10 Unique Facts About Houston You Didn't Know

Ah, Houston. Home to the Houston Texans, to the clutch Rockets, to NASA and to Queen Bey herself. Houston holds a lot to its name, and it’s no surprise that it’s continuing to grow in size and culture. There’s a lot about Houston we’re starting to learn. For instance, did you know that Houston has a very diverse community? In 2012, Houston surpassed Los Angeles and New York as the most ethnically diverse metropolitan area in the nation. This is just one of many facts Houstonians pride themselves on. Want more? Here are ten unique facts about Space City you probably didn’t know.

Residents in Houston eat out more times a week than in any other city in America

It might be because the average meal costs less than the national average, or it can be because Houston has some of the most delicious foods and restaurants. But Houstonians seem to eat out more than your typical American. Either way, eat on!

Houston has one of the best culinary scenes in the country

It is home to the largest medical center in the world

The Texas Medical Center is located in Houston and contains 54 medicine-related institutions. The medical center exceeds 1,000 acres and gets an average of 7.2 million visits per year. That’s more than the populations of Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco combined. Also, did you know that more heart surgeries are performed in the Texas Medical Center than anywhere else in the world?

It is the fourth most populous city in the nation

We know Houston was big, but did you know it was this big? Houston has about 2.3 million residents, making it the largest city in Texas and in the South. The big Texas city trails behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago when it comes to population.

More than 145 different languages are spoken in Houston

Houston has the third largest number of languages spoken in the U.S. behind New York and LA. While Spanish and English are prevalent in the area, you will hear people speaking Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindu, German, and even Tagalog.

The first traditional Hindu Mandir in the nation was built in Houston

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was assembled in Houston like a puzzle. Consisting of 33,000 pieces of Italian marble and Turkish limestone, the temple was carved by hand and took 28 months to build. Not only is it the first temple built in the nation but also the largest of its kind in Texas.

Houston has an underground pedestrian tunnel system

The tunnel is 20 feet below the ground and runs for seven miles, linking 95 city blocks. The tunnel originally connected two downtown movie theaters but now connects much more, including major city buildings, restaurants and retails stores – almost like a mini mall!

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is one of the biggest rodeos in the world

This month-long rodeo attracts over 2.5 million attendees each year. But do you blame them? With foods like deep-fried Nutella and fried Twinkies, who can resist? The live performances, games and carnival sure do help, too.

Houston is home to Texas’ largest shopping mall

The Houston Galleria, or just The Galleria, opened in 1970 and is the largest mall in Texas, with over 375 stores filling the four floors. It’s the 9th largest in the U.S. If you’re looking for something, the Houston Galleria will surely have it.

It is also home to the world’s first domed stadium

The Astrodome opened in 1965 and served as a second home to the Houston Astros. It’s the world’s first multi-purpose domed sports stadium. Currently, the dome is not in use.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.