Local Information
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the U.S. (after New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago). In addition, the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown region of greater Houston is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. containing nearly 6 million people.
The University of Houston (UH) is the flagship university in the UH System, which includes three other universities: The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL), the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), and the University of Houston–Victoria (UHV). When traveling, be sure not to confuse the UH campus with the UH-Downton campus. The UH campus, where GPOTS will be held, is located in southeast Houston off of I-45.
The neighborhood surrounding the UH campus is known as the Third Ward, and as described in the Wikipedia Article, there are issues with crime and safety. While it is usually safe on campus, we recommend that participants exercise caution if leaving the UH campus, particularly at night. It is also not a good idea to travel off campus by foot (or to go for a run off campus) at any time of day. Instead it is best to use public transportation or your own vehicle. If participants wish to exercise, there is a state-of-the-art Fitness Center on the UH campus located about a block from the UH Hilton, where day-passes can be purchased for $8 per day.
Some useful links for visitors:
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