The city of Houston exemplifies the phrase “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” The metropolitan area itself is bigger than the state of New Jersey, sprawling more than 90 miles wide in any direction! It’s a diverse melting pot of industry and culture so if you travel for work, there’s a reasonable chance you’ll find yourself in Houston sometime.

Houston Industry

Oil was king during the boom years of the 1970’s, but after the oil market collapse in the early 1980’s the city intentionally diversified into healthcare, aeronautics, international banking and high tech. Today Houston is home to the world’s largest medical center and leading edge energy and tech companies as well as a rebounded oil industry.

Houston is headquarters to more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies and 41 foreign governments operate trade and commercial offices there. The port handles the second highest tonnage in the U.S. – quite an accomplishment for a city 50 miles from a major body of water. Travel Maestro tip: The Port of Houston offers free 90-minute port tours aboard the Sam Houston (reservations required).

Entertainment in Houston

Houston is also culturally diverse with more than 90 languages spoken there. This ensures that nearly every ethnic cuisine imaginable is represented in the city’s 11,000 restaurants. Houstonians eat out more than residents of any other U.S. city. No matter what your taste, you definitely won’t have trouble finding a restaurant for a business dinner!

If client entertainment is on your agenda – or maybe a personal leisure extension to your work trip – Houston has teams in three major league sports: the Houston Astros (baseball), the Houston Rockets (basketball) and the Houston Texans (football). Travel Maestro tip: Even if you don’t have tickets, the pregame festivities of home games are of Texas-sized proportions and nearly as much fun.

Houston is also unofficially dubbed the cultural capital of the Southwest boasting a world-class theater scene, the Houston Ballet, the Grand Opera and the Houston Symphony.

Houston Sightseeing

If you have the better part of a day available, visiting Space Center Houston is a great way to spend it. Disney helped design the privately owned visitor’s center at NASA’S Johnson Space Center, so it’s a bit like an educational theme park. There you can take a journey to outer space via IMAX film, navigate a space shuttle in a simulator, and actually touch moon rocks. Guided tours include the astronaut training facility and a space exploration museum.

If visual arts are your interest, head to the Museum District in the Montrose area where several of the city’s numerous museums are close together. The Museum of Fine Arts and the Contemporary Arts Museum next door are two exceptional options. About 20 minutes away is another recommended museum, Bayou Bend, the stately mansion and gardens of philanthropist Ima Hogg. At Sam Houston Park, some of Houston’s oldest structures are open for tours by the Museum of Texas History, including a 1820s log cabin and 1890s church.

Houston Business Tips

Houston has two airports: George Bush Intercontinental Airport about 45 minutes north of downtown, and William P. Hobby Airport, the smaller domestic airport 20 minutes southeast of downtown.

No way around it – you’re going to need a rental car in Houston. Taxis are only economical for short distances, public transport is limited and it’s definitely not a walking city. The city is huge and the roads can be confusing, so get a map and study it. Travel Maestro tip: Houstonian drivers can be pretty aggressive, so bolster your self-confidence and ante up on the rental insurance before you get behind the wheel.

Dress is relatively casual and most restaurants will accept neat jeans. Office attire varies from suits to less formal. Travel Maestro tip: Houston is known as “the most air-conditioned place on earth.” You might appreciate that in the oppressive summer heat and humidity, but you’ll likely want a sweater or jacket to ward off the indoor chill.

If business or leisure are calling you to Houston, contact Covington’s professional travel advisors to help you arrange all the trip details.