What this means to visitors is that Houston covers a larger land area with less population than might otherwise be expected. Everything is spread out. No matter where you are, almost nothing will be within walking distance. The entire city is built on the assumption that nearly everyone owns and drives a car virtually everywhere they go.

The city has a number of districts. Historically, these districts were called "wards" and they tended to have distinct populations. Redevelopment has rendered most of those distinctions meaningless, but the modern version of Houston still has districts.

Houston has three downtowns. All three of these areas look like a typical downtown in a big city with high-rise buildings and, at street level, concessions to pedestrians that include shops and eating establishments.

• The traditional downtown center of the city, still the home of high finance and big business and enjoying a huge building and clean-up boom in anticipation of the 2004 Super Bowl.

• The second downtown is south of the city center, an area now known, generically, as The Medical Center. Some of the best hospitals in the world are there.

• The third downtown, west of the city center, is called The Galleria and is known, not surprisingly, for a huge, high-end shopping mall complex named The Galleria.

Situated elsewhere in town, between these three pillars of development and surrounding them, are a dozen or more distinct districts that define the more-accessible heart of the people and the city.

• North of downtown - No other name has managed to stick for this area, just north of the original downtown and formerly the site of warehouses and industry. (A short-lived attempt to market the area as NoHo - NOrth of HOuston, get it? - died a well-deserved death and no good, short, snappy name has yet to fully permeate the collective consciousness of Houston.) Loft conversions and trendy residents are the rule in this area, nowadays, but there's still some good eats and nightlife to be found.

• Montrose - Both a street name and a neighborhood, Montrose is Houston's longtime home to a large portion of its gay and lesbian community, as well as host to the city's museums. An area that was once affordable and appealing for its 1920's bungalows, it has now given way to gentrification and high property taxes. Of note in the Montrose is the Menil Collection, a private family collection of 20th Century modern masterpieces, open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 11-7. It boasts a large group of surrealist works and includes a special room devoted to the objects that the Surrealists themselves collected, which inspired many of the works on view. Montrose is one of the few places in the city where walking just might be feasible one day, but with August average high temperatures lingering in the 90's with 95% humidity, it is unlikely that Houstonians will ever surrender their cars.

• River Oaks -
• Post Oak / Galleria -
• Midtown -
• The Heights -
• Southwest Houston -

Houston is served by two airports:

• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), [1] . The larger of the two airports and is located 23 miles north of downtown by Beltway 8. It is a hub for Continental Airlines and serves 24 domestic and international airlines.

• William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), [2] . Located 7 miles south of downtown and is located off of I-45 South. It is convenient if you're travelling downtown or south of the city, such as to Galveston. Its main carrier is Southwest Airlines, and it also serves Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and AirTran.

• Amtrak, 902 Washington Ave, [3] . Amtrak's Sunset Limited line is the only passenger train route with a stop in Houston.

Houston's major freeways include:

• I-45 North ("North Freeway"): To Dallas
• I-45 South ("Gulf Freeway"): To Galveston
• I-10 West ("Katy Freeway"): To San Antonio
• I-10 East: to Beaumont
• I-610 ("The Loop"): Loop around downtown
• US 59 South ("Southwest Freeway"): to Victoria
• US 59 North ("Eastex Freeway"): to Lufkin
• US 290 West ("Northwest Freeway"): to Austin
• TX 288 South ("South Freeway"): to Freeport

Approximate mileage to nearby cities (in miles):

• Austin: 160
• Baton Rouge, LA: 270
• Beaumont: 90
• Dallas: 240
• El Paso: 745
• Galveston: 50
• Lake Charles, LA: 140
• New Orleans, LA: 346
• San Antonio: 200
• Waco: 180

• Greyhound Lines, [4]
  • Downtown station, 2121 Main St.
  • Crosstimbers Station, 4001 North Freeway.
  • Northwest, 1500 West Loop North.
  • Southeast, 7000 Harrisburg Street.
  • Southwest, 5690 Southwest Freeway.

Houston has a number of major highways that make getting around Houston fairly easy. (See list of freeways under the "Get In" section.) A number of obstacles, however, can make driving in Houston a less than pleasant experience. One is construction, which seems to be ever-present, and the other is traffic. Evening rush hour in Houston begins as early as 4pm and can last more than 2 hours. Morning rush hour is between 7 and 9. During rush hour, traffic on the highways can come to a halt. The strip of the West Loop near the Galleria, between US 59 and I-10, is an area you should definitely avoid during rush hour if possible.

• Houston Traffic Map

Some of the freeways have an H.O.V. (High-Occupancy Vehicle) lane, which are limited-access lanes located in the median strip of the highway. The HOV lanes are operational Monday - Friday in the morning hours (5am - 11am) in the inbound direction and in the outbound direction in the afternoon and evening (from 2pm - 8pm). The HOV lanes are restricted to cars with 2 or more passengers, however some HOV lanes require 3 or more passengers during peak travel periods (6:45-8:00am and 5-6pm, for the Katy Freeway; 6:45-8:00am only for Highway 290). The HOV lanes are marked with signs bearing a white diamond on a black background. Highways with HOV lanes are: I-45 North, I-45 South, US 59 North, US 59 South, I-10 West (Katy Freeway), and US 290. In addition to its usual Monday through Friday hours, the Katy Freeway HOV lane also runs on Saturday in the outbound direction and on Sunday in the inbound direction.

• HOV lane map & schedule

Currently, public transportation in Houston is limited to METRO, which operates bus lines as well as a the new and very popular light rail system 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. The one-way fare on METRORail is $1. (Also see the stay safe section.)

• Yellow Cab, (713)236-1111

• Space Center Houston, 1601 NASA Road 1 (located 25 miles south of downtown Houston in the NASA/Clear Lake area), (281)244-2100. Open daily. Summer hours: June 10am-7pm, July 9am-7pm, August 10am-5pm, 10am-7pm Weekends. Winter hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. $17.95 Adults, $13.95 Children (4-11), discounts for seniors. Parking $4. Indoor fun space museum. A big hit with kids, but informative for adults. A highlight is the tram tour of NASA's Johnson Space Center.Official website
• Battleship Texas and San Jacinto Battleground Monument, LaPorte (From Interstate 610 East, take Texas Highway 225 east for 11 miles to Battleground Road (Texas Highway 134), continue north approximately 2 miles. Turn right on Park Road 1836 for the Monument or continue on Highway 134 another mile to reach the Battleship.). Every day (closed for major holidays). Hours: 10-5 (battleship), 8-6 (monument). Battleship admission: Adults $5, Children (6-18) $3, Children (5 and under) free. Senior discounts. San Jacinto Monument is free. Tour a World World II battleship. The monument commemorates the battle at which Texas won its independence from Mexico. Official visitor information
• Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park. March, yearly (Mar 1-20 for the 2005 season). The world's largest rodeo. Includes rodeo events, calf scramble, and music concert. It is known for its big-name music acts as much as it is for the rodeo. The livestock show attracts professional breeders who bring in their world-class livestock to be judged. There is also a carnival on the grounds. Official website

• Astroworld
• Waterworld
• Splashtown USA

Houston is home to many universities, including:

• Houston Community College (HCC), [5]
• Rice University, [6]
• University of Houston, [7]
• Baylor College of Medicine, [8]
• The University of Texas Health Science Center, [9]
• Houston Baptist University, [10]
• University of St. Thomas, [11]
• Texas Southern University, [12]

• Galleria, 5085 Westheimer Rd. (located 1 block west of the West Loop at the intersection of Westheimer and Post Oak Blvd.), 713 622-0663, [13] . Mon-Sat 10:00am - 9:00pm, Sun 11:00am - 7:00pm. Free parking. A huge indoor shopping mall with 375 stores. Upscale shopping. Food court and fine restaurants. Indoor ice-skating rink.

• Katy Mills Mall In the nearby city of Katy, roughly 15 miles west of Houston.

• Goode Company Barbeque
• Nippon Daido. Japanese fast food cafe. There's also a Japanese grocery store in the same shopping centre. Located in Wilcrest area.

• Nit-Noi. Thai cuisine.

• Mark's American Cuisine, 1658 Westheimer Road, 713 523-3800, [14] . Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-2, Dinner: Mon-Thu 6:00pm-11:00pm, Fri 5:30pm-12:00am, Sat 5:00pm-12:00am, Sun 5:00pm-10:00pm. Award-winning four-star restaurant by owner and chef Mark Cox. Housed in an old church for a unique atmosphere. Reservations required.

• Magic Island, 2215 Southwest Freeway (between Kirby and Greenbriar), 713 526-2442, [15] . Dinner night club with close-up magic and stage magic performed by house magicians as well as guest magicians.

• Little Woodrows, 2301 W Alabama St (between Kirby and Greenbrier), (713)529-0449. Serves beer and wine. Steak night once a week. Pool tables and Golden Tee.

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• Courtyard - Galleria, 3131 West Loop S, [16] . Close to the William P. Hobby Airport and only a 40-minute drive from Houston's major Airport, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

• Fairfield Inn - East, 10155 I-10 East, [17]. Seven miles from Downtown Houston, the Fairfield Inn Houston Hotel and only 30 minutes from Houston's international airport, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

• Fairfield Inn - Galleria, 3131 West Loop S, [18] . A quarter of a mile from uptown, near Houston's Galleria Mall and within easy reach of many of Houston's popular tourist attractions including Houston's Astrodome, Houston Museum District and Houston Space Center. Situated in close proximity to the William P. Hobby Airport. Also, it's only a 40-minute drive from Houston's major airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

• Hampton Inn - East, 828 Mercury Dr, 713 673-4200, [19]. Near Jacinto city, east of Houston, only seven miles from Downtown Houston, and all the most interesting and most popular Houston tourist attractions. Only 30 minutes drive from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

• Holiday Inn - Airport, 15222 John F. Kennedy Blvd, 281 449-2311, [20]. A midscale hotel right outside the main Houston Airport and half an hour's drive north of downtown Houston. The hotel runs a frequent shuttle to and from the airport, and guests staying at the hotel have the benefit of free on-site parking.

• Holiday Inn - Greenway, 2712 Southwest Freeway, 713 523-8448, [21]. 16 miles from Houston Hobby Airport, 27 miles from Houston Airport, and just 20 minutes from downtown Houston.

• Holiday Inn - Medical Center, 6800 S. Main St, 713 528-7744, [22] . Great location close to the Texas Medical Center, the world-class hospital complex 4 miles south-west of downtown Houston, 13 miles from Houston Hobby Airport and 25 miles from Houston Intercontinental Airport. The hotel provides complimentary transportation across the Center and further into Houston.

• Holiday Inn Select, 14703 Park Row, 281 558-5580, [23] (. A convenient location just 0.5 mile from "Energy Corridor" in Houston and only 16 miles from downtown, while both the main Houston airports are 33 miles away.

• Microtel - Clear Lake, 1620 Nasa Rd 1, 281 335-0800, [24] . Economy/budget hotel offering guests free local and free long distance calls in the continental United States, and free wireless high-speed Internet access in every room of their hotels, as well as advance online check-in and check-out with unlimited access to online folio information.

• Wyndham - Greenspoint, 12400 Greenspoint Dr, [25] . Near the area's largest shopping center, Greenspoint Mall and only half an hour from downtown, Astros Field, Sam Houston Race Park and major corporate headquarters.

• InterContinental, 2222 W. Loop South, [26] . A AAA 4-Diamond hotel, is ideally located in the heart of prestigious uptown Houston, one block from the world-renowned Houston Galleria shopping and dining.

• Omni, Four Riverway, (888) 444-6664, [27] . Centrally located in the prestigious Post Oak neighborhood, the hotel is near the Galleria - Houston's premier shopping venue - and only minutes from downtown. A proud recipient of the AAA 5-diamond award, the hotel is surrounded by impeccably manicured grounds and two sparkling pools.

• Omni - Westside, 13210 Katy Freeway, (888) 444-6664, [28] . A luxury hotel featuring an atrium lobby complete with indoor lakes and waterfalls, tropical fish and glass elevators. Located in the exclusive energy corridor just 30 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.

Houston has multiple telephone area codes and mandatory 10-digit dialing. For any number, even within your own area code, you need to dial areacode + number. For local calls, you do not dial a 1+ or a 0+ before the number. Some calls within Houston are considered long distance, and for those you need to dial 1 + areacode + number.

Houston's area codes are: 713, 281, and 832.

Please, be careful when coming near the METRORail track, especially at intersections. Many vehicles and pedestrians have been involve in collisions with this controversial service already , even though it has only been in service since January 2004.

DO NOT IGNORE THE SIGNS, since the trains move very quickly and run at almost all hours of the day and night. It runs almost silently. At many streets, left turns are not permitted. Also watch the signs and signals, because some will change as trains approach. Do not drive on the tracks, there are large raised white domes that separate the roadway and the rail line. In some areas signs may indicate driving (or walking) on the tracks is permitted (currently only in the Texas Medical Center) but make sure it is safe to do so.

Daytrip ideas:

• Galveston. Only about an hour's drive southeast from the city, Houstonians go to Galveston island for its beaches, the Strand, and Moody Gardens.
• Surfside. Another beach, less crowded than Galveston. About 2 hours from Houston.
• Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels, TX (about 174 miles west of Houston). Huge waterpark, rated #1 waterpark in America by the Travel Channel. Website

Kemah - Nice Boardwalk with Great Restaurants.

• Downtown Houston Tunnels. 25 miles of tunnels run under Downtown Houston with restaurants and retail shops throughout Downtown. Good for a rainy day. Downtown Houston Map