Houston

About

Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County. Covering a total area of 640.4 square miles (1,659 km2), it is the ninth largest city in the country and the largest whose municipal government is not consolidated with a county, parish, or borough. Although primarily located within Harris County, portions of the city extend into Fort Bend and Montgomery counties. Housto

Summary excerpted from the Wikipedia article Houston, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be clipped or paraphrased to fit this page.

Why visit

Visit Houston for music, theater, and performance, markets, streets, food, and public squares, landscape, water, gardens, and nearby routes. The value of Houston is clearest when museums, streets, religious buildings, markets, food, and nearby landscape are read together. A good itinerary should stay selective. Let one institution, district, or landscape edge organize the day in Houston, then keep the supporting stops close. That restraint helps Houston feel like a place rather than a sequence of obligations. Day trips from Houston work best when they change the reader's understanding of the base, not just the mileage.

When to avoid

Visiting Houston during the peak summer months of June to August can present challenges due to the city's notoriously hot and humid weather. With temperatures often exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) and high levels of humidity, outdoor activities may be uncomfortable for visitors. Additionally, these months coincide with hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing the risk of severe weather disruptions to travel plans. It is advisable for travelers to consider these factors and plan their trip accordingly to ensure a more enjoyable experience in Houston.

The next week in Houston

7-day forecast from Open-Meteo. UV badges flag days when sun protection matters (3 and above is moderate; 8 and above is risk territory for unprotected fair skin within 30 minutes).

Year-round climate

Monthly highs, lows, and rainfall (long-term averages, NASA POWER).

Airports near Houston

2 commercial airports within 100 km. Closest is William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) at 16 km.

Getting around Houston

Public-transit operators within 8 km of the city center. Click through to each operator’s site for routes, fares, and tickets.

Operators and modes aggregated by TransitLand from individual transit-agency GTFS feeds. Route classifications (subway / tram / rail / bus / etc) come from each feed’s GTFS route_type codes.