Long midday layover IAH need your thoughts
Feb 5, 2023, 1:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: MSP
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Posts: 88
Long midday layover IAH need your thoughts
I can cutdown on connections if I do a long layover at IAH. 8 hours midday. Is there time to get somewhere fun and back? Cutting out a connection actually makes the total time increase so I am trying to decide which is least painful; leaving early and spending time in IAH, or leaving later and hopscotching to IAD by way of ORD and onto international flight which would give my 1.5 layovers at both ORD and IAH.
Feb 5, 2023, 2:02 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
I can cutdown on connections if I do a long layover at IAH. 8 hours midday. Is there time to get somewhere fun and back? Cutting out a connection actually makes the total time increase so I am trying to decide which is least painful; leaving early and spending time in IAH, or leaving later and hopscotching to IAD by way of ORD and onto international flight which would give my 1.5 layovers at both ORD and IAH.
Feb 5, 2023, 2:09 pm
#3
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: MSP
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In 8 hours, you could get to Austin and back. There is plenty to do in Houston midday -- visiting NASA would be first on my personal list, but obviously everyone has different tastes. They have museums, a nice zoo, plenty of disparate restaurants; you could go down to Galveston to the beach (although it's not the nicest beach on the planet, admittedly).
Feb 5, 2023, 2:15 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
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In addition to what jsloan says, depending on time of year, if weather is cooperative, the Eastern Glades at Memorial Park and the new Land Bridge are very pleasant. Top of Land Bridge has 360 views of the urban sprawl that is H-Town. Hermann Park/Rice U is another very nice midday walk if weather is good. Great Tex-Mex (Ninfa's on Navigation, Irma's, many others) and BBQ (Truth, Gatlin's, Feges, Pit Room, many others).
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 5, 2023 at 4:02 pm Reason: Sticky to the issue, not the posters
Feb 5, 2023, 3:33 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH, YYC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 753
If you’re not from Texas, add Bucees to your list! There’s one near NASA if you’re going there, otherwise the closest large one to the airport is probably Baytown. That’s where I take my friends when they have a long layover at IAH 🙂
otherwise you have some good suggestions above. Bear in mind traffic. In bad traffic then many parts of the city will be 1+ hour from the airport.
otherwise you have some good suggestions above. Bear in mind traffic. In bad traffic then many parts of the city will be 1+ hour from the airport.
Feb 5, 2023, 4:00 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Catania, Sicily/South Jersey (PHL)/Houston, Texas/Red Stick/airborne in-between
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I would take the single connection as everytime you add a stop you add more chance of delays and IRROPS.
There is a lot you can do. You can either rent a car or UBER to the Museum district, as just one example, where you can walk between various excellent museums and grab amazing food. Houston is the most diverse city in the country so the food options are infinite as well. PM me and I can elaborate depending on what you like to do and date of the flight.
King Tut's tomb is in town at MFAH and is a nice exhibit, for example. It is not in the museum district but the National museum of funeral history is up north and a quirky but very entertaining and educational museum easy to viait fron IAH.
There is a lot you can do. You can either rent a car or UBER to the Museum district, as just one example, where you can walk between various excellent museums and grab amazing food. Houston is the most diverse city in the country so the food options are infinite as well. PM me and I can elaborate depending on what you like to do and date of the flight.
King Tut's tomb is in town at MFAH and is a nice exhibit, for example. It is not in the museum district but the National museum of funeral history is up north and a quirky but very entertaining and educational museum easy to viait fron IAH.
Feb 5, 2023, 7:15 pm
#8
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Feb 5, 2023, 8:38 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2017
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My recommendation would be to go visit the Woodlands area. Plenty of shops and dining. Going to nasa from Iah is 3 hours round trip.
Feb 5, 2023, 8:38 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2002
Location: US
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It should be noted that this post is encouraging you to visit a gas station 🤣. It’s a nice gas station, with lots of unique snacks and gifts. Absolutely worth a peek if you happen to pass one on the road…I have stopped many times. I just think it’s hilarious that this makes the short list of things to do in Houston.
Feb 5, 2023, 8:43 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
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Posts: 2,354
Just be aware: it can take you an hour to get anywhere interesting from the airport, and traffic is unpredictable. Then you have another hour getting back, plus passing through security again. Don't underestimate the time it takes to get places in Houston.
That said, Houston is a much nicer city than it gets credit for. Very multi-ethnic. Richly textured. Kind of a mix between New Orleans and Los Angeles, if you can imagine that. I'd probably just plan a leisurely lunch in town. I like Barnaby's. They have several locations.
That said, Houston is a much nicer city than it gets credit for. Very multi-ethnic. Richly textured. Kind of a mix between New Orleans and Los Angeles, if you can imagine that. I'd probably just plan a leisurely lunch in town. I like Barnaby's. They have several locations.
Feb 5, 2023, 8:44 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAH
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Posts: 1,164
I would take the single connection as everytime you add a stop you add more chance of delays and IRROPS.
There is a lot you can do. You can either rent a car or UBER to the Museum district, as just one example, where you can walk between various excellent museums and grab amazing food. Houston is the most diverse city in the country so the food options are infinite as well. PM me and I can elaborate depending on what you like to do and date of the flight.
King Tut's tomb is in town at MFAH and is a nice exhibit, for example. It is not in the museum district but the National museum of funeral history is up north and a quirky but very entertaining and educational museum easy to viait fron IAH.
There is a lot you can do. You can either rent a car or UBER to the Museum district, as just one example, where you can walk between various excellent museums and grab amazing food. Houston is the most diverse city in the country so the food options are infinite as well. PM me and I can elaborate depending on what you like to do and date of the flight.
King Tut's tomb is in town at MFAH and is a nice exhibit, for example. It is not in the museum district but the National museum of funeral history is up north and a quirky but very entertaining and educational museum easy to viait fron IAH.
Feb 5, 2023, 8:48 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Houston, TX
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Feb 5, 2023, 9:01 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Houston is big, so the joke is Houston is an hour from Houston. That said it is manageable and Transtar and Google have great options if there is traffic, and there are two ways to get to IAH.
As for Buc-ee's that is not just a Houston thing but a Texas one!