Which metropolis feels larger: Dallas MSA or Houston MSA? (Fort Worth: activity, rated)

[the Instigator]

Originally Posted by ViolentMimes

Honestly, neither feel very urban unless you're in very select spots. They both sprawl on endlessly for miles and miles and if you didn't look at a city limit sign, you couldn't tell ithe difference in which city you were in. Home Depot parking lots look the same in Houston, Dallas, OKC, Lubbock, etc and majority of both metropolis are never ending strip malls.

^^^THIS! +1

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by llmrkc07

Thats true.

I was driving back from Dallas a few weeks back and seen quite a few changes in Willis and Conroe. Lots of growth happening around that area, also looks decent with updated portions of I45 (so glad that's done). Both metros are huge and growing but I notice that entering Dallas via 45 does not give me a big city feel at all. No areas in the DFW area give me that feel except when I'm in DT Dallas, which is coming together quite nicely.

This is true....entering Dallas from the south is very rural feeling because of various reasons. But to be fair....if you think about it, To drive into Houston from Dallas you are entering fron the north and to be fair, if you enter Dallas from the north coming south on 75 from oklahoma it feels identical to entering houston on 45...all the way to dt Dallas.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by ViolentMimes

Honestly, neither feel very urban unless you're in very select spots. They both sprawl on endlessly for miles and miles and if you didn't look at a city limit sign, you couldn't tell ithe difference in which city you were in. Home Depot parking lots look the same in Houston, Dallas, OKC, Lubbock, etc and majority of both metropolis are never ending strip malls.

No one is talking about the cities being or feeling "urban".

We're talking about which feels bigger...

[King Joey]

Houston feels bigger.

[ViolentMimes]

Originally Posted by JJG

No one is talking about the cities being or feeling "urban".

We're talking about which feels bigger...

So which city feels more spread out? Take your pick, they both do

[die Eichkatze]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

It begins in Huntsville actually.

Add 20 miles to that 100.

Add 20 miles of forest and pasture land?

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by dallasboi

This is true....entering Dallas from the south is very rural feeling because of various reasons. But to be fair....if you think about it, To drive into Houston from Dallas you are entering fron the north and to be fair, if you enter Dallas from the north coming south on 75 from oklahoma it feels identical to entering houston on 45...all the way to dt Dallas.

Somewhat except you can clearly see The Woodlands skyline from Conroe 10 miles away through thick forests you can't see Richardson's Telecom Corridor from Allen 10 miles away with a lot less trees. When you see those twin 450 footers in The Woodlands over the trees & 20+ lane freeways you know you're entering a HUGE city. You immediately get that vibe.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Somewhat except you can clearly see The Woodlands skyline from Conroe 10 miles away through thick forests you can't see Richardson's Telecom Corridor from Allen 10 miles away with a lot less trees. When you see those twin 450 footers in The Woodlands over the trees & 20+ lane freeways you know you're entering a HUGE city. You immediately get that vibe.

And if your not paying attention you could blink and miss those two very same buildings...It feels the same to to me.!

[llmrkc07]

Originally Posted by dallasboi

This is true....entering Dallas from the south is very rural feeling because of various reasons. But to be fair....if you think about it, To drive into Houston from Dallas you are entering fron the north and to be fair, if you enter Dallas from the north coming south on 75 from oklahoma it feels identical to entering houston on 45...all the way to dt Dallas.

To a certain extent yes, but Houston still feels larger. I've been spending quite some time in DFW the past few months due to work and 75 is my main road while driving there and I understand where you are coming from, but driving on 75 kind of reminds me of 290 in Houston.

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Somewhat except you can clearly see The Woodlands skyline from Conroe 10 miles away through thick forests you can't see Richardson's Telecom Corridor from Allen 10 miles away with a lot less trees. When you see those twin 450 footers in The Woodlands over the trees & 20+ lane freeways you know you're entering a HUGE city. You immediately get that vibe.

I agree Matt, I get that vibe entering all sides of Houston (so so on I10 East). Seeing those Anadarko towers in the Woodlands and those buildings in Greenspoint do help give off a bigger feel.

[Trae713]

Yeah 290 is the best comparison to 75. I didnt think about that one. I-10 east is close too but there aren't enough buildings, but at night you see a ton of refinery lights.