Houston, Texas

Houston, Texas, United States

Located in Texas, the fourth largest city in the U.S. is known for NASA, its annual rodeo and the largest medical complex in the world, the Texas Medical Center. However, Houston has matured into a complete and downright hip vacation destination for the savvy traveler. The city is a diverse metropolis where no ethnicity comprises a majority of the population. This mix of cultures has contributed to making Houston a city of superb cuisine and world-class culture, entertainment and shopping.

Population:

2.3 million in the city.
6.4 million in the metropolitan area.

Currency:

US dollar = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

911

Opening Hours:

Normal opening hours: 8h - 17h. Shops are open until 21h.

Newspapers:

The Houston Chronicle (www.chron.com),
Houston Business Journal (www.bizjournals.com/houston),
Houston Press (www.houstonpress.com)

The City

A Texas city far away from the cliché landscape of cattle ranches. As the country’s fourth biggest city, Houston delivers all the delights visitors seek in restaurants, attractions and entertainment with its unique cultural character. Houston’s major attractions continue to grow along the accessible main highways and roads, which makes Houston a relatively easy city to navigate despite its rapid development. Known for its oil and gas heritage, the Houston area is home to 2.3 million residents in an extensive area of 627 square miles (1,623.92 km2). In addition, Houston holds second place in the U.S. for the number of Fortune 500 company headquarters located in the city, which makes Houston a powerful global city.

Do & See

There is always something to do in Houston. Wander around the Houston Heights community, spend the day exploring the Museum District, which boasts nineteen museums, galleries, and cultural centers, including the Menil Collection, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. These museums draw over 8.7 million visitors to the district each year. Other world-class attractions you should not miss are the NASA Johnson Space Center, the Hermann Park Conservancy and the beautiful Galveston Island.

Dining

More than 8,000 restaurants await, ranging from international cuisine and fresh seafood, from the Gulf to barbecue, Tex-Mex and Asian flavors. There are so many quality venues to choose from that one might have to work hard to find a favorite restaurant. Houston has become a new hip culinary hot spot. The attitude here blends Southern gentility with Texas hospitality, so you’ll find service to be both gracious and friendly. Best of all, you can eat very well at prices that never cease to amaze the experienced traveler.

Cafes

Cafes are usually a world unto themselves, and Houston’s are no exception, offering plenty of variety in atmosphere, food, drink, and entertainment. Jazz is often the music of choice, and it is usually helpful to call ahead to find out about the night’s entertainment and menu specials.