Houston Ranked as World's 2nd Most Boring City to Visit

[citykid09]

Houston one of world's most boring cities to visit

http://opentravel.com/blogs/worlds-most-boring-cities-to-visit/

Is anyone surprised?

Edited July 23, 2010 by citykid09

[AtticaFlinch]

Frankly, we're in pretty good company. I can't speak for Bratislava, Wellington or Singapore, but those other cities are actually rather nice. At least they aren't filled with hordes of tourists and souvenir shops selling plasticky crap trying to capitalize on some former heyday or some other such thing.

I think this article's two word sarcastic dismissal of Houston gives away the entirety of their judgement criteria: "How romantic... "

This article is for unoriginal travelers (aka tourists) who expect the place they visit to enlighten and engage them while they passively take everything in. For those people I say go to Rome. It's probably the most "romantic" place on Earth (as in there's a tourist shop on every corner and you don't have to think to be amazed).

EDIT: This just in: Atlanta named the world's most awesomest city evar!

Edited July 23, 2010 by AtticaFlinch

[barracuda]

So Houston is boring because the writer doesn't like the climate statistics.

[20thStDad]

The only thing that surprises me is that people lend any thought or credence to blogs as if they were journalism or worth anyone's time.

Then again, this is the same nation that loves to watch "real" idiots on TV in any manner they can get them, and views celebrity as an admirable accomplishment in and of itself. How am I supposed to start mellowing out in my old age if the general idiotic population keeps throwing gasoline on my fiery cynicism?

Edited July 23, 2010 by 20thStDad

[UrbaNerd]

EDIT: This just in: Atlanta named the world's most awesomest city evar!

And Dallas was no 2! Ya know, with all that awesome neon, and the lack of anything like our new 22 story Embassy Suites downtown and all!

[Porchman]

Frankly, we're in pretty good company. I can't speak for Bratislava, Wellington or Singapore, but those other cities are actually rather nice.

I agree. I think we're in good company here. I must be boring.

Hey telwink, stop taking pics that make Houston look boring .

Edited July 23, 2010 by Porchman

[livincinco]

I agree. I think we're in good company here. I must be boring.

Hey telwink, stop taking pics that make Houston look boring .

The other top four most boring cities in the world are Brussels, Zurich, and Singapore? Did you read the description of Oslo? Unless you are an avid cyclist, hiker or museum buff, the boredom may hit your senses quite quickly in Oslo.

This writer is an idiot. He's just trying to drive clicks by posting something controversial.

[editor]

Houston one of world's most boring cities to visit

http://opentravel.com/blogs/worlds-most-boring-cities-to-visit/

Is anyone surprised?

I think one person's definition of "boring" doesn't necessarily match another's.

I love Singapore. There's oodles to do there, and you're just a taxi ride from Malaysia, or a ferry ride from Indonesia. Singapore has what is easily the world's most amazing zoo experience. Brussels, similarly, has a ton of things to do and see. Bratislava -- OK, it's a little boring. But it's a small city, what do you expect?

It seems the author equates "excitement" with something like Disney or Las Vegas or some other in-your-face location that a disaffected 17-year-old with ADHD can embrace. Seriously, if you can't find something to do in Brussels, then you're an uncultured heathen who should stay home.

It's interesting to note that the blog in question is funded by the government of the European Union. Go figure.

[RedScare]

You said jort!! This thread is now worth keeping.

Never pass up a chance to insult the Florida Gators.

[Subdude]

Actually I would regretfully tend to agree - Houston is a somewhat boring city to visit. That said, it is a fantastic city in which to live. I've never worried much about it being a tourist destination.

Interesting that one of the comments rolled out the old "we have more theater seats than New York" line. Disinformation has a long shelf life it seems.

Brussels didn't surprise me, since Belgium in general has the reputation of being a boring place, to the extent that it is almost a cliche.

[Mister X]

Why would anyone take an opinion list written on some nobody's blog seriously. Anyone who would give that list any credibility is an idiot.

[bachanon]

houston is boring unless a tourist knows someone who lives here. as much as i enjoy positive attention aimed at houston and equally dismayed at the negative, i do not wish houston to be a tourist destination or a trendy place to be/live.

[Mister X]

Now HERE'S a list with some credibility! Dallas ranked as #1 most boring place.

http://www.ranker.com/review/dallas/806036

http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-boring-cities-i_ve-been-to/mollie

Edited July 24, 2010 by Mister X

[Subdude]

Now HERE'S a list with some credibility! Dallas ranked as #1 most boring place.

http://www.ranker.com/review/dallas/806036

http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-boring-cities-i_ve-been-to/mollie

Not that Dallas has anything at all to do with it..

[TheNiche]

Interesting that one of the comments rolled out the old "we have more theater seats than New York" line. Disinformation has a long shelf life it seems.

Actually, it was that we are second only to New York in the number of theater seats. And yeah, we do have a well developed theater scene, but mostly it's just because the City of Houston is such an abnormally large entity in terms of square mileage. It's no less disingenuous than making the claim that we're the nation's fourth largest city, though.

[Subdude]

Actually, it was that we are second only to New York in the number of theater seats. And yeah, we do have a well developed theater scene, but mostly it's just because the City of Houston is such an abnormally large entity in terms of square mileage. It's no less disingenuous than making the claim that we're the nation's fourth largest city, though.

No, the comment on the post was that we have more theater seats than New York, and in any event it is a misleading "statistic".

[sidegate]

It's interesting to note that the blog in question is funded by the government of the European Union. Go figure.

The EU doesn't have a government. It's a council of sovereign governments.

[sidegate]

houston is boring unless a tourist knows someone who lives here. as much as i enjoy positive attention aimed at houston and equally dismayed at the negative, i do not wish houston to be a tourist destination or a trendy place to be/live.

You do need to know someone to find the interesting things to do, such as they are. Until you've lived here for a while and built up a circle of like-minded acquaintances, you will indeed find it a boring and depressing place to live. Just like anywhere else.

[Geoff8201]

When the author uses words like "apparently" when talking about the weather, well it's a bad indication, like it he/she wrote this based on what was read in an almanac and not on experience.

I agree with what Subdue said earlier. We are not a tourism based city, the things to do here are plentiful, but for those that live here.

But despite it all, this is an article I'd tend to ignore in general. I think if I were serious about visiting somewhere I'd look for articles about places I SHOULD see rather than ones not to see.

[TheNiche]

No, the comment on the post was that we have more theater seats than New York, and in any event it is a misleading "statistic".

Oh, yeah the comment made in the post in question was just plain wrong. I don't think that there's much evidence for us to call it disinformation, though, just an error.

[AtticaFlinch]

But despite it all, this is an article I'd tend to ignore in general. I think if I were serious about visiting somewhere I'd look for articles about places I SHOULD see rather than ones not to see.

Better yet, look for the places they advise against going for being too dangerous. Those places generally have zero tourists and are usually pretty exciting vacations.

[livincinco]

Better yet, look for the places they advise against going for being too dangerous. Those places generally have zero tourists and are usually pretty exciting vacations.

Good point, I noticed that Kabul and Baghdad aren't on the "most boring city to visit" list.

[LTAWACS]

This is not true. We have Dave and Buster's. And some clubs in downtown. And way out in 1960 too. Plus we have the woodlands.

[20thStDad]

This is not true. We have Dave and Buster's. And some clubs in downtown. And way out in 1960 too. Plus we have the woodlands.

You mean way out on Cypress Creek Parkway. Come on now, ditch the 1960 already, that's not gonna sound chic enough to get the new grads and creative types moving here.

[LTAWACS]

You mean way out on Cypress Creek Parkway. Come on now, ditch the 1960 already, that's not gonna sound chic enough to get the new grads and creative types moving here.

What about woodlands. Is that still considered chic?

[20thStDad]

What about woodlands. Is that still considered chic?

Definitely. Avery Johnson lives there!

[dbigtex56]

houston is boring unless a tourist knows someone who lives here. as much as i enjoy positive attention aimed at houston and equally dismayed at the negative, i do not wish houston to be a tourist destination or a trendy place to be/live.

It's the anti-NYC; "A nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there."

[citykid09]

It's the anti-NYC; "A nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there."

I'd want to visit. I just wish that there was an area for tourist and residents to congregate and just hand out and walk around and buy Houston souvenirs. This place needs to be walkable preferably with rail transportation and have museums, street vendors, SHADE!!!, street performers, sidewalk dinning etc. Something like a Time Square.

Edited August 13, 2010 by citykid09

[AtticaFlinch]

I'd want to visit. I just wish that there was an area for tourist and residents to congregate and just hand out and walk around and buy Houston souvenirs. This place needs to be walkable preferably with rail transportation and have museums, street vendors, SHADE!!!, street performers, sidewalk dinning etc. Something like a Time Square.

You've just described Hermann Park, which is the antithesis of Times Square.

By the way, Times Square is lame. Manhattanites avoid it like the plague... because of all the tourists.

[Gary]

By the way, Times Square is lame. Manhattanites avoid it like the plague... because of all the tourists.

By experience I can tell you that it's also a great place to get hit by a car.

[crunchtastic]

You've just described Hermann Park, which is the antithesis of Times Square.

By the way, Times Square is lame. Manhattanites avoid it like the plague... because of all the tourists.

I like watching the freak show that is public life probably more than the next person, but what is this fascination with standing around on a sidewalk? The street scene that city kid envisions has to do mainly with getting off a train then standing or wandering around, and like you said is exactly why New Yorkers hate Times Square. A bunch of hillbillys standing around blocking foot traffic, looking at advertising while trying to decide between Applebees and the world's largest Mc Ds.

[ricco67]

Having been to Times Square, I have to say it's a rather interesting spectacle to behold. Go 3 blocks away at 2am and it's as empty as your typical Houston street. Hype.

Even the gentleman bars are lame.

So I hear.

[citykid09]

Having been to Times Square, I have to say it's a rather interesting spectacle to behold. Go 3 blocks away at 2am and it's as empty as your typical Houston street. Hype.

Even the gentleman bars are lame.

So I hear.

I agree, they say New York is the 24hr city, but I have seen it dead at night outside those tourist areas. I thought just about everything stayed opened 24hrs there. Not the case.

What I was envisioning doesn't necessarily have to be like a Time Square, but somewhere like City Centre (Old Town & Country Mall) but located within the 610 loop. Within walking distance to downtown. Its just something about the hustle and bustle of business people, shoppers, tourist, performers, street kids with backpacks, families walking around, etc that make a city for me. Yeah Houston has a great night life, but its all over the place and there are no famous walkable streets that tourist can go to. I remember hearing about Richmond Ave as a kid. A bustling street lined with clubs. Well in my mind, I imaged it like 6th Street in Austin, a walkable area, but we all know that its nothing like that. I think City Centre is the type of place I envision, and a lot of the developments that were being developed closer to the city a few years ago would fit the profile. BLVD Place, the River Oaks District, Regent Square, etc. Lets hope that those will eventually develop and become magnets with tourist etc. And hopefully Earth Quest Adventures will help with tourist.

[KinkaidAlum]

Times Square was better with porn. Bubba Gump isn't nearly as cool as the Gaiety...

[TheNiche]

I think City Centre is the type of place I envision, and a lot of the developments that were being developed closer to the city a few years ago would fit the profile. BLVD Place, the River Oaks District, Regent Square, etc. Lets hope that those will eventually develop and become magnets with tourist etc.tourist.

Nah, that stuff is all contrived by the same set of national architects that design projects in every other major city. From the design and layout to the tenant base, there's nothing the least bit unique about any of that. It's just another retail paradigm. ...like the dumbbell-shaped mall. ...like closed-off streets for pedestrians only. ...like the 'power center'. ...like the open-air 'lifestyle center'.

Some cities (for various reasons) become meccas for some particular retail paradigm and get associated with it by tourists. Over time, contemporary paradigms become historical, exotic, and even charming. To that end, I think that Houston's chaos associates it most closely with randomly-placed tiny strip centers and taco trucks. Dallas is a little more 'new money', sterile, and organized; it will probably become a mecca for pad site tourism.

[citykid09]

To that end, I think that Houston's chaos associates it most closely with randomly-placed tiny strip centers and taco trucks. Dallas is a little more 'new money', sterile, and organized; it will probably become a mecca for pad site tourism.

Never thought of it that way, but it makes since.

Also, yeah mixed use centers like City Centre are generic and are in other cities, but its a start. How about a mixed use center with unique architecture and high end retail? wouldn't that bring tourist? I don't know, maybe fix up and line one of the inner city bayous with retail, restaurants etc. To me the most exciting area to be in in Houston is the Uptown area. It would be nice if those strip centers could be torn down and converted to walkable tourist destinations. The city should try to attract places like Legoland Discovery Centre, ESPN Zone, etc. Maybe even a tourist Spot with a NASA theme in the uptown area. Another way to get tourist is talk-shows/live audience sitcoms. Tourist like to be on TV, if one of their favorite shows tapes in Houston, they'll want to visit the city and be in the audience. Just a taught.

[RedScare]

Never thought of it that way, but it makes since.

Also, yeah mixed use centers like City Centre are generic and are in other cities, but its a start. How about a mixed use center with unique architecture and high end retail? wouldn't that bring tourist? I don't know, maybe fix up and line one of the inner city bayous with retail, restaurants etc. To me the most exciting area to be in in Houston is the Uptown area. It would be nice if those strip centers could be torn down and converted to walkable tourist destinations. The city should try to attract places like Legoland Discovery Centre, ESPN Zone, etc. Maybe even a tourist Spot with a NASA theme in the uptown area. Another way to get tourist is talk-shows/live audience sitcoms. Tourist like to be on TV, if one of their favorite shows tapes in Houston, they'll want to visit the city and be in the audience. Just a taught.

We already have one. It's called the Galleria. 24 million visitors annually.

[roadrunner]

Try driving anywhere inside the loop on a Friday night and Saturday night and tell me this city isn't bustling. It's worse than 5:00 traffic on a weekday. I also dare you to find a restaurant without a wait on those nights. We don't walk around here, we drive everywhere and that's the difference.

[citykid09]

Try driving anywhere inside the loop on a Friday night and Saturday night and tell me this city isn't bustling. It's worse than 5:00 traffic on a weekday. I also dare you to find a restaurant without a wait on those nights. We don't walk around here, we drive everywhere and that's the difference.

No doubt its a bustling city, nearly every person I know from out of State wants to move to Houston. Its the driving part and the too much sprawl that takes away that big inner city feel. If it was a little more compact and had more attractions with rail transit from at least the main airport, I don't think that it would be on that list.

[sidegate]

Houston definitely needs rail to downtown from the airport. I'd argue it needs that even more than the Richmond Line and I'm a big fan of the Richmond Line.

[TheNiche]

If it was a little more compact and had more attractions with rail transit from at least the main airport, I don't think that it would be on that list.

Ah yes. Rail transit. Theme parks that have implemented multi-million-dollar risk management programs to ensure that boring people can achieve an adrenaline rush without ever actually having had just cause for it. Very exciting, each of those. And the white middle-class Woodlanders whose children buy censored rap music at one of their five convenient Wal-Mart locations. Very exciting, very urbane, these people. If only our streetscapes were imitative of Paris (which we all know has no suburbs or any unremarkable suburban populations--at all--because we would never bother to try to visit such a place and therefore it does not exist), and Woodlanders lived there and not in The Woodlands, then surely tourists would appreciate our unique local culture.

Tourists genuinely seeking exciting rail transit can hop aboard the next inbound freight train. They might lose a leg, but that definitely qualifies for exciting. And tourists genuinely seeking exciting attractions can surf for miles on the pure waves generated by loaded up tanker traffic in Galveston Bay...and then get all raucous in the dive bars of Bacliff (not Kemah).

Edited August 14, 2010 by TheNiche

[sidegate]

Ah yes. Rail transit. Theme parks that have implemented multi-million-dollar risk management programs to ensure that boring people can achieve an adrenaline rush without ever actually having had just cause for it. Very exciting, each of those. And the white middle-class Woodlanders whose children buy censored rap music at one of their five convenient Wal-Mart locations. Very exciting, very urbane, these people. If only our streetscapes were imitative of Paris (which we all know has no suburbs or any unremarkable suburban populations--at all--because we would never bother to try to visit such a place and therefore it does not exist), and Woodlanders lived there and not in The Woodlands, then surely tourists would appreciate our unique local culture.

Tourists genuinely seeking exciting rail transit can hop aboard the next inbound freight train. They might lose a leg, but that definitely qualifies for exciting. And tourists genuinely seeking exciting attractions can surf for miles on the pure waves generated by loaded up tanker traffic in Galveston Bay...and then get all raucous in the dive bars of Bacliff (not Kemah).

Forget about tourists mate. I live here, have done for 15 years, and I want rail from the airport. It's not about how people view or perceive Houston, or how much or how little we care about that. It's about getting around this place that I care about, and I hate having to take a car to the airport every time I go there.

Edited August 14, 2010 by sidegate

[TheNiche]

Forget about tourists mate. I live here, have done for 15 years, and I want rail from the airport. It's not about how people view or perceive Houston, or how much or how little we care about that. It's about getting around this place that I care about, and I hate having to take a car to the airport every time I go there.

^ off topic

[sidegate]

^ off topic

We're in good company then.

[sidegate]

Actually I'm not off topic. Since when was a city's basic infrastructure not related to its attraction to outsiders, tourists or potential inhabitants? We all evidently have an affinity for Houston on some level, don't we want, as far as possible, to encourage people to experience what we have?

[TheNiche]

Actually I'm not off topic.

In a thread about tourism, you said, "Forget about the tourists mate," and went on to expound about what would make your life easier. I happen to agree with the sentiment (if not your specific plan), but clearly the post was off-topic. We have other threads to discuss this issue.

Since when was a city's basic infrastructure not related to its attraction to outsiders, tourists or potential inhabitants?

When we have something unique such as an integrated subway system like NYC or a maglev like Hong Kong, I will concur that rail-based transit encourages tourism. But I suspect that associating that kind of thing with boring ol' Houston would merely dilute the appeal of that kind of infrastructure in the first place.

Dallas is going to extend DART out to the airport after all, it seems. Will that make you want to visit Dallas more often? Will that make north Texas more livable, in your opinion, attracting new residents?

We all evidently have an affinity for Houston on some level, don't we want, as far as possible, to encourage people to experience what we have?

Not especially. Most people are closed-minded and sheep-like, and I don't want those people drawn here, ruining the off-beat experience that we have.

[Subdude]

Rail to the airport doesn't make one more likely to visit a city, or attract new residents, but those are hardly the only criteria. Basically it is a huge convenience. I would much rather take a train than a taxi, bus or car from airports. It may be hard to understand the convenience if one hasn't lived in or visited cities with good train service.

Houston is a great city, but I would hardly see it as being particularly "off-beat". That's probably why it shows up on boring city lists!

[TheNiche]

Houston is a great city, but I would hardly see it as being particularly "off-beat". That's probably why it shows up on boring city lists!

No...it shows up on boring city lists because most people are boring and are incapable of understanding, appreciating, or seeking out the off-beat.

[citykid09]

No...it shows up on boring city lists because most people are boring and are incapable of understanding, appreciating, or seeking out the off-beat.

I don't believe that rail is the root to tourist, but it is a big factor to a lot of people. I have the best time in cities when I am free to hop on a train and come and go as I please without worrying about parking or maps. Don't get me wrong, I also like to explore cities in cars and by foot as well.

People here may not have thought of this, but to many people Houston's freeways are something to see. A lot of people from small towns and cities without huge freeways experience a culture shock when they are on Houston's freeways. I have seen people say WTF! when they final get in to Houston and see the mass of the freeways and tall buildings going for miles.

[TheNiche]

People here may not have thought of this, but to many people Houston's freeways are something to see. A lot of people from small towns and cities without huge freeways experience a culture shock when they are on Houston's freeways. I have seen people say WTF! when they final get in to Houston and see the mass of the freeways and tall buildings going for miles.

I have experienced this too. I once took an Aussie from IAH to the Clear Lake area, and he was too awe-struck by the jumble of freeways downtown and the big stacked interchanges at Beltway 8 to particularly notice or comment on anything else. He even had me do a U-turn so I could do another U-turn underneath the Gulf Freeway at BW8, just so he could look up.