5 days in Houston; The good the bad and the ugly. (The Woodlands: how much, neighborhoods)

[txedghill]

Just got back yesterday from my 5 day mini-vacation to visit our family in Houston (Spring). Alot has changed and alot has stayed the same as when we moved almost 6 years ago. Had alot of good time with family and friends, went to the beach, ate way too much, etc, etc.

The good:
Food - It's just better in Houston. All the way down to the
fountain drinks at restaurants. From good Tex-Mex in
Spring to better seafood than I've had in years in
Freeport. If I move back, I might get really fat.
Visual appeal - The City of Houston has done alot to improve
this. Simple things make a world of difference. I know
it's been a while, but I leaned over to my wife while driving
through the city and said 'You know, it's not as ugly as it
used to be.' New trees on 45 near N Main and on the median
of 288 near the intersection with 59. Lots of little things.

The bad:
Heat - Honestly, it wasn't that bad. I just put it in here because
complaining about the heat seems to be a common thread
in ths forum. I live where it's 98-101 every afternoon with
no trees for shade in the yard. 94-96 with trees for shade.
My kids actually played in the yard in the afternoon. But, to
appease the complainers..... it was a bit more humid and...
I forgot how much mosquitos suck.
Traffic - Once again, not that bad, just going with the flow. Stop
and go in downtown at 9 am and a few slow spots on 45
northbound at 6pm. Most annoying traffic was in the
Woodlands. So many cars and so many lights. And seriously,
are all of the lights always red or is it just me.

The ugly:
The beach at Surfside - And I don't mean the water. That was fine.
A little brown, as usual, but calm, warm, and nice. The
beach itself however was littered with garbage. Beer bottle
tops, Capri Sun packages, Coke cans, empty bags, etc. As
a native Texan, it was an embarassment. I was really upset.
Yes it was a Monday, so just after the weekend, but it was
still unacceptable in my book. Especially since there were
numerous trash cans available. Man, we should really find a
more effective way to keep the Texas coast clean. I really
enjoyed the beach with my family, playing in the surf, and
watching the pelicans, doplhins, etc. But it was just hard to
get past having to watch where you step between the water
and our stuff. We can do better.

[Topaz]

Interesting post...thanks for sharing your experience! One comment about how Houston looks: I think there are parts of Houston and its suburbs that are truly lovely. So many people have such a strong belief that Houston is ugly, they wouldn't notice beauty here if it hit them on top of the head. People I know from Washington State, Oregon, and California keep commenting to me how they could never live here because "Houston is so ugly," and what they really mean is, "The prettiest places on the West Coast look much better than the ugliest places in Houston." Which is very true. But the prettiest places in Houston are much nicer than the ugliest places on the West Coast as well. It isn't as lopsided as many people would like to believe, especially since the average person on the West Coast doesn't spend all of his or her time in the most scenic locations during every day life.

I do agree with you that we need to figure out how to keep the Texas beaches cleaner!

[garxhap]

You know, I think you've hit on a new motto for us. "HOUSTON, NOT AS UGLY AS WE USED TO BE."

[Wysiwyg]

or "HOUSTON, THE REAL REASON TEXAS SEEM LIKE A WHOLE DIFFERENT COUNTRY"

[theSUBlime]

One thing that would help with aesthetics would be revitalizing some of the older neighborhoods' sidewalks and adding some new ones in developing areas

[BearBranch]

Kingwood is prettier than any place I have lived in the West Coast (SF/Berkeley/Oakland/Seattle/Fresno)

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by BearBranch

Kingwood is prettier than any place I have lived in the West Coast (SF/Berkeley/Oakland/Seattle/Fresno)

Really? I haven't made it up there yet to visit (I've only been to The Woodlands) but based on that statement, I think I need to do a day trip. What should I visit when I come? Are there any public parks that might be a nice place to stop?

[imaterry78259]

I never considered Houston to be ugly b ut more of a masculine town. beside New Orleans, Houston has the best food and restaurants in the South & Southwest. It is not a sissy looking city

[chris_ut]

Originally Posted by Topaz

Really? I haven't made it up there yet to visit (I've only been to The Woodlands) but based on that statement, I think I need to do a day trip. What should I visit when I come? Are there any public parks that might be a nice place to stop?

Kingwood Drive dead ends into a nice park.

[BearBranch]

Each Village has its own park. Bear Branch Village also as a good sized nature preserve. For new great waterfront dining check out:

Kings Harbor Waterfront Village I highly recommend Chimichuris

Here are some of Kingwood's parks:

Kingwood Parks

Kingwood Parks

River Grove Park
Most villages in Kingwood have their own parks and swimming pools. Kingwood also has several larger
parks for Kingwood residents:



Deer Ridge Park
Sports fields, tennis courts, duck pond, Dog Park
Location: Off of Woodlands Hills Dr., South of Kingwood Drive.

River Grove Park
Amenities include:

* Boat launch into Lake Houston
* Fishing areas
* Picnic areas
* Soccer fields

Location: Off of Woodlands Hills Dr., South of
Kingwood Drive.



East End Park
Nature preserve
Location: Far east end of Kingwood Drive.