The Heights was founded in 1891 by Oscar Martin Carter and the Omaha and South Texas Land Company as a streetcar suburb, and it still behaves like a small town that got swallowed by a big city. It sits about 23 feet higher than downtown Houston, which mattered in the era of floods and yellow fever. Today the draw is the texture: Heights Boulevard's wide esplanade, side streets of restored Victorians and bungalows, and a rail-trail that lets you run or bike from one end to the other. Part of the neighborhood was legally dry from 1912 until 2017, and since voters changed that, patios and bars have arrived fast. Come for barbecue at lunch, browse 19th Street's shops in the afternoon, and settle in on a patio as the porch lights come on.
What to expect
- Park free along Heights Boulevard, then walk or bike from there.
- The boulevard esplanade has a shaded gravel path; the rail-trail is paved concrete.
- The rail-trail runs in full sun in stretches, so carry water in summer.
- Sidewalks are uneven and lifted by oak roots; watch your step after dark.
- No rail reaches the Heights; drive, bike or take a rideshare in.
What to do
- Walk or bike the Heights Hike and Bike Trail
- Browse the shops along 19th Street
- Stroll the Heights Boulevard esplanade at golden hour
Where to eat nearby
- Coltivare
- Truth BBQ
- Eight Row Flint
What to see
- Heights Boulevard esplanade
- Heights Hike and Bike Trail
- 19th Street
- 1891, by Oscar Martin Carter and the Omaha and South Texas Land CompanyFounded
- About 23 feet higher than downtown HoustonElevation
- A section was dry, with no alcohol sales, from 1912 to 2017Dry history