Houston
United States · Country profile
Houston is the vast, sprawling metropolis of the Texas Gulf coast, the fourth largest city of the United States and the energetic capital of the energy, the medicine and the space industries that have built its enormous growth. The city is a patchwork of the neighbourhoods and the suburbs spread over the flat coastal plain, connected by the highways and the ring roads of the enormous loop, and its centre holds the theater districts, the museums, the galleries and the food scenes of a genuinely global city. Since the 1960s, the space centre of the region has given the city its famous claim on the space age and the moon walk, and the medical centre of the city is the largest in the world. Car-based, sprawling and endlessly growing, Houston is the American city of the frontier and the future.
About Houston
Houston is a city in United States. The city's documented population is around 2,314,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the US Dollar (USD) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +1. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The Space Centre, the Museums and the City of the Gulf
Houston is enormous, flat and car-based, a city of the suburbs and the ring roads where the visitor must drive to feel it. Its rewards are real: the world-class museums of the museum district, the commanding space centre, the deep and wildly diverse food scene and the theater life of the centre. The city is less a walkable old town than a spread of the districts and the parks connected by highways, so the plan is the key. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse cities of the country, and its food, its festivals and its everyday life reflect the whole world within the Texas flatland.
The Heat, the Car and the Districts of the Metropolis
The climate is hot and humid from the spring through the autumn, with the mild winters and the danger of the hurricanes from the late summer, so the season matters. The car is essential, and the research of the parking and the far-flung districts is part of the planning. The space centre, the museums of the museum district and the parks of the city are the essential visits, and the food, from the famous barbecue to the Asian and the Latin cuisines of the many neighbourhoods, is the great living attraction. The US dollar is the currency, the card works everywhere and the English is the language. The city is safe in its main areas with the usual big-city care at night.
The Museum District, the Bayou Parks and the Food of the World
The district of the museums, the green heart of the city with its cluster of the great galleries and the science museum, is the cultural circuit, and the famous houses of the arts in the centre hold the performances and the ballets of the city. The space centre of the region, with its enormous rockets, its mission exhibits and its tram tours of the real mission control, is the essential family visit and the proudest landmark of the region. The parks of the city, the enormous green of the Hermann Park and the bayou trails of the new century, hold the outdoor life, and the food of the city, the famous Tex-Mex and the barbecue alongside the extraordinary range of the immigrant cuisines, is the great reason to linger.
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- Country
- United States
- Population
- 2,314,000
- Coordinates
- 29.9902, -95.3368
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Region
- North America
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +1
- Country code
- US
Entry requirements for United States
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting United States for tourism.
Getting to Houston
Airports we list for Houston:
Other airports in the area:
- Dallas/Fort Worth International AirportDFW≈ 362 km from Houston
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International AirportATL≈ 1,107 km from Houston
- Orlando International AirportMCO≈ 1,372 km from Houston
- Denver International AirportDEN≈ 1,387 km from Houston
- Charlotte Douglas International AirportCLT≈ 1,466 km from Houston
Cities in United States
Other cities we cover in United States:
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston the capital of United States?
No — the capital of United States is Washington, D.C..
What currency do I need in Houston?
The local currency is the US Dollar (USD). Languages spoken in United States include English.
What is the dialling code for United States?
The international dialling code for United States is +1.
Which airport should I fly into for Houston?
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is the airport we list for Houston.
How far is Houston from the nearest airport?
Houston is about 362 km from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit United States?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Argentina (visa required), Japan (e-visa), Morocco (visa required), Singapore (e-visa) and South Korea (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Houston? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.