Texas getaways
One Texas city entices as a top destination for a 'quickie' getaway
These days, Houston is on myriad radars. Consider that red-hot TV shows Top Chef and The Bachelor are filming there. Acclaimed global restaurateurs are headed to town, many by way of the buzzy new Post Houston downtown destination. In July, Time named Houston to its 2021 World’s Greatest Places list.
So it’s fitting that a new report lists the Bayou City as one of the top cities in the nation for a quick getaway.
Hotwire has released its third annual “America’s Best Cities for a Quickie” survey (no, not that kind of quickie), and Houston lands at No. 8 in the U.S. for a two- or three-night jaunt — usually at the last minute.
This new list breaks the 40 cities down into four categories: Major Metropolises, Mid-Sized Must-Sees, Small Town Favorites, and Itty Bitty Cities. Not surprisingly, Houston falls under Major Metropolises.
The seven major cities ahead of Houston are: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston, and Las Vegas. Behind Houston at No. 9 and 10 are San Diego and Indianapolis, respectively.
To compile its list, Hotwire analyzed more than 350 cities based on value, leisure, and drivability, with a maximum of 15 points allotted in each category. Hotwire then ranked the quickie (behave) cities based on drivability and leisure activities, including a “solid number of restaurants, attractions, and even a low number of rainy days in a year,” per a press release on TripSavvy.
“We honed in on the best cities for a truly leveled-up getaway — those with the most four- and five-star hotels, upgraded amenities, and experiences that can still offer amazing savings to be used on additional experiences and activities,” the report added.
Towards that end, in a survey, nearly 80 percent of Hotwire users said they’d use the money they saved on booking a trip to better their experience. That includes enjoying an expensive meal, spa treatments, or upgrading to a luxury room. Houston, with spots such as Four Seasons, The Post Oak, and The Houstonian, has them all.
Of course, it's no sweat to get to Houston from Fort Worth, with dozens of flights a day on major carriers out of both DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field, plus regular routes via hop-on jet service JSX, luxury buses Vonlane and Redcoach, and more.
