Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located.

Neighbourhoods

• Downtown - Downtown feels very empty if you explore it on foot at street level. Even during the usual lunch break there aren't very many people about. This is because the skyscrapers which are home to many of the large companies in Houston are all connected via an underground, air conditioned tunnel system. Houstonians are very proud of The Tunnels which mean that during the hot and humid summer months there is no need to go outside at all. The first 10 or so stories of the skyscrapers are car parks, so commuters can drive into their office building, work, go to the Tunnels for lunch and leave at the end of the day never having left the comfort of air conditioning.
• Galleria - This is the other major business district in Houston, slightly to the west of the centre of the city. Texas' largest mall, The Galleria (which includes an ice rink) is the centre of this district. Many hotels and offices can be directly accessed from inside the Galleria mall.
• Montrose - This is the old residential centre of Houston and is charaterised with mature trees along the roads and a mix of large houses, two-story apartment complexes and bars. It is the gay district of Houston, and the annual Gay Pride Parade and Festival is centred around the crossing of Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer. There are many thrift stores, tattoo palours, psychics and eclectic eateries scattered between the US 59 at the south and Buffalo Bayou Park to the north of this district.
• The Heights - The Heights are north of the Buffalo Bayou Park which runs West to East along Allen Parkway into downtown. As Montrose became increasingly expensive, many artists moved out of Montrose and into the Heights. This is also a leafy part of the city, relatively central with many one-family homes on plots with front and back yards.

Sights and Activities

• Space Center Houston is the official visitors’ center at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. You will find interactive exhibits, a shuttle simulator and numerous presentations detailing NASA's history.
• The Theatre District - This is at the north end of downtown and home to the numerous theatres in Houston. There are full time Theatre, Opera and Ballet companies as well as a Symphony all of which perform within this district of Houston. Off-Broadway shows frequently come for three to six month residencies as well.
• Houston Zoo within Hermann Park, houses over 4,500 animals divided over 900 species.
• The Galleria is Texas' largest mall.
• Enjoy some sporting action while watching the Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Texans (NFL) or Houston Dynamo (MLS).
• The Museum District - This is north and south of the US59 roughly along Montrose Boulevard. To the north of the US59 in Montrose is the Houston Centre for Photography, the Rothko Chapel and the Menil Collection. The latter two are free to visit. South of the US59 are the Museum of Fine Art, the Museum of Natural Science and 14 other museums, all of which are listed at the Museum District Association. Most museums have one day or afternoon a week when entrance is free. The Space Center on NASA Rd. 1 used to have a Saturn 5 rocket visible from the road. Because of rust problems they built a hudge building covering the rocket and did a renovation on the Saturn 5 rocket.

Events and Festivals

Holidays

• New Year’s Eve - The US celebrates the outgoing of the old year and incoming of the New Year quite dramatically. Every state boasts its own parties to ring in the New Year, but none is more extravagant than New York’s Time Square, which sees people overflowing into the neighboring restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
• St Patrick’s Day - March 17 celebrates the US’s large Irish population. Many cities around the country boast boisterous parades and Irish-themed parties, especially New York and Chicago, where the river is dyed green. Be wary of the drunkenness that dominates as this is definitely a party-day.
• Memorial Day - Memorial Day is an important holiday throughout the United States, but not for crazy festivities. Parades commemorating wartime heroes are often held and the day is also the ‘unofficial’ start of summer. Most visitors follow the crowds to parks and beaches, which are capped off with informal BBQs.
• Independence Day - Also known as the Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrates the US’s break from the British during the 18th century. Barbecues, street parties, beach trips, and weekend getaways are commonplace to appreciate freedom.
• Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor.
• Halloween - Halloween is a fun holiday on October 31 for all generations to dress up in costumes and relive their youth. Children walk around the neighborhood trick-or-treating for candy, while adults attend parties. Other seasonal events include haunted houses, pumpkin farms and carving, and corn mazes.
• Thanksgiving - On the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is held in almost every home in the US. Tourists will have a hard time finding anything to do as the country essentially shuts down in observation. A typical Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie commemorating the original Pilgrim’s feast at Plymouth Rock.
• Christmas - On December 25, Christians celebrate Christmas as the pinnacle of their calendar by attending church and opening gifts from Santa Claus. Almost everything shuts down to promote family togetherness. The northern regions hope to experience a “white Christmas,” with trees and festive lights blanketed by snow.

Sport

• Super Bowl Sunday - the world’s most watched sporting event and one of the highest grossing TV days of the year, Superbowl Sunday is a spectacular extravaganza. Held the first Sunday in February, the Superbowl is the final playoff game between the NFL’s top two teams. The venue rotates every year around America, yet the local parties seem to remain. Pubs, bars and restaurants are great places to enjoy the Superbowl or locals throw their own parties with different variations of betting.
• The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League (AL) champion team and the National League (NL) champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. As the series is played during the fall season in North America, it is sometimes referred to as the Fall Classic.

Other Events and Festivals

• The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is held over 20 days from late February to early March.
• The Houston Pride Parade is a night-time gay pride parade held each year in June.

Weather

Houston has a humid subtropical climate, with occasional tornadoes in spring. Prevailing winds from the south and southwest bring heat from Mexico's deserts and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. In summer, temperatures regularly reach over 32 °C with an average 99 days a year. The humidity of the area results in an even higher heat index than the actual temperature. Winds in summer are often light and bring little relief. Air conditioning use in Houston is very heavy to cope with the high temperatures. Winters are quite temperate with an average high of 17 °C in January, the coldest month. Snowfall is rare. Houston receives a high amount of rainfall each year, averaging 1,200 mm annually. The rains frequently cause flooding in parts of the city.

Getting There

By Plane

The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is Houston's primary airport and the 9th largest in the US in terms of total passengers. It is the headquarters of Continental Airlines and its largest hub. It's located about 20 miles (32 kilometres) from downtown Houston.

To/from the airport

• Bus: The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, offers bus service available at the south side of Terminal C. The 102 Bush IAH Express and the METRO Airport Direct serve the airport.
• Shuttles: Regularly scheduled bus and shuttle service go to locations from IAH to Reliant Park/Reliant Astrodome, Downtown Houston, Uptown, Greenway Plaza, the Texas Medical Center, Westside hotels, the city of College Station and William P. Hobby Airport. Super Shuttle also provides service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to the surrounding communities via shared vans.
• Taxis and vans also are available and there are plenty of options to rent cars.

The William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is Houston's second largest airport and mainly operates small to medium-haul flights. It is the only airport served by Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways.

By Train

Amtrak stops in Houston along the Sunset Limited route from Los Angeles to New Orleans. The station is on the north side of the downtown area.

By Car

Houston is well connected to the rest of the state and country by many freeways/interstates.

By Bus

Greyhound Bus Lines have intercity services from 5 stations in Houston and Houston suburbs. Other bus lines also operate from Greyhound's stations.

Getting Around

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Public Transport

Currently, public transportation in Houston is limited to METRO, which operates bus lines as well as the new and very popular light rail line called METRORail. METRORail is a seven and a half mile light rail line that runs between downtown, midtown, the museum district, the Medical Center, Reliant Park, and the Fannin South Park & Ride (which is a handy place to park and is located near the 610 loop). It costs US$1.25 for a one-way ticket.

By Bike

The city of Houston has 290 miles of marked bike routes, plus another 80 miles of hike and bike trails in city parks, with concrete plans for even more expansion. For more information on the Houston Bikeway program, including a complete map of all marked bike paths, visit the City of Houston Bikeway Program website.

Eat

Houston has outstanding dining options, and is widely considered the most restaurant-oriented city in the United States, with a thriving community of ethnic restaurants, superb Tex-Mex, classic Texas steakhouses and Gulf Coast seafood, as well as chain restaurants. Houston's fine dining scene has exploded in recent years, with Downtown, Montrose, Midtown, and the Heights (including the Washington Corridor) as the epicenter of what's hot-and-happening now.

Although high-quality, authentic Mexican food can be found just about anywhere in the city (for some of the best surprises, stop by any nondescript taqueria and order nearly anything at random), the best ethnic dining is generally found in West Houston - in particular the area west of Highway 59 and south of I-10, with everything from Middle Eastern to Ethiopian to Bosnian. The bustling Mahatma Gandhi District around Hillcroft St. is the place to go for top-notch Indian and Pakistani cuisine. In years past, you'd go east of Downtown or to Midtown for your Chinese or Vietnamese fix (respectively); nowadays the new Chinatown (or sometimes "Asiatown") is the new one-stop shop for your cravings. Lying just north of I-10, Long Point Drive and North Gessner sport crowded Korean joints, fantastic taco trucks, and hidden Thai gems.

Like any city with a respectable, trendy food scene, Houston's top restaurants seem to be all about what's seasonal and local these days (oh, and Houston is just now getting into gourmet food trucks), as well as becoming increasingly prominent in stores as well. Fresh produce to seek out include tomatoes, sweet "1015" onions (not as sweet as the Hawaiian variety, but pretty impressive), watermelon, strawberries, peaches, corn, carrots, and squash blossoms. Look for local cheese from the Houston Dairymaids - who make just about any variety you can think of - and bread baked daily and shipped to restaurants from the Slow Dough Bakery. Houstonians are just as crazy for crawfish (no "crayfish" down here, Yankee) as Louisianans are, as well as catfish and Gulf seafood such as red snapper, blue crab, and shrimp; gaining in popularity are local species that were previously overlooked, such as blackfin tuna, tilefish, grouper, almaco jack, and black drum. Houston has always had a steady supply of oysters from Galveston Bay, but the program of oyster "appellations" has only recently been revived, meaning high-quality specimens are labeled with their reef of origin, just like the well-known varieties from the east and west coasts - look for varieties such as Ladies Pass and Pepper Grove.

Drink

• The Saint Arnold Brewery - 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 3:00pm to 4:15pm, and Saturday 11:00am to 2:00pm.
• Karbach Brewing Co, 2032 Karbach St. Near 290 and 610, built in 2011. Beer Garden/patio is open M-F 2:30 to 9:00, Sa noon - 9PM and Sunday noon - 5:30PM. It is also building an expansion of the brewery and a restaurant/brewpub.
• Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company, 5301 Nolda St. In the Washington Corridor. Focused on their Witbier recipe and interesting variation of that. Tours/tasting hours Saturday Noon to 3PM.
• 8th Wonder Brewing Company, 2202 Dallas St. In EaDo near BBVA Stadium. Taproom open Th F 5 - 10PM, Sa noon - 8PM, Su noon - 8PM. Great for a few beers before a Dynamo game away from the crush at Lucky's and Little Woodrow's.

Sleep

• Club Quarters, 720 Fannin St. This hotel is private and club-like but it has 24 hour room service and it accommodates your needs, for example there are state of the art televisions.
• Courtyard by Marriott Houston Convention Center, 916 Dallas St, ☎ +1 832 366-1601. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $189-$239.
• Houston Downtown Residence Inn, 904 Dallas St., ☎ +1 832 366-1000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. In the historic 1921 Humble Oil Building. Offers free shuttle to George R. Brown Convention Center and Minute Maid Park. $199-$329.
• The Sam Houston Hotel, 1117 Prairie St, ☎ +1 832 200-8800. Boasts a modern minimalist interior and is one of Houston's top boutique luxury hotels. (updated May 2015 | edit)
• Four Seasons Hotel Houston, 1300 Lamar St, ☎ +1 713 650-1300, fax: +1 713 652-6220. In 2006 this luxury hotel was ranked as one of the "Top 100 Hotels in the World" according to Institutional Investor and offers great restaurants and amenities to guests. It is also within walking distance to the Houston Center Athletic Club - great for that morning workout before business.
• Hotel Icon, 220 Main St (Congress St.), ☎ +1 713 224-ICON (4266). This boutique hotel features award winning dining, extensive meeting facilities, and a luxury day spa.
• Magnolia Hotel, 1100 Texas Ave, ☎ +1 713 221-0011, fax: +1 832 201-7598. This downtown boutique hotel offers accommodations for leisure travel and extended stay guests, as well as space for meetings, wedding receptions, conferences, and special events.
• Hostelling International Houston (Morty Rich Hostel), 501 Lovett Blvd (at Whitney), ☎ +1 713 636-9776, e-mail: [email protected]. Located in a 1917 mansion built for one of Houston's former mayors. Regularly hosts pub crawls, museum tours, travel classes, and Texas sized BBQ's in the backyard. HI Houston is also the only hostel in the Hostelling International network with a swimming pool, to help escape those Texas summer days. Dorms $20+, privates $60.
• Robin's Nest B&B, 4104 Greeley St, toll-free: +1-800-622-8343. A quiet, snug little gem of a B&B, nestled only about two blocks off the main drag of Montrose Street. The innkeepers themselves speak a variety of languages which includes Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish. Pets accepted. $89-$240.
• Value Inn & R V Park, 9232 N. Hwy 146, Mont Belvieu, TX 77520, ☎ +1 281-576-6060. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 11AM. This hotel is in Baytown. Downtown Houston is about 30 mins drive. Small but clean rooms with free wi-fi. Continental breakfast is served for $10. $75 - $100.
• La Colombe d'Or, 3410 Montrose Blvd, ☎ +1 713 524-8923. Intimately small luxury hotel in a 1920s era mansion. For travelers without budgetary constraints.
• modern b&b, 4003 Hazard St, ☎ +1 832 279-6367. This dramatic four-story bed and breakfast is a unique alternative with fab rooms, artists' works on walls, exercise equipment and shaded verandas that present panoramic views above the tree line. The innkeeper not only speaks English but German and Spanish as well. $100 - $225.
• The St. Regis Hotel, 1919 Briar Oaks Ln.

Learn

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the seventh-largest in the United States and has 112 campuses. Some of the major universities include:

• Houston University
• Houston University Downtown
• Texas Southern University
• Houston Baptist University
• University of St. Thomas
• Rice University

Keep Connected

Internet

There is a very small internet bar/cafe culture in the USA. Even then most of the internet bars/cafes tend be located in major urban centers. Accessible WiFi networks, however, are common. The most generally useful WiFi spots are in coffee shops, fast-food chains, and bookshops, but also restaurants and hotels more and more have a network to connect on. Some of them might require you to buy something and you might need a password too, especially in hotels.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The general emergency phone number is 911. The USA has a great landline phone system that is easy to use. The country code for the U.S. is +1. The rest of the telephone number consists of 10 digits: a 3-digit area code, and a 7-digit number. Any small grocery store or pharmacy has pre paid domestic or international phone cards. These phone cards are very cheap and offer good rates. The once ubiquitous pay phone is now much harder to find. Likely locations include in or near stores and restaurants, and near bus stops. The cellphone network in the states is slowly getting better but is still not as good when compared to other western countries. Cell phones tend to operate using different frequencies (850 MHz and 1900 MHz) from those used elsewhere in the world (2100 MHz). This used to prevent most foreign phones from working in America. Phones must be tri- or quad-band to work in the U.S. Fortunately, technology has meant that most phones should now be able to pick up one of the U.S. networks. Prepaid phones and top-up cards can be purchased at mobile phone boutiques and at many discount, electronics, office supply and convenience stores. A very basic handset with some credit can be had for under $40.

Post

The US Postal Service is a very good and well priced mail system. There are post offices in every small and large town for sending packages internationally or domestically. Although some might keep longer hours, most are open at least between 9:00am and 5:00pm. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. First-class international airmail postcards and letters (up 28.5 grams) cost $1.10. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS, TNT and DHL, which might be better value sometimes and are generally very quick and reliable too.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau