SDeNardi Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Hello I am Stephen and I am relocating to Houston on April first. My choice to relocate was based on the very few things I know about the Houston area, and I am kinda tagging along with a good friend of mine. I will be living in Friendswood and I know very little about the area or what may be around there in the way of employment or things to do. So if anyone could give me a heads up that would be great. Also about Galveston, I love the beach and I have heard some mixed reviews on whether it is worth it to go to the beach in Galveston, does anyone have anything kind to say about it or any picture websites they could reccommend so I could see for myself?I know it is hot there, but I have also heard that it rains alot. Is it one of those constantly overcast type deals or does it rain for a bit and pass on like in florida. Right now I am living in Ohio and it is pretty much grey every day it seems like. I am definately trying to get away from that. I guess that is it for the specific questions, but if anyone could help me out with anything itd be much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyps Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 I don't know much about Friendswood, but... I love Galveston, I've been going since I was a kid. It isn't the pacific ocean, but it is a whole lot better than the beaches in Ohio The weather here is wonderful! Well, most of the year. Late June through September is really hot. The rest of the year is like a long fall/spring. Lately, we have so many sunny, beautiful days that we all look forward to some rain storms. I wouldn't say it rains a lot. It is not like the weather on the pacificNW at all. Welcome to Houston! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elecpharm Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 (edited) a few links highlighting houston and galveston. city of houstonchinatown connectionhouston its worth it002 magazinehot town cool cityh texas magazinedowntown houstonuptown houstongalvestoncity of friendswoodhouston theater districthello houstondowntown entertainment districtcity of galvestongalveston tourismmoody gardenswelcome to texas. Edited March 16, 2006 by elecpharm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Houston rains are actually pretty cool, in that many of them are huge, bottom-drops-out affairs, causing street flooding, etc. But, they are fun to watch. Once it ends, you usually have nice sunshine behind it. Pretty hot and humid in the summer, but most adapt. You'll always meet some whiners that complain about it, but you never hear them bragging about our 65 degree winters...go figure.Same applies to Galveston. The Strand District is magnificent, as is the collection of old Victorian homes. The beach is tolerable, but here again, since it doesn't look like Destin's IMPORTED sand, some beach snobs dismiss it. Fact is, it is less than an hour's drive, so if 3 gallons of gas sounds better than a $300 round trip, you'll love it. The Bolivar Ferry rocks, too. Depending on the wind, the water can be remarkably emerald green.Like most of life, Houston is what you make it. If you are a downer, Houston will make it worse. If you are a realist or optimist, you'll find the atmosphere refreshing.Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 I also like Galveston. I've heard a lot of complaints about it but, compared to the West Coast, where the Pacific is close to freezing and no one really goes in the water, the warmth of the Gulf is nice. There are some jellyfish occasionally I've heard but hey, it's an ocean, and sea animals live there. And no, it's not any more overcast than Houston, which in the summer is rare unless a big cloudburst is building which, like Redscare said, can be kind of cool.I also love the general climate. The year round wetness is great for plants of all kinds and mosquitos love it too. If you spend much time outdoors at home, you almost need a screened area. Winters; you might have a coat lying on the back seat of your car for those few months. November and March are our transition months where you would likely switch from A/C to heat and vice-versa.It might take awhile and a lot of driving around in your spare time to appreciate the features here and Friendswood is an OK place to start, even if its a little far from town, but there's plenty of living going on in that whole Clear Lake/Nasa area. Welcome to HAIF and soon to Houston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stolitx Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hello I am Stephen and I am relocating to Houston on April first. My choice to relocate was based on the very few things I know about the Houston area, and I am kinda tagging along with a good friend of mine. I will be living in Friendswood and I know very little about the area or what may be around there in the way of employment or things to do. So if anyone could give me a heads up that would be great. Also about Galveston, I love the beach and I have heard some mixed reviews on whether it is worth it to go to the beach in Galveston, does anyone have anything kind to say about it or any picture websites they could reccommend so I could see for myself?I know it is hot there, but I have also heard that it rains alot. Is it one of those constantly overcast type deals or does it rain for a bit and pass on like in florida. Right now I am living in Ohio and it is pretty much grey every day it seems like. I am definately trying to get away from that. I guess that is it for the specific questions, but if anyone could help me out with anything itd be much appreciated!My boss is opposite of you, she's moving to Ohio in a few months. I expect my job to be relocated there at some point. I'll be staying here. Just keep saying this if the humidity gets to you"You don't have to shovel it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDeNardi Posted March 16, 2006 Author Share Posted March 16, 2006 Doooooooont EVER move to Ohio lol, so many reasons.Thank you to everyone who gave me some info. I am really looking foward to living down there, I have read so many great things. The bad things I have read usually just have to do with weather which, my god, how can you complain about shorts and swimming pools. Of course I am sure that is subjective. I have lived by New Orleans before so I know what walking through sheets of steam can be like, I actually like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forereal Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 (edited) I also may be headed to the Houston are sometime this summer. I am an outdoors type of person. Is there any areas good to go camping or fishing? Somewhere with lots of trees/mountains? Edited March 16, 2006 by forereal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west20th Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I also may be headed to the Houston are sometime this summer. I am an outdoors type of person. Is there any areas good to go camping or fishing? Somewhere with lots of trees/mountains? mountains? Houston? You'll have to go to the hill country for that. Not too far, couple hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forereal Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 mountains? Houston? You'll have to go to the hill country for that. Not too far, couple hours. I knew it. when I was typing Houston and Mountains, it just didn't sound right. Ok how about a forest....A tree? 1 lemon tree? Just a place to go camping then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west20th Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 (edited) I knew it. when I was typing Houston and Mountains, it just didn't sound right. Ok how about a forest....A tree? 1 lemon tree? Just a place to go camping then...Houston is a heavily wooded area. Camping? I don't go much but I hear camping along the Frio River (near San Antonio, I think) is really nice. Edited March 16, 2006 by west20th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Within 1-2 hours you can camp on the beach (Galveston, Matagorda, Bolivar), in the Piney Woods (East Texas), in the swamps (East Texas/Southwest Louisiana) or in the beginnings of the Hill Country (towards Austin). Go a couple more hours and you can stay in the REAL Hill Country. Frio River, Pedernales Falls, Enchanted Rock and points west.Go a few more hours, and you can be in the mountains of the Big Bend. It usually takes me 8 hours to get out to that part of the world... As was mentioned, Houston itself is heavily wooded for the most part. We're at the merging of the Piney Woods, the coastal plains, and the swamps. There are even a few hills in north and northwest Harris County. Maybe not what you're used to, but they're hills to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalparadise Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 (edited) Friendswood is a pretty insulated community that keeps to itself. It's more of a small town than a suburban community, but it is surrounded on all sides by suburbs. The town is friendly, though, with excellent schools. It's the kind of place that puts all its big chain retail stores outside of town on the freeway (Baybrook Mall area) and has mostly small mom-and-pop places in the town itself, if that helps you understand what sort of place it is. The town looks very rural, because it is and it is also more than 90% white.Proximity to Clear Lake and all the Bay Area attractions is great. You'll find lots to do nearby. Plus, Galveston is only 25 minutes or so away. The beaches on Bolivar or the West End are the best and widest, but surprisingly little about Galveston is about the beaches. You'll find some great places to eat seafood, good family attractions like Moody Gardens and Schlitterbahn, The Strand's nightlife, shopping, restaurants and antique stores, beautiful architecture (admittedly interspersed with some real crap) and that ever present salt air breeze that makes this a wonderful weekend getaway. Ride the free ferry to Bolivar for a secluded beach -- it's worth it for the ride alone. Dolphins often pace the ferry and seagulls will eat out of your hand from the back of the boat.In all, you will love that area. From Friendswood down to Galveston is really a different place from the rest of Houston. There's a different feel, different pace, even slightly different weather. At night, it's a little more humid(though noticeably cooler), with fog rolling in off the bay almost every night in summertime. During the day, it's also a little cooler than the city (not much, but a little), with a constant breeze. Most of the area south of the Loop seems to get less rain overall and rarely, if ever freezes. The general freeze line in the coldest couple of days Houston ever sees is I-10.Coming from New Orleans, you will only very rarely see humidity levels and steamy days as intense as you saw there regularly. We also don't have the nearly daily showers New Orleans seems to get. Coming from Ohio, you will notice a much longer summer, with comparably hot high temps bolstered by high humidity, similar to southern Ohio's late July. Only here, it runs from mid-June to early October.Enjoy this vibrant metropolis. You will find, in the people, places, attractions and atmosphere you discover that you are clearly moving up in the world. Texas earns every bit of its reputation as a "whole different country". Edited March 18, 2006 by dalparadise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The town is friendly, though, with excellent schools.About those, most of Friendswood is in the "Friendswood Independent School District".Some of it is in the "Clear Creek Independent School District". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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