HOUSTON
has relentless Texan pride, and above all its refusal to take itself totally seriously, give it a perverse appeal, while its well-endowed museums and rich nightlife mean there is always something to do. That Howard Hughes came from Houston makes absolute sense; eccentric, domineering and sordid, the millionaire typified all that makes the city intriguing.
Arrival And Information :
Downtown Houston is at the intersection of I-10 (San Antonio-New Orleans) and I-45 (Dallas-Galveston), with most of what you'll want to see encircled by Loop 610, now widened on the west to include the huge Galleria mall.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
(tel 281/230-3000), 23 miles north, is the main hub for Continental Airlines, while the smaller, domestic
William P. Hobby Airport
(tel 713/641-7770), is seven miles southeast of downtown, just west of I-45 and a major hub for the budget Southwest Airlines. Both are served by the Airport Express
shuttle
(tel 713/523-8888), which drops off at the Galleria and downtown hotels ($19 from Intercontinental and Hobby), and Metro
buses
(from Intercontinental on route #101 or #102: Mon-Fri 5.30am-midnight, Sat and Sun 5.20am-12.30am; $1.50; from Hobby on route #101 or #50: daily 5am-midnight; $1.50; ) which run downtown approximately every half-hour.
Taxis
cost $35 to $45 from Intercontinental, with the downtown fare from Hobby priced at $25 - though the fare to the Galleria from here is $35. With these prices, renting a
car
makes sense for some, and all major companies are represented at the airports. More Houston information...
DOWNTOWN / HOUSTON The new jewel in Houston's Crown, the Hilton Americas is Houston's largest convention hotel; directly connected to the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Call toll free..
US and Canada: 1-800-780-5733
Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
Use discount code: 89865
