Downtown Houston Nightlife vs other Sunbelt Cities (state, better, compare)
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I always read this horribly spread misconception that there's nothing to do in downtown Houston after 5 or on the weekends.
Don't know how that started after the post-1998 renaissance that went on over there. But since then, people who say such falsehoods about downtown Houston are not very a) observant or b) happening.
Anyway, here's footage I took of a typical weekend night in downtown Houston. Yes, the core of downtown. Not some fringe entertainment complex (though downtown Houston has a couple of those now).
What Sunbelt city offers this pure nocturnal urban environment? Not Miami. Not LA. Not Dallas. Not Phoenix. Not Atlanta. Not Tampa. Austin and San Antonio are more "theme" oriented to me. San Fran...is that a true Sun Belt city? It's more traditional Eastern. So in all actual Sun Belt context, here we are.
I love meandering and traipsing around Hollywood-Highland, certain sections of Wilshire and some parts of the Sunset Strip...but they ain't no downtown Houston.
Sure there's the Gas Lamp in San Diego but there's something awfully too packaged and whitebread about that so-called nightlife district. Yeah, and I lived in downtown San Diego for 3 months too. Horton Plaza was a plus in the area though.
But downtown Houston. It's just a mix of space-age architecture, grand cultural monuments, new neon trim and pedestrian walkways that put it definitely above the Gas Lamp in terms of urban ambience.
Consider Houston is low-density sprawl and has many other entertainment districts outside of downtown such as Rice Village among others:
I love how downtown Houston is but one option for a night out in the greater H-town area. Or there's Midtown's catwalk of places, Washington Ave's trendy for the moment night spots, Kemah's Light House District for some seabreeze and al fresco drinking...areas different in ambience and pace from downtown...
Space City, you are awesome.
Last edited by worldlyman; 02-11-2010 at 09:14 AM..
I can't see the video as I am at work and youtube is blocked. But I think downtown Atlanta can hold it's own in this department. But I have noted that Downtown Houston is making huge strides. The only thing right now that is missing is residents. If they can get 10-20,000, everything else will fall into place.
No offense, but there didn't seem to be all that much street activity in either of those videos.
Well, you must not be seeing human beings. Especially in downtown. Rice Village is more of a laid back entertainment area when we don't feel like alleyways and other such urban hubris.
I can't see the video as I am at work and youtube is blocked. But I think downtown Atlanta can hold it's own in this department. But I have noted that Downtown Houston is making huge strides. The only thing right now that is missing is residents. If they can get 10-20,000, everything else will fall into place.
I'm not really concerned about downtown residents as I once was way back. But as long as there are things to do, that's better.
I haven't been to the ATL since 2002...did substantial nightlife activity ever move to the core? I never thought much went on in the downtown core after 5pm aside from the Underground until closing time.
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Originally Posted by worldlyman
I'm not really concerned about downtown residents as I once was way back. But as long as there are things to do, that's better.
I haven't been to the ATL since 2002...did substantial nightlife activity ever move to the core? I never thought much went on in the downtown core after 5pm aside from the Underground until closing time.
Yes, much more than in 2002, particularly in Castleberry Hill and the area around Centennial Park.
I always read this horribly spread misconception that there's nothing to do in downtown Houston after 5 or on the weekends.
Don't know how that started after the post-1998 renaissance that went on over there. But since then, people who say such falsehoods about downtown Houston are not very a) observant or b) happening.
Anyway, here's footage I took of a typical weekend night in downtown Houston. Yes, the core of downtown. Not some fringe entertainment complex (though downtown Houston has a couple of those now).
What Sunbelt city offers this pure nocturnal urban environment? Not Miami. Not LA. Not Dallas. Not Phoenix. Not Atlanta. Not Tampa. Austin and San Antonio are more "theme" oriented to me. San Fran...is that a true Sun Belt city? It's more traditional Eastern. So in all actual Sun Belt context, here we are.
I love meandering and traipsing around Hollywood-Highland, certain sections of Wilshire and some parts of the Sunset Strip...but they ain't no downtown Houston.
I cannot possibly take anyone seriously who thinks that the nightlife in Houston outdoes Miami/South Beach and Los Angeles. I'm not saying that Houston doesn't have their share of nightlife, but to try to say that it's comparable to Miami/South Beach or LA is a joke. And you forgot Vegas. How convenient.
Have you even been to South Beach to make such a judgement?
I cannot possibly take anyone seriously who thinks that the nightlife in Houston outdoes Miami/South Beach and Los Angeles. I'm not saying that Houston doesn't have their share of nightlife, but to try to say that it's comparable to Miami/South Beach or LA is a joke. And you forgot Vegas. How convenient.
Have you even been to South Beach to make such a judgement?
Didn't you see the videos??? Thousands and thousands of Houstonians walking around partying.
Those videos make South Beach look like Bakersfield!
Didn't you see the videos??? Thousands and thousands of Houstonians walking around partying.
Those videos make South Beach look like Bakersfield!
I saw the videos, unabashed Houston Homer (I hope you're kidding, seriously). I still don't think that Houston's nightlife "blows Miami" out of the water as the OP stated.
I do find the nightlife in Miami a bit, shall we say, overrated, BUT I've been to South Beach and other parts of South Florida too many times and DT Houston enough to know that the two don't compare, and I'm not going to let such a lie go so easily. Again, I'm not denying Houston's nightlife, but they're not comparable.
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