Many of you know that I’m from Texas. What many of you don’t know, given that I lived in Austin for over a decade, is that I was actually born in the Houston area…almost 40 years ago. But I digress.
Actually, my age is relevant, given that it has taken me nearly four decades to take this topic up. If I’m honest, as a former (albeit transplanted) Austin resident, I felt agnostic as to the animosity between Texas’ largest two cities: I didn’t especially like either of them. Sorry them!
The good news? I’m now ready to weigh in on the Dallas vs Houston debate. The better news? The 100+ countries I’ve visited in my adult life give me a perspective on this contest that few other commentators can claim to have.
My Personal Ties to Both of Texas’ Biggest Cities
When it comes to deciding between Dallas or Houston, I’m biased in both cases. This is obvious when it comes to Houston, given that I was born there. But I also have a dog in the Dallas fight. My best friend’s husband is from there, and I spent many, many days there in the early 2010s staying with him when they were dating. Moreover, my own husband lives there now, for reasons I may or may not explain in a future post.
Now, do note that my analysis below is going to focus primarily on the centers of these cities. For example, while travelers to Dallas can technically drive 90 minutes to Oklahoma to enjoy casino games, I don’t factor something like this into the number of proverbial points I’d give the city as compared to Houston. Likewise, although I acknowledge Houston’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, it don’t assess it as if it’s a “beach city,” per se.
Dallas
Ways to Compare Dallas and Houston
Attractions
While it’s true that neither of these cities are tourist meccas, they do both have their own attractions. In Houston, these range from Buffalo Bayou Park to the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall. In Dallas, meanwhile, I love the scenic view of downtown from behind the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, as well as the historical Old City Park, which is like a living museum.
Cityscape
Traveling from Dallas to Houston, one contrast you’ll immediately notice is that while Dallas has one main downtown (well, if you exclude Fort Worth), Houston has many skyscraper districts, which include the Texas Medical Center and the Uptown Galleria, in addition to downtown itself. To me, this leads to Houston feeling like a much bigger city (and more of a city, in general), even though it’s similar in size to Dallas.
Getting there and around
The good news? Both Dallas and Houston host massive airports, with IAH and DFW being huge global hubs, and DAL and HOU serving as major gateways for domestic flights on Southwest Airlines. Once you get to your destination city, of course, it’s another story. While each city has a variety of public transportation options, the reality is that as a tourist, you need to rent a car and drive almost everywhere.
Food
Without being disrespectful to either Houston or Dallas, it’s clear from looking at each city’s residents that both have good food. While I tend to prefer Houston for both seafood and ethnic cuisines ranging from Vietnamese to African, Dallas has more food that you might traditionally associate with Texas, including BBQ and steak. If you’re a sweets fan, do note that Houston sits within day-trip distance of Brenham, the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream.
Energy and vibe
In general, I’d say that Houston is both more international and has a more eclectic feel than Dallas. It also feels more 21st-century urban, for lack of a better descriptor. This is evident in comparing each city’s “hippest” neighborhood with the other. While Dallas’ Deep Ellum feels run-down and even sketchy in spite of how cool it is, Houston’s Montrose manages to balance diversity and progressivism with safety, cleanliness and order.
Houston
How Many Days Do You Need in Houston? What About Dallas?
Both Houston and Dallas are huge, sprawling cities with more neighborhoods than you could reasonably explore over the course of a normal trip. At the same time, you probably won’t have a week or longer at your disposal—or, more to the point, wouldn’t want to devote a week to these cities, when you could be exploring more interesting parts of Texas.
As a result, I don’t necessarily think this is an important par tof comparing Houston vs. Dallas. You’ll probably have 2-3 nights in each city, which will allow you to do some typical tourist attractions, eat some iconic local food and maybe even take a day trip somewhere. However, these aren’t tantamount to living in either city, and won’t give you even a comparable depth of knowledge.
Other FAQ About Visiting Houston and Dallas
Is Dallas or Houston better?
It depends upon what you want in a city, but I personally prefer Houston. From a more international population, to a more eclectic cityscape, to a landscape and climate I find more hospitable to my own preferences (I prefer humid and hot over dry and hot), Houston definitely wins out for me.
What does Dallas have that Houston doesn’t?
While Dallas may have some benefits compared to Houston if you plan to live there, it actually lacks a lot compared to Houston as a travel destination. The only potential place where Dallas wins out over Houston is that you have no chance of taking a direct hit from a tropical cyclone.
Is Houston or Dallas more international?
Houston is definitely more international, both in terms of the diversity of its population and the number of people who are foreign-born, as well as how this reflects in terms of the visual and culinary identities of neighborhoods. Overall, Houston tends to be cosmopolitan and eclectic, while Dallas feelings homogenous with small pops of color.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to Dallas vs. Houston, I prefer the latter—and not just because I was born there almost half a century ago. In my opinion, Houston is not only a city whose natural setting is more interesting than Dallas’, but one that’s more cosmopolitan in character and compelling in terms of things to do. This is not to say that Dallas is irredeemable—certainly there are worse cities in the US, and in the world; neither of these cities is New York or LA. But if you’re on the fence about where to go, I just can’t point you in Dallas’ direction. Need personalized help planning your Texas trip? Hire me as your Travel Coach!