Written by Steve Castaneda, Realtor - The MyHomeHouston Team
Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States. Since Houston is so large, I've comprised the following tips to make sure that your visit to Houston is comfortable and pleasant. If you are looking to visit Houston in the near future, you definitely owe it to yourself to plan carefully prior to scheduling your trip.
Major Airports of Houston
There are two main airports you will be glad to familiarize yourself with when planning your flight to Houston. The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is located 23 miles North of downtown and serves well over 40 million passengers a year. This major airport is located in the North part of Houston, so if your stay will involve visiting Humble, Spring, Cypress, Tomball, The Woodlands, Kingwood, or Atascocita, then the Bush Intercontinential Airport should be your best choice.
On the Southern side of Houston is the William P. Hobby Airport of Houston (HOU). This airport is located seven miles South of downtown Houston and serves 10 million passengers a year through it's terminals. If your stay will involve Pearland, Sugarland, Pasedena, Rosenberg, or Fresno, then this should be your choice for an airport arrival in Houston.
Katy is located to the far West of Houston, so if you are going to be visiting Katy you shouldn't go wrong with either the Bush Intercontinental Airport or Hobby Airport.
Major Freeways of Houston
Houston has two main loops that it would be wise to be aware of. Highway 610, also known as the inner loop, encircles the center of Houston by approximately 6 miles from the center and includes communities like Bellaire and Memorial Park. The next loop extending outwards from the center of Houston is named Beltway 8 and is actually a toll road at some sections of the highway. Most of the North West, West, and Southwest portions of Beltway 8 are tolled at a rate anywhere from $0.75 to $1.50, depending if you are exiting the tollway or continuing your drive along Beltway 8. Expect to have to pay toll booths at every 10 mile increment or so.
The other major highways of Houston are as follows:
- I-10: From East to West in relation to Houston. Provides access to the center of Houston and Katy in the Western portion of this way.
- Highway 59: From North to Southwest in relation to Houston. In the north, this major highway provides access to Kingwood and Atascocita. It continues through the center of Houston, then to the Southwest into Sugarland and Rosenberg.
- Highway 45: From North to Southeast in relation to Houston. In the North, Highway 45 provides access to Spring, Humble and The Woodlands. It continues through the center of Houston proceeding to the Southeast toward Galveston, our nearest beach (The Gulf of Mexico).
- Highway 290: From Northwest to the center of Houston. In the Northwest, Highway 290 provides access to Cypress and continues towards Austin, Texas. Highway 290 terminates towards the center of Houston at the inner loop or Highway 610.
- Highway 249: This is a Northwest Houston major highway. Highway 249 provides access to Cypress and Spring, and continues North to Tomball and Magnolia.
Shopping In Houston
Houston has it's fair share of malls for you to spend countless hours touring. The most prominent shopping district in Houston is named The Galleria. This mall includes upscale shopping such as Fendi, Coach, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. The Galleria is also known for it ice skating rink that many Houstonians have the pleasure of enjoying throughout the year. The Galleria is located just outside the Inner Loop of Houston to the West of downtown.
Things to See in Houston
Near downtown Houston, you will discover the Houston Museum District. This district in Houston includes many different museums to enjoy, including the fine arts, natural science, and children's museum. There are also many specialty museums for you to tour in your visit to Houston such as the Menil Collection.
Houston is also home to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). When visiting NASA, you can see actual space shuttles that have been in orbit around the Earth, and discover the Space Center of Houston where you will learn all sorts of interesting details about the discoveries that NASA has uncovered since 1958.
Houstonians also are proud to have many new stadiums for their professional sport teams. The Minute Maid Park serves our own Houston Astros, while the Toyota Center houses the Houston Rockets, and the Reliant Center is for the Houston Texans. Each stadium is newly constructed and provides the latest amenities in technology to all visitors. Minute Maid Park is said to not have a single bad seat in the house!
In Summary
As you can see, there are many things to see an do in Houston. If you are looking to visit Houston just to see what Houston has to offer or if you are thinking about relocating and buying your own piece of Houston real estate, the MyHomeHouston team is here to help you with all of your Houston needs. We would be happy to point you in the right direction, or provide a list of upcoming "things to see" in Houston for your next visit.
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About The Author
Steven Castaneda, Realtor, is a real estate consultant specializing in Houston Texas Real Estate. He is the team leader of The MyHomeHouston Team; a team that strives to help their clients make the most informed and intelligent decisions with their real estate transactions. The MyHomeHouston Team website features a Houston MLS tool for viewing properties for sale in Houston, guides on buying and selling real estate, and tools to see the pricing trends of communities in Houston.
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