Houston

Houston Travel Guide

Unbridled energy has always been Houston's trademark. The forceful, wildcatter temperament that transformed what was once a swamp near the junction of the Buffalo and White Oak bayous into the nation's fourth-largest city also made the city a world energy center and pushed exploration into outer space -- indeed, the first words spoken from the moon broadcast its name throughout the universe: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

This same wild spirit (and a lack of zoning laws) explains much about the unrestricted growth that resulted in the city's patchwork layout: It's not unusual to find a luxury apartment complex next to a muffler repair shop, or a palm reader's storefront adjacent to a church. Magnificent glass and metal towers dominate the downtown corridor, but for the most part Houston's cityscape is characterized by random patches of impressive architecture interspersed with groomed greenbelts and lively neighborhoods.