Houston is a mighty mix of crazy hot summers, award-winning restaurants, traffic jams, a thriving arts scene, natural disasters, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. So, what does it take to survive the diverse and sprawling city we know and love?
🚗 Add an Extra 20 Minutes for Travel Across the City
The one predictable thing about Houston traffic is that it's constantly unpredictable. Ha! Make sure to plan extra time for accidents and traffic back-ups, especially during morning and afternoon rush hour times.
⚾ Don’t Trash Talk Any Houston Sports Team. Especially the Astros!
Houstonians love all of their sports teams, even if they don’t always have a winning record. To keep your Houstonian card, don’t talk trash about any of our sports teams, whether they’re in a rut or going to the playoffs. Also, please don’t bring up the Astros World Series cheating scandal in 2017. We’re still proud of our hometown!
🍽️ Buy Stretchy Pants and Make a Restaurant Bucket List
Bad news: Houston has more than 10,000 restaurants, so even if you ate out every meal for almost 10 years there’s no way you’d try them all. Good news: you can still have a blast exploring as many restaurants and eateries as possible, featuring cuisines and fusion food from all over the world. Pro tip: Buy stretchy pants and follow City Cast Houston’s food coverage to make your bucket list. For example, here’s our monthly picks of H-Towns best new bars and restaurants.
🌧️ Get Your Hurricane Kit Ready
Hurricanes in Houston are inevitable! Unfortunately, that also means we deal with extreme flooding and power outages. Prepare ahead of time for hurricane season, which begins June 1 and lasts until November. It’s never too early to start with this hurricane checklist, look into flood insurance coverage, and prep your pets.
🥵 Summer Lasts Way Too Long. Sorry!
I know it’s cold right now, but summer will be back before you know it and temperatures in the 90s will last from mid-May until September. Be prepared. Here’s how to stay safe in the heat and how the heat impacts our mental health. And pro tip: If you have natural hair or are a curly-haired Houstonian, your hair is not going to cooperate if you straighten it over the summer. So, don’t do it.
🥶 We Do Actually Have Winter. Sorta.
It’s a myth that it doesn’t get cold in Houston. (Just venture outside.) Sometimes we have winter freezes, and even on rare occasions see snow! You should buy a winter coat if you haven’t already. It’s common to see a Houstonian wearing a jacket and winter boots – even when it’s sunny and in the 60s in January. Hey, we have to at least pretend winter exists.
🎭 Immerse Yourself in Arts and Entertainment
Houston has world-class museums, with many offering free admission on different days throughout the month – especially during the holidays. Enjoy a musical, Broadway show, murder mystery, or small play at one of Houston’s theaters. And good news for music lovers: Artists from all over the world regularly perform in Houston.
🏞️ Bask in Our Beautiful Parks
Another misconception about Houston is that we’re all concrete and shopping malls. But don’t stay cooped up in your house! Explore our treasured green spaces at Buffalo Bayou, Houston Botanic Garden, Eastern Glades, Houston Arboretum, and more.
🌮 Figure Out Your Favorite Tex-Mex Spot, Quick.
If you don’t have a favorite Tex-Mex spot to share in conversation, you will definitely lose your Houstonian card. From Ninfa’s to Armandos, there are tons of delicious choices. So pick one, quick!
And if you feel like you’re a true Houstonian or just getting the hang of it, don’t forget to vote in our City Cast Houston Awards, presented by our exclusive sponsor Downtown Houston.
In the meantime, you might want to listen to our conversation last year with the team about rules we stick to in Houston.
