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It always seems like Houston can never be recognized for the legit achievements/contributions it does indeed have. It's always okay for flat-out lies to be said about the city, yet say anything positive about the city to the contrary, and you will be labeled as a "mindless booster." My sentiment comes from the aftermath of a very, epic discussion, where these fallacies palpably played out: http://www.city-data.com/forum/city-...y-america.html
See, you always have people saying things like "Houston has nothing that is iconic or memorable." Once it is then revealed, for example, that the name of Houston was quite tied with NASA historically, with the legacy still living on, the detractors then try so hard to either say it wasn't that memorable, and/or it wasn't appealing to the majority of people.
Another similar claim these people make is that Houston "isn't best, near the best, in a specific category, which would make people want to visit" (i.e., Miami has beaches, New Orleans has Mardi Gras, DC has the museum, etc). Counter that with the fact that Houston has the largest Rodeo in the world, or a a large Art Car Parade, or even it being one of few cities in the US with permanent scenes in all fine arts disciplines, then everyone will talk about them not being appealing.
People say that "everything in Houston can be seen in other cities." Nope; while every city has parks, restaurants, museums, etc, those areas in Houston have their own distinct flair and vibe that can be found nowhere else in the US. You are not going to get Houston, its demographic combination, or its cultural vibe, in any other city but Houston. When people use that sort of logic, you can basically say that the Alcatraz in SF isn't worth visiting, because every US city has a prison; the logic is ridiculous because it ignores the fact of the distinct flair the Alcatraz has that sets it apart from other US prisons. The same actually applies for Houston's own attractions.
It even extends to the physical geography/climate/environment of the city; why is Houston criticized so much for its weather and scenery? Summers are hot and humid, but so are those in many well-liked cities, such as New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires. Highly visited beach resorts, such as Cancun, have essentially a year-round version of Houston's summer. All these cities easily produce crowds of people walking, and pull visitors without problem, yet people always mention climate for being why Houston doesn't have lots of visitors, or lots of people walking on the streets. Also, always lots of talk about how boring the scenery is, and how it isn't appealing to visitors, when the subtropical landscape of the city is an interesting deviation from the typical landscape thought of in the US; New Orleans managed to have a Disney fairytale made out of essentially the same landscape.
Sometimes, even the undeniable strong economy is discredited; you still can find people who truly believe Houston will go the way of Detroit when renewable energy sources become en-vogue....
I truly believe that Houston does indeed have the pieces and elements in place to be a not only an economic center, but also a great place to visit. The reason that Houston is called "boring, unappealing, generic,etc" isn't because the city lacks defining features. After all, things like the city's Fine Art Scene, San Jacinto Monument, Johnson Space Center, etc are indeed defining. Its because the public isn't thoroughly exposed to the defining features. This is due to both to a lack of walkable infrastructure/public transit in the city, which would allow for the magic of those features to play out soulfully in a dynamic, urban environment, forming a strong, cultural brand, and a lack of media presence for the city, which would allow the brand's message to get across, and give people a real clue about Houston's cultural significance.
My experience - humans are getting more lazy. Every time a "what is there to do in houston" thread peoples minds are blown and go oh I never knew that existed! You live right here. How is that?
Being the 4th largest city Houston lacks a lot because of the relatively young age as well as it's location. The things that Houston has going for it are not enough to get people flocking to it to visit because there are just so many other cities ahead of it with more well known attractions. For people really into space stuff they'd probably rather go to Cape Canaveral rather than NASA. For those looking for beaches they'd probably rather go to Miami or Los Angeles rather than Galveston. For those wanting to go to a Mardi Gras they will go to New Orleans rather than Galveston. Tourist looking for the best museums and performing arts will go to NYC. Those looking for rich Texas history will go to San Antonio rather than San Jacinto Monument.
I think we have to learn to be ok with Houston not being a tourist mecca. It's a young city with a business focus.
There was a kids book I used to read my kids. It's the kids version of 7 habits of highly effective people. There was a squirrel who was always bored, complained that there was nothing fun to do. Then Granny said...."well isn't that your fault? You're in charge of having fun, not somebody else." Solid lesson for adults as well.
Being the 4th largest city Houston lacks a lot because of the relatively young age as well as it's location. The things that Houston has going for it are not enough to get people flocking to it to visit because there are just so many other cities ahead of it with more well known attractions. For people really into space stuff they'd probably rather go to Cape Canaveral rather than NASA. For those looking for beaches they'd probably rather go to Miami or Los Angeles rather than Galveston. For those wanting to go to a Mardi Gras they will go to New Orleans rather than Galveston. Tourist looking for the best museums and performing arts will go to NYC. Those looking for rich Texas history will go to San Antonio rather than San Jacinto Monument.
I think we have to learn to be ok with Houston not being a tourist mecca. It's a young city with a business focus.
This is exactly what I am talking about; Houston actually does perform quite strongly in many of these categories. For instance, Houston was home to the Johnson Space Center, the control center responsible for giving guidance to the Astronauts during the missions. Essentially, the city basically served as the guiding conscience of the organization; it is as tied to NASA as Cape Canaveral is, if not more. Same thing with Texas history; Houston has the very site where the Texans won their independence, allowing the chain of events the led to Texas becoming part of the US, marked by the San Jacinto monument.That is just as symbolic of Texas history as the Alamo is, but in a different way, allowing visitors to see yet another dimension of Texas history.
As far as museums and perfoming arts, NYC's may be the best, but Houston's scenes should at least be recognized as being of an elite class, being one of very few cities in the country with permanent residences in all the major performing arts disciplines. Galveston may not have the best beaches, but it does have an interesting collection of historic charm, architecture, and culture, in a way that the beach resorts of CA and Florida aren't often associated with.
These are true merits that Houston just is never given credit for; mention them as refutation for misguided opinions, and you will be called a booster. 100% guarantee.
Houston not being a tourist mecca is due solely to its lack of connective walkable infrastructure, lack of dominant passion about city's soul, and lack of media prominence. A lot of people just don't realize that the success of tourist cities lies in synchronization of these basic elements; they just think having an amusement park or Time Square replica will do the trick.
It always seems like Houston can never be recognized for the legit achievements/contributions it does indeed have. It's always okay for flat-out lies to be said about the city, yet say anything positive about the city to the contrary, and you will be labeled as a "mindless booster." My sentiment comes from the aftermath of a very, epic discussion, where these fallacies palpably played out: http://www.city-data.com/forum/city-...y-america.html
Yes they closed that thread down (and you had the last word) Good show BTW! It just goes to show that any discussion about Houston in this forum or elsewhere always seems to devolve into a what is wrong with Houston flame fest! What is funny is how these distractors give themselves away by claiming to never giving Houston half a thought, then posting these detailed diatribes about how ugly or bland Houston is. If they never gave Houston a thought why would they post anything at all about our city..
Quote:
Originally Posted by westhou
Being the 4th largest city Houston lacks a lot because of the relatively young age as well as it's location. The things that Houston has going for it are not enough to get people flocking to it to visit because there are just so many other cities ahead of it with more well known attractions. For people really into space stuff they'd probably rather go to Cape Canaveral rather than NASA. For those looking for beaches they'd probably rather go to Miami or Los Angeles rather than Galveston. For those wanting to go to a Mardi Gras they will go to New Orleans rather than Galveston. Tourist looking for the best museums and performing arts will go to NYC. Those looking for rich Texas history will go to San Antonio rather than San Jacinto Monument.
I think we have to learn to be ok with Houston not being a tourist mecca. It's a young city with a business focus.
Nit Pic alert: The Kennedy Space Center is also a NASA installation as is the Johnson Space Center ! I know what you are saying here but NASA of course stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration !
It always seems like Houston can never be recognized for the legit achievements/contributions it does indeed have. It's always okay for flat-out lies to be said about the city, yet say anything positive about the city to the contrary, and you will be labeled as a "mindless booster." My sentiment comes from the aftermath of a very, epic discussion, where these fallacies palpably played out: http://www.city-data.com/forum/city-...y-america.html
I truly believe that Houston does indeed have the pieces and elements in place to be a not only an economic center, but also a great place to visit. The reason that Houston is called "boring, unappealing, generic,etc" isn't because the city lacks defining features. After all, things like the city's Fine Art Scene, San Jacinto Monument, Johnson Space Center, etc are indeed defining. Its because the public isn't thoroughly exposed to the defining features. This is due to both to a lack of walkable infrastructure/public transit in the city, which would allow for the magic of those features to play out soulfully in a dynamic, urban environment, forming a strong, cultural brand, and a lack of media presence for the city, which would allow the brand's message to get across, and give people a real clue about Houston's cultural significance.
If Houston ever becomes a more popular place to visit, it will have to be more event-driven visits (conventions, shows, etc) rather than touristy type visits. Its hard to get a good bang for your buck in Houston otherwise, due to significant travel times between attractions, and a current lack of casual/incidental places to visit between and among the major attractions (thinking of scenic areas, walkable shopping areas, etc that don't require planning and are not necessarily attractions alone worth the trip (like Discovery Green for example)).
[quote=westhou;41093917]Being the 4th largest city Houston lacks a lot because of the relatively young age as well as it's location. The things that Houston has going for it are not enough to get people flocking to it to visit because there are just so many other cities ahead of it with more well known attractions. For people really into space stuff they'd probably rather go to Cape Canaveral rather than NASA. For those looking for beaches they'd probably rather go to Miami or Los Angeles rather than Galveston. For those wanting to go to a Mardi Gras they will go to New Orleans rather than Galveston. Tourist looking for the best museums and performing arts will go to NYC. Those looking for rich Texas history will go to San Antonio rather than San Jacinto Monument.
I think we have to learn to be ok with Houston not being a tourist mecca. It's a young city with a business focus.[/QUOTE]
I have to agree with the above. I grew up here in Houston, left for 15 years, and then chose to move back here form a highly desirable city it seems everyone wants to move to (Denver).
I love Houston, but it's just not a place that is going to draw people to it. Period. And I am okay with that. I am also okay with people from outside of Houston who have this perception. I am not going to bend over backwards to change their minds (as long as they are not espousing outright misinformation about the city).
So we have the Johnson Space Center (which I live not far from and drive by several times a week). What I see is a collection of cold war era buildings with numbers on them. Not exactly awe inspiring.
The San Jacinto battleground. Great. Let's drive through a sea of toxic fume belching refineries to get there. Or, you can hang around the Riverwalk and meander over to the Alamo. Which would do you think most people from other parts of the country would rather do?
Museums in Houston have wonderful collections....in nondescript buildings. We have artists in residence and a wonderful performing arts scene. But truly and honestly, how many people do those things alone attract to a city? Not many.
The comments about what Houston offers are accurate, but the sum is greater than the whole of the parts, and the "sum" of Houston is not a place people want to come to in large numbers.
If Houston ever becomes a more popular place to visit, it will have to be more event-driven visits (conventions, shows, etc) rather than touristy type visits. Its hard to get a good bang for your buck in Houston otherwise, due to significant travel times between attractions, and a current lack of casual/incidental places to visit between and among the major attractions (thinking of scenic areas, walkable shopping areas, etc that don't require planning and are not necessarily attractions alone worth the trip (like Discovery Green for example)).
Actually a good point; events type attractions will attract visitors to the city, without too much having to be constructed. The real "tourist" type stuff will follow and only play out with effective transportation/walkable infrastructure, and good city brand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Ag 93
I have to agree with the above. I grew up here in Houston, left for 15 years, and then chose to move back here form a highly desirable city it seems everyone wants to move to (Denver).
I love Houston, but it's just not a place that is going to draw people to it. Period. And I am okay with that. I am also okay with people from outside of Houston who have this perception. I am not going to bend over backwards to change their minds (as long as they are not espousing outright misinformation about the city).
So we have the Johnson Space Center (which I live not far from and drive by several times a week). What I see is a collection of cold war era buildings with numbers on them. Not exactly awe inspiring.
The San Jacinto battleground. Great. Let's drive through a sea of toxic fume belching refineries to get there. Or, you can hang around the Riverwalk and meander over to the Alamo. Which would do you think most people from other parts of the country would rather do?
Museums in Houston have wonderful collections....in nondescript buildings. We have artists in residence and a wonderful performing arts scene. But truly and honestly, how many people do those things alone attract to a city? Not many.
The comments about what Houston offers are accurate, but the sum is greater than the whole of the parts, and the "sum" of Houston is not a place people want to come to in large numbers.
Just my opinion.
Yep, the lack of tourist appeal to Houston has more to do with the orientation of its venues/attraction more than any lack of amenities, memorable aspects. 5th Avenue in NY is just a high-end shopping district, and many of the store brands can be found right in the Galleria. The only difference is that 5th Avenue is designed in a way that allows the vibe and soul of NYC to play out while people do their shopping; the Galleria has a more suburban design that prevents such intimate interaction with the true soul of Houston, and thus, the experience isn't as exciting. Luckily, the developers in Houston are learning about this, and are making the proper adjustments to encourage walkability in Galleria.
This is exactly what I am talking about; Houston actually does perform quite strongly in many of these categories. For instance, Houston was home to the Johnson Space Center, the control center responsible for giving guidance to the Astronauts during the missions. Essentially, the city basically served as the guiding conscience of the organization; it is as tied to NASA as Cape Canaveral is, if not more. Same thing with Texas history; Houston has the very site where the Texans won their independence, allowing the chain of events the led to Texas becoming part of the US, marked by the San Jacinto monument.That is just as symbolic of Texas history as the Alamo is, but in a different way, allowing visitors to see yet another dimension of Texas history.
As far as museums and perfoming arts, NYC's may be the best, but Houston's scenes should at least be recognized as being of an elite class, being one of very few cities in the country with permanent residences in all the major performing arts disciplines. Galveston may not have the best beaches, but it does have an interesting collection of historic charm, architecture, and culture, in a way that the beach resorts of CA and Florida aren't often associated with.
These are true merits that Houston just is never given credit for; mention them as refutation for misguided opinions, and you will be called a booster. 100% guarantee.
Houston not being a tourist mecca is due solely to its lack of connective walkable infrastructure, lack of dominant passion about city's soul, and lack of media prominence. A lot of people just don't realize that the success of tourist cities lies in synchronization of these basic elements; they just think having an amusement park or Time Square replica will do the trick.
But people aren't going to travel from across the country or across the world to see the things you mentioned Houston excelling at because those things can be found in more well known cities like NYC, LA, San Fran, Miami, D.C., Las Vegas, and New Orleans.
If I'm going to travel a long distance to go to a beach it won't be Galveston. It's going to be Honolulu, Miami, or LA. Galveston beaches are great for a day trip but that's not going to elevate Houston's status as a destination city. Same goes for museums and performing arts. NYC is the place most people will travel far distances for when it comes to the arts. Houston definitely deserves credit for having a great museum and theater district but don't be upset if most people outside of the Houston area don't recognize it because there are very few cities that actually get recognized for that.
Houston gets it's recognition for having a strong economy and I think that's enough. It's more than most cities get recognized for. We don't need to be recognized for something that most cities offer even if Houston does it well because there is probably several cities that do it exceptionally well like NYC, London, Paris, and Sydney.
Why do you need validation so badly? If people don't want to recognize what Houston offers than so what? It's still going to be there for you to enjoy no matter what.
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