Geography
Houston sits on the Gulf Coastal Plain which covers 3,000 square
miles of southeast Texas. Elevation in the Houston area
is rather low, with the highest elevation in the area at
90 feet.
Weather
The weather is mild, with the normal winter maximum temperature
being 65°F, the normal summer maximum being 92°F,
the normal spring maximum being 78°F and the autumn
maximum being 80°F. In the summer, humidity is certainly
a factor to be considered, and can make the air feel much
warmer than the actual temperature.
What to Wear
Given the warm temperatures, Houston is a somewhat casual
city. In business districts such as Downtown, Greenway
Plaza and the Uptown Galleria area, visitors will notice
the majority of people wearing business attire. Casual
clothing is the norm in more relaxed areas such as sports
venues, attractions and museums. Short sleeves are ideal
around the clock for the summer months, while a light jacket
may be necessary for spring evenings.
Houston is a thriving, cosmopolitan, international
destination...
- 4th largest city in the United States.
- Houston Airport is 4th largest in the U.S., 6th largest
in the world.
- Airports serve over 149 markets worldwide, four million
international passengers.
- Centrally located, convenient, approximately three hours
from most major U.S. cities.
- Flight time from Washington D.C., 2 hours 50 minutes;
Chicago, 2 hours 20 minutes; Denver 2 hours 20 minutes;
Los Angeles 3 hours 40 minutes; Miami 2 hours.
- 1,600 daily flights, over 500 non-stop.
- Affordable dining, average Houston dinner check $18.00
per person.
Houston, a city of style and substance...
- Headquarters to 15 Fortune 500 companies.
- More than 50 of the world’s 100 largest companies
have headquarters or regional headquarters in Houston.
- Energy capital of the world.
- World’s largest medical center.
- Consulate offices in Houston represent 77 countries,
the second largest number of consulate offices of any U.S.
city.
- Multicultural city with more than 90 languages spoken
and 500 multicultural associations and performing arts
groups.
- One of five cities with resident performing companies
in all four performing arts.
- World-recognized symphony, ballet, opera and professional
theater.
- Theater district is second only to Broadway in number
of seats.
- Museum district offers 16 first-rate art, history and
science museums and numerous special interest museums.
- Museum of Fine Arts is sixth largest in the country and
the Menil collection has one of the finest private collections
in the world.
- Home to four major league sports teams (Texans, Rockets,
Comets and Astros).
- 100 public and private golf courses, with an average
of 300 days of temperate golfing weather each year.
- 700,000 gallon Downtown Aquarium with upscale restaurant.
Adventurous day trips...
- Space Center Houston/Johnson Space Center, working space
center responsible for design and operation of space shuttle,
space missions and international space station with tours
and museum.
- Williams Water Wall (1/2-mile from hotel), landmark of
64 feet curved, black obsidian wall, pumping 78,500 gallons
of water every three hours. More than 180 live oaks shade
the three-acre park.
- George Ranch (45 minutes), working ranch with outdoor
barbecue and hayrides.
- Clear Lake (30 minutes), 2,000-acre water destination
for boating excursions.
- Galveston Island (45 minutes), beach destination
with historic homes and the famous “Strand” of
shops, dining and nightlife.
- Kemah Boardwalk (30 minutes), oceanside boardwalk with
restaurants and shops.
Additional Links
- Greater
Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Houston-Guide.com
- CitySearch.com-Houston |
