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What is your favorite thing about the Houston metro?

9,374 Views | 94 Replies | Last: 17 days ago by 94chem
TheWoodlandsTxAg
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Many conversations I have with people both outside and at work always focus on the negatives of the Houston metro: hot humid weather with tropical storms/hurricanes, high property taxes, high crime, bad traffic, poor infrastructure, and the widely held belief that the metro area is geographically physically ugly and flat. During zoom calls at work, while people are waiting for everyone to join, they talk negatively about living here and about how they can't wait to leave when they retire or sooner.

I would like to ask what is your favorite thing about the Houston metro to bring some positivity to the conversation?

I will start.

The medical care here is absolutely world class. Every nook and cranny of the Houston metro is packed with amazing clinics, hospitals, and medical facilities. Methodist, Memorial Hermann, Kelsey, St. Lukes, and MD Anderson. You can walk into some random clinic in the suburbs, and your doctor went to BCM, did residency at Mass General/Harvard, and a fellowship at Johns Hopkins. I am also amazed by the patient care and empathy that our local physicians, nurses, physician assistants, midlevels, medical assistants, and clinic clerical staff provide and show. They really care about the patients. I can guarantee that if you can't find what you need in the suburbs and exurbs, go into the medical center and you will probably find the foremost expert on your medical issue in the whole entire world.
DRE06
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AG
1. Economy/job market
2. Year round Golf
3. Excellent food across many cuisines
4. The general southern hospitality of people
5. Healthcare (this is probably higher depending on your individual situation)
htxag09
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Some obvious ones like food, people, relative affordability, jobs, etc. But one that I think is overlooked…

I used to travel regularly for work. I'd put our hike and bike trails up with pretty much anywhere I've been. Memorial park is awesome. Now they even have a track for speed work and hills there. The white oak bayou, buffalo bayou, heights hike and bike trail, etc system are great for long runs. Pretty awesome to be able to do a 15-20 mile run and have things like restrooms and water along the route and not have to worry about them. City also does a pretty good job of keeping these clear of homeless camps.

I've even done 100+ mile bike rides with probably 85%+ of that being on trails.

Sure, weather could be better in the summer. But I'd take our weather in January and February and don't have to worry about snow and ice.
NoahAg
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HEB
Grizzy's Hood News




That's, that's about it.
Ferris Wheel Allstar
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1. Every 'issue' someone has with my beloved city keeps all the ******* away
Larry Hagman
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I love Houston lived most of my life here but there really isn't any other reason to be here except for the economics/jobs and relatively low cost of living
Charismatic Megafauna
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Having moved out of state about a year ago and spent lots of time discussing the subject, Houston's greatest assets for us are:
Food (particularly tex-mex)
Airports (get anywhere in the world pretty easily from the tine)
Art/museums
Medical
HEB
William Foster
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DRE06 said:

1. Economy/job market
2. Year round Golf
3. Excellent food across many cuisines
4. The general southern hospitality of people
5. Healthcare (this is probably higher depending on your individual situation)
I bag on this city being an unlivable mosquito infested swampy hellhole quite a bit, but I do forget about this. As hot as it gets, I do enjoy the evening "golden hour" summer rounds and being able to play pretty much every month of the year.
William Foster
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Larry Hagman said:

I love Houston lived most of my life here but there really isn't any other reason to be here except for the economics/jobs and relatively low cost of living
We are only here because family is the most important thing to us. If that wasn't tying us down, no way in hell we would still be here. I love them enough to live the rest of my life in this increasingly sh*tty city.



But if that wasn't a factor...I'd rather live in a tiny box of a house in San Diego than in a mansion here. Hell, I'd rather live in El Paso or Tucson, AZ than Houston. I chuckle when people on here tell transplants "Try El Paso, Houston is full". That's not bad advice actually.

Jugstore Cowboy
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I love the festive atmosphere. The ability to enjoy celebratory fireworks almost any night of the week from my back patio just ignites the imagination, thinking of all the wonderful things our neighbors must be celebrating as they drive past our subdivision.
Bigballin
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Lean
Vegas-aggie
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Astroworld !!
Milwaukees Best Light
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Had no idea this many of you rode the public bus. I have never, so I don't really have an opinion on metro.
Mas89
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I thought you guys in Baytown ride the short bus.
jja79
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Curious why the desert if you don't mind me asking? Not that I disagree because I left Houston after 28 years and moved to Arizona last year. Now I was raised in the desert so it wasn't a jolt to my system.
FarmerJohn
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I love Metro. Everytime I see someone getting on or off, I think to myself, "That's one less Altima on the road."
Milwaukees Best Light
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Don't you lump me in with those people. I only work there and I only go in twice a week. And, the only busses I see are from the old folks homes dropping at Walmart.

Does the stupid train count as metro? Cause I have ridden it 3-4 times. But, I never paid.
EclipseAg
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I've lived here most of my life so it's home.

I curse it constantly but all my family is here. Leaving would be difficult.
Noname124398
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Coming from Dallas, the thing i like most about the Houston area is the access to hunting/fishing/outdoor activities.
Lots of public land between the WMAs/NWRs on the coast and the Sam Houston NF to the north. Access to saltwater for fishing and duck hunting to the south (could use a few more freshwater lakes though, that's Dallas' only advantage). Arrowheads in just about any stream within an hour radius.
Geographical diversity - Coastal prairie to the west which is great for duck and goose hunting, Pineywoods to the east for deer, squirrels, wood ducks.
Decent hiking opportunities and good soil that wont cake your feet in a pound of mud post-rain like Dallas' black gumbo mud.
Neat biodiversity - all sorts of snakes, gators, and other critters that you dont get to see everywhere else. Plants and mushrooms that are plentiful due to the tropical climate. Petrified wood and other cool rocks if youre into that sorta thing (Im really good at finding stuff to do outside lol)
Funky Winkerbean
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I put it in my rear view mirror..
Petrino1
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Charismatic Megafauna said:

Having moved out of state about a year ago and spent lots of time discussing the subject, Houston's greatest assets for us are:
Food (particularly tex-mex)
Airports (get anywhere in the world pretty easily from the tine)
Art/museums
Medical
HEB

Despite all the construction going on right now, IAH is one of my favorite airports in the US: good restaurants, bars, lounges, not too big, easy to get around, direct flights to most places. I had a connection in MCO recently and it took me one hour to get from one terminal to the next, I had to walk outside, take a shuttle to the terminal, recheck in with security, take another shuttle to the terminal etc. At IAH it would've taken 5 minutes to get to the next terminal via the Skyway.
The Wonderer
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1. economy
2. social scene/eateries
3. fine arts/museums
4. uniqueness of neighborhoods
5. Grizzy's Hood News
TarponChaser
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Noname124398 said:

Coming from Dallas, the thing i like most about the Houston area is the access to hunting/fishing/outdoor activities.
Lots of public land between the WMAs/NWRs on the coast and the Sam Houston NF to the north. Access to saltwater for fishing and duck hunting to the south (could use a few more freshwater lakes though, that's Dallas' only advantage). Arrowheads in just about any stream within an hour radius.
Geographical diversity - Coastal prairie to the west which is great for duck and goose hunting, Pineywoods to the east for deer, squirrels, wood ducks.
Decent hiking opportunities and good soil that wont cake your feet in a pound of mud post-rain like Dallas' black gumbo mud.
Neat biodiversity - all sorts of snakes, gators, and other critters that you dont get to see everywhere else. Plants and mushrooms that are plentiful due to the tropical climate. Petrified wood and other cool rocks if youre into that sorta thing (Im really good at finding stuff to do outside lol)
100% this.

And I agree with the poster who had this list (except for golf, I don't golf)
1. Economy/job market
2. Year round Golf see above re: outdoor pursuits
3. Excellent food across many cuisines
4. The general southern hospitality of people
5. Healthcare (this is probably higher depending on your individual situation)

Economy and job market plus relatively low COL.
Food scene is really second only to NYC and arguably more accessible and broader diversity across more price-points.
People tend to be great.

One thing I find that some don't get his really how diverse and welcoming Houston can be. People don't care about race or how old your money is. The only color that matters is green and do you have the ability to make it.

And this is probably pretty true in a lot of other places but the overall opportunities for my kids academically and athletically. It doesn't matter what your kids are into or what you want them to be into there's very high-level opportunity and competition in everything.
Chewy
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My favorite is the skeeters and humidity. Quickly sorts out those that really want to be here and those that don't.

In all honesty it's the people here more than anything. As referenced, nobody really gives a sheet about your pedigree as long as you bring something to the table.

Had a grad school prof tell me, "Houston doesn't really have anything to be pretentious about so all we can do is be nice to each other."
William Foster
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jja79 said:

Curious why the desert if you don't mind me asking? Not that I disagree because I left Houston after 28 years and moved to Arizona last year. Now I was raised in the desert so it wasn't a jolt to my system.
I have always loved the dry arid climate. I love the sun. The only time the Az heat really bothers me is if I have to spend any time on the pavement. Otherwise I would definitely prefer 110 and dry over 92 and humid. Golfed in Scottsdale a few yrs ago and it was like 106-107 and felt great...just had to stay hydrated. I am one of those weirdos who also enjoys driving through the desert and finds it to be scenic. Wife thinks my love for the desert is weird. For some reason, dry sunny weather gives me like a 20% boost in energy.
jja79
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I grew up on the road into Big Bend NP so hot, dry and brown suits me fine. Now living in the Phoenix east valley. 28 years in Houston suburbs and very much enjoyed most of it but never really acclimated to the weather.
GrayMatter
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Museums/Arts/Concerts/Live Entertainment - I think the city does a pretty good job of bringing in all kinds of festivals, artists, concerts and all types of live entertainment all the time. There's a plethora of venues that always have some kind of entertainment going on.

Not to mention access to pro sports with the Texans, Rockets, Astros, and Dynamo.
TheWoodlandsTxAg
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GrayMatter said:

Museums/Arts/Concerts/Live Entertainment - I think the city does a pretty good job of bringing in all kinds of festivals, artists, concerts and all types of live entertainment all the time. There's a plethora of venues that always have some kind of entertainment going on.

Not to mention access to pro sports with the Texans, Rockets, Astros, and Dynamo.

Love the Hobby Center valet.

So convenient.
TheWoodlandsTxAg
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jja79 said:

I grew up on the road into Big Bend NP so hot, dry and brown suits me fine. Now living in the Phoenix east valley. 28 years in Houston suburbs and very much enjoyed most of it but never really acclimated to the weather.
I get this.

Feel the same way.

Whenever I visit Dallas in the hotter months it feels much better than Houston.

The humidity is the real killer here.
BBRex
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As long as they aren't in cars, I'd say the people. I take it for granted that I can talk to anyone of any race, religion or socio-economic group here and genuinely get along and have a good time. Then I travel somewhere else, especially up north, and people aren't friendly in general and stick to their own groups. If and when I do leave, I'll miss that.
Marvin_Zindler
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Moved here in '07 for law school figuring I'd leave eventually.

Almost 18 years later, I'm married and raising a family here....and will never leave.

I love the grit overlayed with entrepreneurial will/spirit. Ya, Dallas is pretty, but Houston gets sh*t done.
MAS444
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Quote:

very much enjoyed most of it but never really acclimated to the weather.
No one gets acclimated to the weather. Summers are miserable.

Houston has been real good to me. That's what I like most abouit it. Been here for almost 30 years now and grew up coming here regularly as a kid. I'm on the jja plan though and look forward to moving on at some point to a smaller/slower/prettier place.
Seasoned Lifeguard
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Houston makes me appreciate places that aren't terrible when I travel
Ciboag96
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I like the plethora of fusion food trucks. I'm still searching Vegan / Appalachian fusion. Strangely absent.
EclipseAg
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TheWoodlandsTxAg said:

I can guarantee that if you can't find what you need in the suburbs and exurbs, go into the medical center and you will probably find the foremost expert on your medical issue in the whole entire world.
Yep.

Years ago, one of my kids needed specialized surgery. We get referred to a doctor at Texas Children's.

Find out later he is world-renowned. His patients came from all over the world for treatment.

Today, many of the suburban hospitals affiliated with Memorial Hermann and Houston Methodist are performing procedures that would have been unheard of outside of an academic setting a decade or so ago. Highly specialized cardiac/neurological surgeries, etc.

Houston Methodist, for example, has four Level III NICUs outside of the Texas Medical Center.
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