Houston Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Houston

Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the Southern United States, serving as the county seat of Harris County in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Portions of the municipality also extend into Fort Bend and Montgomery counties. Situated on the gulf coastal plain about 165 miles east of Austin and 250 miles south of Dallas, the city covers roughly 640 square miles of land and water. Known for its extensive network of waterways, Houston is frequently nicknamed the Bayou City, alongside Space City, H-Town, and the 713.

Indigenous Karankawa and Atakapa peoples inhabited the region for thousands of years prior to European settlement. Founded in August 1836 by the Allen brothers at the junction of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou, the settlement was named in honor of General Sam Houston and incorporated as a city in 1837. After serving briefly as the capital of the Republic of Texas, Houston developed into a key regional trading and railroad hub for exporting cotton. Rapid expansion occurred in the early 20th century following the Spindletop oil boom, the devastation of nearby Galveston by a 1900 hurricane, and the opening of the deep-water Houston Ship Channel in 1914.

During the mid-20th century, the city diversified its economy into specialized fields of research, medicine, and aerospace. The establishment of the Texas Medical Center in 1945 created what became the world's largest medical complex. The arrival of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center—renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 1973—positioned the region as a international focal point for aeronautics. Today, Houston holds a major global profile supported by a diverse industrial base spanning energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation, alongside a busy port that leads the nation in international waterborne tonnage.

Houston features a wide array of cultural institutions and sporting venues, reflecting a highly diverse international population. Notable urban hubs include the Houston Museum District and the Houston Theater District. Architectural and sports highlights include the historic Astrodome, opened in 1965 as the first indoor domed stadium, as well as downtown venues such as Daikin Park, the Toyota Center, and Reliant Stadium.