A Traveller’s Guide to Getting Around Houston

Houston’s sheer size sometimes comes as a surprise to first-time visitors – especially international ones. Distances look a lot shorter on the map than they really are, and it can be hard to grasp the actual, real-life scale of the place. What’s more, unlike many older cities, Houston doesn’t have a compact, walkable center and clusters of central attractions. Instead, districts and the attractions you might want to visit sprawl out for miles and miles, across an enormous geographic footprint. This can be very daunting, especially if you don’t have a car with you. So, to help you out, here’s a newbie’s guide to getting around.

Houston largely grew up in the 20th century, and as such, the majority of the city was constructed with cars in mind. So, you will almost certainly have to use cars to get to many of the attractions you want to visit. Don’t worry, you can easily rent a car in Houston to take you to further-flung locations, and you won’t necessarily have to commit to a long-term rental period. 

If you do bring your own vehicle or rent a car, the good news is that Houston’s car-centric infrastructure makes it easy to drive around and park in the city. While there can be traffic congestion during peak hours, the highway system is otherwise pretty smooth and easy to navigate. Parking is plentiful and low-cost, and you’ll find gas stations at regular intervals.

There are also a lot of rideshare options. While the cost of these can add up if you use them a lot, they can be useful for getting to particular attractions or restaurants.

Understand the layout of Houston

Houston doesn’t revolve around a single dominant walkable ‘center’ or ‘front’. Instead, it has a range of important districts, many of which function like small cities in their own right.

Here are some key districts to be aware of:

Downtown is to the east of the center of the city. It’s a big business and sports district. Midtown is south of Downtown, and has a good mix of eateries, shops, bars, and METRORail connections.

Museum District: As you might expect, there are a lot of museums here – but it’s far from the only place you’ll find good museums. You’ll find it southwest of Downtown, between Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center.

The Galleria: This is one of the city’s main commercial and shopping districts. You’ll find it to the west of the centre of the city.

Medical Center: This is a cluster of medical facilities and research labs, which people often refer to when giving directions. It’s near Downtown and the Museum District.

The Energy Corridor: Stretches west along Interstate 10 towards the outer suburbs. There are a lot of corporate campuses and major energy companies here.

Houston has a light rail system – the METRORail -, but you’ll find it’s only really useful for specific central parts of the city. That being said, it is a useful option if you’re spending days around Downtown, Midtown, Museum District, and Medical Center and want to save money on gas or rideshares. 

There are three main METRORail lines – the Red Line, which connects Downtown, Midtown, Museum District, and Medical Center, and the Green and Purple Lines, which head eastwards from Downtown.

As a general rule, the rail system is best for central sightseeing rather than full city exploration. Visitors expecting the kind of comprehensive public transit coverage you’d get in cities like London or New York will be disappointed. 

Don’t count on being able to walk anywhere

Houston has a reputation for being completely unwalkable. That’s not entirely fair. Some areas are very walkable – sections of Downtown and Midtown, for example, make it easy to get around on foot. Rice Village, parts of Montrose, and the Museum District are also relatively walkable. However, as a general rule, you can’t get from district to district on foot. There are few to no sidewalks; even if there were, the heat and humidity would make long walks very uncomfortable.

So, do bring your comfortable walking shoes for days in the more walkable districts, but don’t rely on being able to walk around Houston in general.

Airports

Houston has two major airports. George Bush Intercontinental Airport handles most international traffic, and Hobby Airport focuses on domestic routes. Public transport connections do exist to both airports, but they’re more limited than you might expect in other major cities. So, it’s well worth putting a bit of advance planning into getting from and to your airport – even if you have a car with you, as traffic can get congested around the airports.

Weather and Travel in Houston

Heat, humidity, storms, and flooding all affect movement around Houston at various times of year. We’ve already explained that the heat of summer can make it uncomfortable to spend long hours outside or walking around. 

The flipside of Houston’s weather coin is sometimes violent thunderstorms, which can cause dramatic flooding in a relatively short space of time. These storms tend to have a big impact on traffic, and floods may even close some roads. So, pay attention to the weather forecasts and take weather warnings seriously.

Houston is a lot easier to manage once you understand the scale of the city and appreciate the logistics required to get around. Renting a car is probably the easiest and most convenient way to explore the city – but blending rideshares with the METRORail in central areas can also work if you plan your journeys strategically. Above all, don’t underestimate the heat or overestimate Houston’s walkability – it’s usually a good idea to have a backup transport option other than walking.