Travel Smart! https://www.zerobalancetraveler.com Driving Downtown - Houston Texas USA - Episode 38. Starting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/joQqgLFgtqr . Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States. With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.2 million, it also is the largest city in the Southern United States. Houston's economy has a broad industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation. It is also leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment; only New York City is home to more Fortune 500 headquarters within its city limits.[11][12] The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled.[13] Nicknamed the "Space City", Houston is a global city, with strengths in business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine, and research. The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community. Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most diverse in the United States.[14] It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts. Architecture Houston has the fourth-tallest skyline in North America (after New York City, Chicago, and Toronto) and 12th-tallest in the world, as of 2014. Economy Houston is recognized worldwide for its energy industry—particularly for oil and natural gas—as well as for biomedical research and aeronautics. Renewable energy sources—wind and solar—are also growing economic bases in the city.[99][100] The Houston Ship Channel is also a large part of Houston's economic base. The Houston area is a leading center for building oilfield equipment.[103] Much of its success as a petrochemical complex is due to its busy ship channel, the Port of Houston.[104] In the United States, the port ranks first in international commerce and 10th among the largest ports in the world.[13][105] Unlike most places, high oil and gasoline prices are beneficial for Houston's economy, as many of its residents are employed in the energy industry.[106] Houston is the beginning or end point of numerous oil, gas, and products pipelines. Tourism and Recreation The Theater District is a 17-block area in the center of downtown Houston that is home to the Bayou Place entertainment complex, restaurants, movies, plazas, and parks. Bayou Place is a large multilevel building containing full-service restaurants, bars, live music, billiards, and Sundance Cinema. The Bayou Music Center stages live concerts, stage plays, and stand-up comedy. Space Center Houston is the official visitors' center of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The Space Center has many interactive exhibits including moon rocks, a shuttle simulator, and presentations about the history of NASA's manned space flight program. Other tourist attractions include the Galleria (Texas's largest shopping mall, located in the Uptown District), Old Market Square, the Downtown Aquarium, and Sam Houston Race Park. Sports Houston has sports teams for every major professional league except the National Hockey League. The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball expansion team formed in 1962. The Houston Rockets are a National Basketball Association franchise based in the city since 1971. The Houston Texans are a National Football League expansion team formed in 2002. The Houston Dynamo is a Major League Soccer franchise that has been based in Houston since 2006. Healthcare Houston is the seat of the internationally renowned Texas Medical Center, which contains the world's largest concentration of research and healthcare institutions.[196] All 49 member institutions of the Texas Medical Center are non-profit organizations. They provide patient and preventive care, research, education, and local, national, and international community well-being. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g56003-Activities-Houston_Texas.html http://www.visithoustontexas.com/ http://www.zillow.com/downtown-houston-tx/

• published: 28 Aug 2016
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