Information on Houston.

[toddnjoyce]

Lot of asians in my town. Guess it'll be just like home lol.

Not really. Not at all in fact. But if all you’ve got is a hammer...

 

[Danielsuzuki]

Houston really is a melting pot.
We do drive like shit.
South downtown did used to be Chinatown, long before the George R Brown convention center was built right on top of it.

if you’re here during the week, check out the tunnel system under downtown. I hear it’s over 14 miles long now.
As it pertains to distance.... we’ll.... it takes an hour and a half to get from the woodlands to the beach, and that’s if traffic is minimal. Houston doesn’t have the population of LA or NYC, but that’s misleading. We consider Baytown, Sugarland, Katy, Woodlands, Pasedena, Kingwood - all part of Houston. BIG AS HELL!!!

 

[benenglish]

check out the tunnel system under downtown

Good advice. I would note that the southern terminus of the tunnel system is a series of 2nd floor connections through office buildings. There are a few blocks of that, then it drops to ground level, then you seem to dead end at one sad, usually smelly elevator. Once you descend in that, the underground part starts slowly but eventually turns into a cornucopia of shops. It's worth the walking but I'd suggest a tourist start somewhere in the middle and forget about the southern half of it.

 

[Texasjack]

Houston is a traditionally working-class city. For all the talk of "Houston Proud", it doesn't have much of a defining culture. For the most part, people are here to work a job and live their life.

That said, it has certain obvious characteristics. It's hot and humid in the summer. It's flat. It has virtually no respect for historic architecture; at a couple of points in its history, every single city council seat was occupied by someone in the real estate/development business. Certain parts of the city aren't what I'd call reassuringly safe. The homeless problem is worse than it should be but not nearly as bad as some other places.

But those things are true about almost all big cities.

And just like all big cities, it has things about it that are wonderful. Within easy access from a central hotel you can find the med center, the zoo, a couple of big parks, the museum district, major sports venues, concert halls, varied nightlife, plenty of things to see and do. The key to being a tourist in the city is researching how to use the rail system in advance. If your hotel is on a train station, just the things within walking distance from a rail stop are more than enough to fill a long vacation. That includes the park where the Astros play that's about a 3-block walk from the nearest station.

Rent a car or bring your own and you have NASA, amazing shopping, many unique small neighborhoods, more cultural oddities than you shake a stick at, and more.

The food scene, by itself, would need a huge article to just scratch the surface.

Houston is what you make of it. It doesn't have big, iconic things (other than NASA) that are recognized world-wide as must-see attractions. There's no Statue of Liberty equivalent. I don't think that's a big downside.

In sum, for the people who believe all big cities are cancer and would never go near one it is, of course, a hell-hole. But for the people who don't possess that prejudice, can keep some common sense in their head, and are willing to do a little research before visiting, it's a great place with many wonderful constituent parts that reward the curious.

That's actually one of the most fair assessments I've ever seen. Good job.

I've been to a lot of other places - big and small. I'd love to live out in the country, but I need my job if I plan to eat, so here I am. I call Houston home and I love the city. It has it's problems, but when the proverbial stuff hits the fan, nobody rolls up their sleeves and gets to work like Houston.

 

[Eli]

Great place but worst traffic in the State. They have outgrown their highway infrastructure for sure.

You haven't been to Austin in the last quarter-century, have you?

Eli

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

Smoking my last cigarette, then omw to the airport my dudes. Maybe I'll run into a couple of y'all in Houston!

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

Update: my trip has devolved into a giant cluster, lost my debit card, spend almost all my cash on Taxi and Uber, currently have $60 I cant use cause it's a prepaid Visa card. But I an pushing on. Currently on my way to a BBQ place to spend my last $10 until tomorrow when I can get to a BOA. So far this is the weirdest city I've ever been to. I wonder why Austin got the nickname weird, this place is way more bizarre. (Edit: I'm a complete idiot, it was an embassy) Also, I've never seen a Chinese flag waving anywhere other than outside of an embassy. Not even with the huge Chinese enclave in my hometown... walk a couple blocks down from my hostel and see this.

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

Not far, pretty darn good, Texas BBQ and open until 9 tonight:

Bruh... these brisket tacos are a damn game changer. Also, they're playing Hank Jr, this place is bad ass!

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Update: my trip has devolved into a giant cluster, lost my debit card, spend almost all my cash on Taxi and Uber, currently have $60 I cant use cause it's a prepaid Visa card. But I an pushing on. Currently on my way to a BBQ place to spend my last $10 until tomorrow when I can get to a BOA. So far this is the weirdest city I've ever been to. I wonder why Austin got the nickname weird, this place is way more bizarre. Also, I've never seen a Chinese flag waving anywhere other than outside of an embassy. Not even with the huge Chinese enclave in my hometown... walk a couple blocks down from my hostel and see this.

That sux dude...

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

That sux dude...

It's alright, the BBQ made my day better

 

[Gilbertc13]

Welcome to Texas Pard


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[Texasjack]

You haven't been to Austin in the last quarter-century, have you?

Eli

No joke. I remember going to Austin in the 70's when it was (comparatively) a cow town. No traffic, laid back, quiet. Now the traffic makes Houston rush hour look pleasant.

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

No joke. I remember going to Austin in the 70's when it was (comparatively) a cow town. No traffic, laid back, quiet. Now the traffic makes Houston rush hour look pleasant.

I remember this first time I went to Texas, it was Austin for ACL, celebrating my brother's bachelor party. The first day we decided to Uber to Terry Black's(damn good Q btw). We Air BNB'd a small house up the street from there, roughly 4-5 blocks away from the street with the Whataburger that leads to Zilker Park. It took us over 15 minutes to get there. It would have been faster to walk. I remember walking to the park, seeing the traffic. It was rivaling LA during rush hour. Austin was a very nice place other than that(granted I only saw the car ride to the house from the airport, Zilker Park, and the Capitol Building and the street leading up to it)

 

[karlac]

Bruh... these brisket tacos are a damn game changer. Also, they're playing Hank Jr, this place is bad ass!

Not surprised, especially about the music.

One of the partners's mother is a musician, long time singer/songwriter, and studio client in my recording days.

Guarantee he was raised right.

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

Jackson Street is pretty good. That Brisket was bomb, german sausage was alright, had better though, good sides 7/10.
(Side note, the decor is conservative as hell, love it!)

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

I just saw a Californian try Texas Q for the first time. The look on his face was priceless! it was similar to the look I had the first time trying Texas Q ahaha

 

[Gilbertc13]

I just won two tickets to game six tonight!!!!!!!


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[Frank59]

I just won two tickets to game six tonight!!!!!!!


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What time are you picking me up????

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

I just won two tickets to game six tonight!!!!!!!


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Shoot me one my dude!

 

[CalifornianTexaboo]

Congrats btw!.