Tell me about Galveston/Houston!

[Nijm]

We are looking at the possibility of my SO going to Galveston for grad school, I would be working possibly in Galveston or Houston. How is the weather? Hot and humid I can imagine! Are there people who live in Galveston and commute to Houston? I can image the traffic would be horrible. How are the people, would they accept 2 Californians?

[Woost2]

Not a clue. Good luck.

[Ponichiwa]

Super hot. Super humid. If you buy in Galveston, make sure that you get a house on stilts. Hurricanes can bring the water in pretty high.

Houston is a big place, so I'm sure there are people that commute from Galveston to some parts of Houston. Here's a visual of just how big Houston is:


While parts of Texas get a bad rap, Houston is really a multicultural place. It's got a great food and arts scene, high quality museums, lots of shopping. And loads of traffic. I mean, absolutely tons.

[Canyon]

If you buy in Galveston, make sure that you get a house on stilts. Hurricanes can bring the water in pretty high.

I would agree, having read Isaac's Storm!

[Kelo]

Super hot and humid. Smells kinda dank (IMHO). Make sure you enjoy sitting in traffic if you live there, you'll do it a lot. Food's good.

Houston's probably more liberal than some parts of TX but TX is a lot less liberal than you're probably used to. People will probably be nice.

There is quite a bit of dressage (and other disciplines) around there.

[Kramer]

With regard to Galveston, as I know nothing about Houston. As already stated, super hot and humid, lots of bugs, especially fire ants. Some nice areas, some not so much. Great food, lots of beaches and Moody Gardens which is a fun visit. Be aware that it is quite a drive from Galveston to Houston and the traffic on the island is horrid. And it does smell dank.

[Racetrackreject]

I think most of the others have covered, but I grew up in the Galveston area, so I'll throw my 2 cents in too.

Galveston to most anywhere in Houston is not a daily commute that I would like to make at any hour.

Super hot, but with a breeze, and humid, and kind dank smelling is right on. Even more dank when the seaweed piles up. Great food to be found, super touristy and every day can be like spring break if the weather is decent.

Some really bad gang activity areas, lots of drunken disorderly type crimes, and lots of transient people.

Put it like this, I like to visit. I like to rent a condo in off season and walk the beach in a sweater, and go eat good food, then go back home. In the summer I will once or twice wait in the gosh awful long ferry line to the island, go over and eat, do some shopping on the strand and some of the little trendy shops (always get beignets at the "New Orleans" cafe on the strand), maybe visit the beach if I can find parking, then I come back home. It's a nice, fun place to visit, but not sure I'd live there now.

[texsuze]

Like a few of the other replies, hot and humid during summer, and humid during the remainder of the year. Houston is just geographically situated where it receives lots of rainfall, relative to, say, other parts of Texas. Exception being Texarkana, which is a swamp, IMHO Don't even think of commuting between Houston and Galveston---I-45 is currently and perpetually under construction. I lived in the Houston area for 25+ years and construction was never finished on I-45! I was just there this past weekend, BTW.

There are many, many towns/subdivisions between Houston and Galveston (Pearland, League City, Clear Lake, Alvin, Friendswood, etc) which all tend to meld together, but possibilities abound if you need to be in both Houston and Galveston and live somewhere to access both. Just keep in mind, from a psychological standpoint, that Houston is a massive city, with a mind-boggling population. I, personally, really like Houston

I think two folks from CA would be welcome, and esp. in Houston. So, so very much to enjoy and see, it would take an entire thread to cover! Also, as mentioned, a healthy dressage and hunter/jumper community, too in/around Houston. Not so much dressage in Galveston itself, though, that I'm aware of.

My SIL attended UT Galveston for her physician's assistant degree. I knew someone who attended the Texas A&M University campus on Galveston, too. Both are quality higher learning institutions.

[Astral]

Not that it's super helpful... but I recently found out one of my favorite spots is relocating to Galveston - so there's a plus for the area! http://theberkshireedge.com/gypsy-joynt-close-doors/

(A portion of my family is from Houston - but they all left, and I've never been, so I don't have anything productive to say )

[Josette]

I've never been to Houston (airport doesn't count). However, they recently had horrible floods. Weather.com has a video of horses trapped in the flood. I couldn't watch it.....

[Woost2]

Just catching up on the most recent historic flood. Why are you going there again???

[redsoxluvr]

Houston is getting flooded big time right now, so I would recommend finding housing at a higher elevation.