Dallas or Houston (Fort Worth, Greenville, Orange: theater, live, shop)

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by EDS_

All opinion from someone who really loves both places.....

1. Houston is more fun for a younger person generally speaking. I've never been able to define why but H-town has a fun vibe. Dallas is fun too but the vibe is generally "older" and more reserved. The Montrose area of Houston is great fun.

2. Dallas and DFW are easier to get around in no question about it -.

3. Dallas has better shopping. IMO it's a near push regarding restaurants with Dallas having a slight edge. If you are into wine/wine bars/cheese boards and grapes etc. Dallas wins by a mile.

4. Push. But Houston is more fun.

5. A great weakness of DFW is that Dallasites rarely think of /go to Fort Worth. The reverse is equally true.

6. Texans - even most of the new ones - are generally very approachable and kind.

I disagree completely & here is why:

Houston's 20+ lane "hub & spoke" freeway design is MUCH easier to navigate than D/FW's tiny, yet extensive 4-6 lane arterial veins running every which way. The reconstruction of Loop 12 & 635 is long ovedue. Houston builds freeways like its nothing, Dallas on the other hand it takes them forever to complete anything. Refer to 121, 161, & I-30 if you don't beleive me.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

I disagree completely & here is why:

Houston's 20+ lane "hub & spoke" freeway design is MUCH easier to navigate than D/FW's tiny, yet extensive 4-6 lane arterial veins running every which way. The reconstruction of Loop 12 & 635 is long ovedue. Houston builds freeways like its nothing, Dallas on the other hand it takes them forever to complete anything. Refer to 121, 161, & I-30 if you don't beleive me.

Whatever.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

In your experience, most people tend to think that; not in my experience, though.

I like going out in Houston but the experience is different in Dallas. The entertainment districts create an urban buzz that Houston's nightlife doesn't seem to quite have yet. Also Dallas has some pretty high quality venues as well with more of that LA feel at times. It just creates a more interesting nightlife environment.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

I disagree completely & here is why:

Houston's 20+ lane "hub & spoke" freeway design is MUCH easier to navigate than D/FW's tiny, yet extensive 4-6 lane arterial veins running every which way. The reconstruction of Loop 12 & 635 is long ovedue. Houston builds freeways like its nothing, Dallas on the other hand it takes them forever to complete anything. Refer to 121, 161, & I-30 if you don't beleive me.

Houston's 20+lane freeways are STILL snarled at more than just rush Hour.

[casimpso]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

Im not a shopper so not an expert at all but Travel and Leisure rates cities for shopping internationally and Houston consistently over decades appears on that list not Dallas...its selected by T&L readers IIRC.

Forbes just did a list of good US shopping cities...Houston was number 1, Dallas number 2.

Eating out Houston wins by a hair IMHO, the no zoning thing makes restaurants compete hard all the time without the artificial zoning barrier to competition. I miss the seafood options living in Dallas now compared to when I lived in Houston...sure there are few in Dallas area but not the number as in Houston and pricing of fresh seafood here reflects extra shipping cost from the gulf

But overall I like Plano better than Houston...for my priorities and familiy lifestyle

Forbes just did a list of good US shopping cities...Houston was number 1, Dallas number 2.

We've been through this one before. The Forbes "survey" came out in December of 2010. After Dallas at #2 comes Baltimore at #3, Columbus, OH #4, Indianapolis #5, Philly #6, Phoenix #7, San Antonio #8, Jacksonville, FL #9, then San Diego #10. No New York City, Los Angeles, Miami or San Francisco in the top 10? Needless to say, this top 10 is laughable (or LOL, as the young would say--funnier than lol), Dallas #2 notwithstanding.

America's 25 Best Cities For Shopping - America's 25 Best Cities For Shopping - Forbes.com

Top Ten Lists are mostly subjective, or use offbeat criteria to reach their conclusions. Just Google "America's fattest cities" and you'll find a dozen or more lists, each including a different list of cities.

[busterkeaton]

Originally Posted by R1070

I like going out in Houston but the experience is different in Dallas. The entertainment districts create an urban buzz that Houston's nightlife doesn't seem to quite have yet. Also Dallas has some pretty high quality venues as well with more of that LA feel at times. It just creates a more interesting nightlife environment.

Dallas having an "LA feel at times" is a bad thing, right?

[foo cities]

Dallas by far since its downtown is improving, not failing like Houston's.

[foo cities]

Dallas has all the criteria near downtown areas like restaurants, spa, nightlife and so on, while Houston is so sprawled out and are in different neighborhoods that are far from each other. I'd definitely pick Dallas over Houston!

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by foo cities

Dallas by far since its downtown is improving, not failing like Houston's.

Downtown Houston has an overall office vacancy rate of 12.1%. Downtown Dallas is over twice that.

How is that in any way a failing downtown?

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Downtown Houston has an overall office vacancy rate of 12.1%. Downtown Dallas is over twice that.

How is that in any way a failing downtown?

I agree some in Dallas look on the surface of things like those on the coasts seem to do. Houston's economy is stronger than Dallas and not blue collar as some in Dallas area assume.

Climate wise...its Dallas hands down though.