Houston 2nd 'Most Boring City In The World' (Dallas, Austin: neighborhoods, casinos)

[55degrees]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

I agree that Houston is boring to visitors but I disagree that Houston can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Why can't it be both a great place to live and visit?

It can be, but it's not. Nothing is stopping it. We've got tons of freaking money, they could invest in better stuff. Why couldn't Houston have the best Zoo in the country? Or the best art museum? Or THE best waterparks and amusement parks (ie be THE destination for families on Spring break--where it is too cold in other cities that time of the year)? OR heck the best space center (come on it's a snoozefest over there the last I checked)? Outdoor patio restaurants aren't things that people will take a flight for. Houston suffers from being the 4th largest city because, as someone else said, it's compared to the top 3--and it can't measure up. Now, if Houston was the 10th largest city, I don't think we'd be getting all these arguments because the expectations would be lower and it would shine among the cities lower down the ladder.

[David Dollar]

Originally Posted by worldlyman

Bah. Houston isn't boring to visit when you show visitors around.

Houston just isn't packaged like a typical tourist city. I like the fact that Houston is the kind of interesting place that is beyond some color brochure subject material. I've lived in San Diego...and that tourist thing is really over-rated. They don't have the diversity and high level arts of Houston. Period.

That's a fact. Houston does enjoy offbeat charms that OTHER cities don't have. I mean, I have never found a place like Taft St. Coffee and the adjacent, bizarre Fairview St. in a San Fran, LA, Atlanta, Chicago etc...

I will say this a million times...but OTHER cities don't have the mix and match of Houston. We enjoy downtown nightclubs and venues urban style...yet we ALSO HAVE something called Richmond Avenue that has a collection of the BIGGEST PATIO DECKS of all flavors. Tell me where you find that in San Fran, NY or Chicago or London or Manila! And we have everything in between! Tight party streets like Morningside in the Village...the grungy glamour of Washington Ave...the clapboard BOISTEROUS party villas of Kemah Lighthouse (Zone 504 and Palapas are awesome in that environment)...the crowded outdoor bars of Sugarland Town Square (that beats the hell out of a Universal City Walk on a Thursday or Friday evening!) for those who prefer a more packaged environment.

I took once took my cousin and friend from Florida to bars in the Montrose, late night dessert in New Chinatown looking at hot waitresses at Cafe 101, shops in the Village...getting torn up by chocolata drinks at the great Choco Bar, touring the downtown tunnels, walking the Heights concrete trail (and doing some Bad Ass Hot Dogs at Onion Creek afterwards)...and they HAD A BLAST.

People who are "bored" in Houston are just bandwagon types who are probably boring people themselves. They sit behind their little keyboards and try to analyze why Houston isn't built like San Fran or Boston...and why Houston should be probably unfavorably compared.

I don't care about those folks though. I can enjoy urban style downtown places like No-Tsu-Oh or Flying Saucer or I can enjoy huge edge city patios like Deck Hause or Mazaj or Darband's along the Richmond Ave axis. The atmosphere and setting at the Deck Hause...sure as hell won't find that in South of Market or Times Square or Hollywood or South Beach or Bourbon St or Peachtree or Deep Ellum or Makati or Piccadilly or Capitol St or Rush St or...

While I disagree with most of what you said, this is still a great post. There are cities for everyone. Some places work for some, other places work for others.

[avan11]

In terms of scenery, to me, houston is boring. I wish there were mountains.

[tebor79]

Originally Posted by avan11

In terms of scenery, to me, houston is boring. I wish there were mountains.

move to Nepal. Ill buy your ticket.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by David Dollar

I am labeled a Houston hater, but Houston is not boring. However, it isn't an exciting city either. I think the weather, demographics, and mindset here leads it to lack in the interesting department. Houston could be an interesting city if it didn't concentrate so much on work. Putting in more sidewalks, bike lanes, moving things closer to the center, making designated entertainment districts (perhaps around a park or closing off streets),etc. could lead to a more interesting city. Any time somebody criticizes Houston people start shouting its cheap, you can get a job here! Well, what about those people that already have jobs? Let's talk about how their QOL can be increased. For some people a high QOL is having a big house in the burbs. For me, a high QOL is having a lot of interesting things to see and do. And here is a news flash. Houston is not that cheap. Most people in Houston have very low wages. The cost of living is commensurate with the wages!

I don't understand how the demographics relate to it being boring. Are you referring to race?

Also, as I pointed out earlier, similar to most major southern cities, Houston is often considered a boring place for visitors, but people who live here hardly complain about there not being enough to do, or even that it isn't a great place to live. In my experience, most people who live here seem to be pretty happy, and most natives are very proud of their city and do consider it interesting. Any opposing feelings are in the minority.

If someone has that many complaints about Houston, then this city isn't for them. Good job or not, if you're not pleased with where you live and you don't have a family to provide for, then go find your greener pastures. Life is too short, and I'd be more than happy to not have to fight in traffic with people who are only here because it's "cheap".

[Truth713]

Originally Posted by tebor79

move to Nepal. Ill buy your ticket.

truely I have been to places that makes 99% of american cities look dull ass hell,even the so called scenic ones

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Also, as I pointed out earlier, similar to most major southern cities, Houston is often considered a boring place for visitors, but people who live here hardly complain about there not being enough to do, or even that it isn't a great place to live. In my experience, most people who live here seem to be pretty happy, and most natives are very proud of their city and do consider it interesting. Any opposing feelings are in the .

But the article is about Houston being boring to visitors; not residents. You can't expect a visitor to know the ins and outs of Houston enough to enjoy it as a city(especially when the city does absolutely nothing to market itself). I don't have to live in NYC,LA, or Miami to know that they're places I'd like to visit (frequently).

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by 55degrees

It can be, but it's not. Nothing is stopping it. We've got tons of freaking money, they could invest in better stuff. Why couldn't Houston have the best Zoo in the country? Or the best art museum? Or THE best waterparks and amusement parks (ie be THE destination for families on Spring break--where it is too cold in other cities that time of the year)? OR heck the best space center (come on it's a snoozefest over there the last I checked)? Outdoor patio restaurants aren't things that people will take a flight for. Houston suffers from being the 4th largest city because, as someone else said, it's compared to the top 3--and it can't measure up. Now, if Houston was the 10th largest city, I don't think we'd be getting all these arguments because the expectations would be lower and it would shine among the cities lower down the ladder.

I've been asking these questions for years but when it comes to answers, most would rather ignore them and say things like "Houston is for workers,not tourists"...or "Love it or leave it",etc. I agree..Space Center Houston is a waste of time.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

But the article is about Houston being boring to visitors; not residents. You can't expect a visitor to know the ins and outs of Houston enough to enjoy it as a city(especially when the city does absolutely nothing to market itself).

Houston does market itself poorly, but saying it does nothing is false. Any effort is constantly battling all of the ignorant Texas stereotypes either way.

I don't have to live in NYC,LA, or Miami to know that they're places I'd like to visit (frequently).

Well, duh. Those cities are the media darlings that have the advantage of being icons of American pop culture. They don't have to market themselves.

Comparing Houston to those cities is apples and oranges. A more accurate comparison would be to Atlanta, Austin, and maybe Dallas. Cities that are more on our level of notoriety, but still seem to more in actively publicizing themselves.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

I've been asking these questions for years but when it comes to answers, most would rather ignore them and say things like "Houston is for workers,not tourists"...or "Love it or leave it",etc. I agree..Space Center Houston is a waste of time.

Well, it's true. It certainly would have been cool for Houston to have more of the cheesy tourist stuff, but ask yourself: why do we need it now? Is Houston really hurting from a lack of a world class tourist industry? Last I checked, we were doing pretty damn good without it.

At this point, wishing for this city to become more touristy is too much of a "shoulda-coulda-woulda" deal.