With diverse communities, great shopping, and amazing restaurants, there are plenty of reasons to love Houston. But like any city, it is not without its flaws. Here are some things that people living in or visiting Houston can’t stand, and what they do to avoid them.
The traffic
For anyone who has driven in and around Houston, the special animosity many feel toward city traffic should come as no surprise. The metropolitan area has approximately six million people trying to get somewhere. Rush hour is long and brutal, with local commuters spending an average of an additional 121 hours per year fighting congestion on the road. Throw in the rather aggressive local driving culture and confusing road nicknames, and it’s enough to leave anyone on edge.
Driving in Houston is terrible, so don’t do it. You can get around Houston without a car, especially if you’re visiting. Public transportation in the Houston metro is not as extensive or common as elsewhere, but options are available. Houston’s METRORail lines go to many of the city’s top attractions, including the Museum District, Theater District, NRG Park, and the Texas Medical Center. If you can’t stay close to the train line, try driving to a park and riding your bike, and take the train from there.
Depending on the traffic conditions, it could actually be faster than driving yourself, and it will surely be less stressful. If you must drive, first go over some basic Houston-specific guidelines. Do you know where the “Katy Highway” ends and the “Baytown East Highway” begins? How about the difference between “South Loop West” and “West Loop South”? Getting the basic nicknames of city roads will be very helpful in understanding directions or traffic reports on the radio.
Likewise, knowing the deal with “feeders” and EZ tags will save you time on the toll roads, and understanding “the wave” is important for keeping the peace when stresses on the roads start to rise.
The weather
Houston has a well-deserved reputation for being hot and humid. It is not uncommon for temperatures to reach 70 degrees in mid-December, while the rest of the country is frozen. That’s great in winter, but summers can be scorching. Add that to the heavy rains and floods that happen sometimes for days and things can get very uncomfortable. Still, the weather is easy to handle or avoid if you know what to do.
- Know what to wear (and what to leave at home). In addition to avoiding some local fashions, knowing what to pack when moving or visiting Houston can help you feel comfortable. Wear lighter layered clothing and comfortable shoes that you can wear to walk through unavoidable puddles. Bring a sturdy umbrella, not only for heavy rain and high winds, but also for the sun, especially on bright days.
- If you visit, plan your trip for the fall. Winters in Houston are a bit unpredictable, with temperatures ranging between 30 and 70 degrees. The springs tend to be rainy, and the summers are too brutal for many foreigners to enjoy. But the fall? Fall in Houston is beautiful – temperatures are warm, but not too warm, and there are fewer rainy days to deal with.
The expansion
Unlike New York or Chicago, Houston is not restricted by geography. The explosion in population seen over the past half century has spread in all directions, resulting in a metropolitan area that spans 9,444 square miles, larger than the state of New Jersey. Even without traffic, getting from one place to another takes a long time. Here are some ways to manage expansion:
- Stay close where you need to be. Whatever your main purpose for being in Houston – an event, a job, a loved one, try to stay as close as possible. That will help you avoid wasting valuable time in transit.
- Find a place in the city and export it to the fullest. You can spend entire days or long weekends exploring everything within a particular area, and various Houston neighborhoods, such as the Museum District, Los Altos, and Montrose, are quite accessible. Even out-of-town places like Sugar Land, Katy, or Spring have large urban centers with lots to see and do. By not trying to do everything, you can enjoy the areas you visit.
Robyn Correll contributed to this report.
