After spending the majority of my life living in the southeastern United States, I never in a million years thought that I would one day be living in Texas.
Sure, I grew up in “The South”, but Texas was different. At least my version of “The South” included Appalachian mountains, cute coastal towns like Savannah and Charleston, and Florida, the state where I spent 8 years of my life and the state which is easily the least southern of all of the states in “The South” (visit Miami and you’ll see what I mean).
But what did Texas have to offer? Flat, dry landscapes cloaked in desert heat, inhabited by gun-slinging ranch hands and Old Western style cowboys? That was it, right?
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
My first taste of Texas was when my parents moved to Austin in 2012, and to say that I was shocked was an understatement. Austin was green, hilly, surrounded by gorgeous lakes, and speckled with food trucks, art galleries, and antique shops. It only took a summer to fall in love with Austin. But the rest of Texas couldn’t be this great too, right?
Again, I was so wrong.
I’ve only been officially living in Houston for about two months, but I’ve spent plenty of time here in the past and I can tell you it’s an amazing city. I can understand why you may be hesitant to believe me, so here are some fast facts about Houston to change your mind:
Houston is the FOURTH largest city in the whole United States, after New York, LA, and Chicago.
Of the 10 most populous US cities, Houston has the MOST total area of parks and green space (337 parks!)–yes, this is a real fact!
Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the US, with over 90 languages spoken.
It has the SECOND largest theater district in the nation (after NYC, of course), and its museum district attracts over 7 million visitors per year.
It is home to one of the youngest populations in the nation.
During my time here, I’ve visited new bars, parks, museums, boutiques, gardens, and public art displays every weekend, and I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface. Not to mention, there are many other fun attractions such as professional sports events, the Houston Rodeo, the Aquarium, Top Golf, food trucks, and more.
Have you ever been to Houston? If not, would you like to?
Wow, I had no idea that Houston was the 4th biggest city in the US! I’ve never been anywhere in Texas, but it seems like you have some really cool stuff there. Maybe it’ll be worth a visit in my future 🙂
Haha yeah, I honestly think Texas is a highly underrated state. Come check it out!
Loved this! I haven’t been to the US, but I’m going for the first time this year. Love reading about lesser-known cities that don’t get as much airtime as the more popular tourist destinations
All of my family lives in Houston so I have been going there since I was a baby. I think maybe because I am always visiting family, I never get out to see anything cool. Your post makes me want to plan my own itinerary next time I visit my family!
You totally should! I think a lot of people don’t think of Houston as a really tourist-friendly city, but there are actually a lot of cool thing to uncover!
My husband and I are travelling to Dallas at the end of April next year for 4 weeks with our (then) 5 & 6 year old and want to check out Texas, Florida, New Orleans and any other suggestions to fit into our 4 weeks?!
My sister has been living in Houston for a few months now and hasn’t been able to do too much exploring. However, I definitely think that she would love going to Hermann Park or to the museum district. Other than the Museum of Fine Arts, though, what other types of museums do they have there?
Houston is one of the places I would like to visit in 2017. can you tell me what is the best time of the year to visit Houston?
Thanks