When you think of America’s metropolises, it’s likely Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Big Apple come to mind.
That trio rounds out the top 3 biggest urban sprawls in the country, but fourth place is one many overlook as a fun city break, even though it’s a major flight hub connecting most of the U.S.
Brimming with more culture than it’s often given credit for, thrilling events like rodeos and music festivals held throughout the year, and affordable luxury, this sunny Southern city is looking to fill its 26-lane highways with more tourists despite already seeing an uptick in visitors this spring.
As you know, the South tends to see hot and muggy weather come summertime, so right now is the sweet spot to book a trip to Houston, a city full of surprises that believes it’s earned a seat at the table with other megacities like New York and L.A.
For Business Or Pleasure?
Houston has 2 major airports, yet many visitors fly in for business, missing out on the city's delights while spending much of their day in a windowless conference room, shaking hands and making small talk.
Call us partial, but here at Travel Off Path, we're not here for the ‘9-to-5' life; we're here to get out and see the world.
Houston fits the bill as one of the country's most underrated destinations for a springtime getaway. While business travelers can enjoy the perks of nice hotels and happy hour margs, their workday schedule likely gets in the way of experiencing Houston's lush parks, cultural neighborhoods, and famed food scene.
As much of our team has vacationed in Houston, we're aligned with the city's mission to say “H-Town” is a bona fide vacation destination — not just one spent cooped up in a bland conference room eating room-temperature hors d'oeuvres.
And no, I did not have to spellcheck that…
Merci beaucoup.
With a low-key amount of things to do despite somehow flying under the radar as a city with over 2.3 million residents, you have some of Texas's best restaurants, ample ways to savor the outdoors, the beach town of Galveston close by, behind-the-scenes tours at NASA, world-class museums ranging from fine art to deep dives into the Holocaust, and no shortage of name-brand hotels for every budget.
Houston Had It's Best Kickoff To Spring On Record!
See what I did there?
“Kickoff”…Texas…football…
I tried…
The truth of the matter is, Houston just had its best March ever! Call it a Texas-sized ego or a refusal to settle, but tourism officials still want more and are determined to put their beloved city on even more travelers’ radars.
Summer weather and mosquitos aside, not many Houstonians complain about their hometown, which is often in a rivalry with Dallas and Austin.
The city claims they are dedicated to pouring in hefty investments — I mean, there have to be a few potholes on 26-lane highways, right?
As a multi-time visitor myself, I can say Houston's downtown needs some work, as it feels more like an endless parking lot than an adult playground laden with buzzing bars.
Our source claims Houston wants to add more green space, pad their police force to ensure safety, and improve public areas, overall — safety being one important issue that goes unnoticed.
Our real-time safety index shows travelers are scoring Houston 65/100, which is surprisingly lower than San Francisco and just a tick above notorious crime-ridden cities like Medellin, Colombia.
One Of America's Most Affordable Weekend Getaways
Given how well-connected Houston is being home to IAH and HOU airports, it's all the more appealing to zip in and out for those who burned through their PTO.
Travel + Leisure just revealed America's most affordable weekend getaways. Vegas came out as #1, which I gotta say, I don't know how they're experiencing Vegas but my bank account took a beating on my last “Sin City” vacay.
Houston, though?
I've been numerous times and most often my biggest expense is usually packing in as much Whataburger as I can since I'm stuck with In-N-Out where I live.
Discover H-Town
Travel + Leisure says you can easily score a 2-night getaway for $281. We all know Southwest runs sales practically every week, so you can fly into HOU from a laundry list of cities if you score a deal.
