The buildings are bigger, as are the events, and even the portion sizes when it comes to meals. The people are bigger too – this is not a crack about anyone’s weight, but an observation on the size of their hearts.

During my week in the States, I met dozens of people who were kind and helpful to a young Brit who did not know where they were going or what they were doing. I came away from the week knowing one fundamental truth: Houston, I love you.

(Image: Chris Atkinson)

One of the main parts of the trip was to explore Houston’s sport offerings. The city will be hosting several games for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, so it was appropriate that I got to experience America’s favourite pastimes: baseball and the other type of football.

Arriving at the NRG Stadium, to see the Houston Texans play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first thing that hits you is the sheer scale of NFL games. As I said above, everything is bigger in Texas, and this experience was proof of that.

Thousands of people were crammed into the stadium, and there was almost no downtime. If there was a lull in the match, then “whoops”, it was time for a contest, or a musical number or for someone to fire a cannon – and no, I’m not talking about a t-shirt delivery system, although that was there too. It was at times overwhelming, but also fascinating.

(Image: Chris Atkinson)

There were cheerleaders, a mascot in a suit, and a massive US flag that was brought out and covered the pitch. While I was not an NFL fan before, the game was exciting, coming down to the last nine seconds of play.

I was able to tour the stadium the day after the match, and how large everything was blew my mind. Stepping out onto the pitch is a heady experience, one that makes you realise how small you are in this combination of modern-day temple and arena. It’s an experience that I’ll never forget; thinking about it still takes my breath away.

(Image: Chris Atkinson)

Another experience that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry is meeting a pair of professional baseball players at the Daikin Park baseball stadium. We were invited pitch side to watch the Houston Astros complete their batting practice before their match against the Texas Rangers.

While we missed the Astros practising, two of their rookie players came to meet us and signed our guest passes, one of the coolest experiences I had while in Houston.

Baseball was much more my speed, and it was interesting to see America’s favourite pastime in the flesh, with the Astros completely dominating the Rangers.

Alongside examining Houston’s sporting achievements, I also had time to check out its food offerings. This did not disappoint. Let me give you some advice: if you are ever in Houston, check out Case Chocolates.

Located in a row of small buildings, nestled between a tattoo parlour and what appeared to be a thrift store, Case is a chocolate speakeasy, and also one of the coolest places I’ve ever been in.

“We don’t usually open on a Sunday”, our host grinned. “We opened just for you guys”. That was certainly one way of making us feel welcome.

(Image: Chris Atkinson)

Case’s unique selling point is that, while it does serve cocktails, its focus is on the chocolates. Each one is liquid-filled, and two are served alongside each cocktail. One contains the base alcohol of the cocktail, while the other has all the ingredients; you eat the base chocolate first, drink the cocktail and then have the chocolate, which contains all the ingredients.

Other food highlights of the trip included trying Tex-Korean BBQ courtesy of Khoi’s, which introduced me to some of the best meat I’ve ever eaten, and enjoying some good old-fashioned Cajun food. While I’ve only had Cajun food once, I can safely say that the experience, including eating everything with my hands, was a delightful one. Could someone pass the crab legs?

But, for me, the highlight of the trip is also what I’ve saved for last: visiting the Houston Space Centre. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a massive science fiction fan, so seeing the places that help train astronauts to go into space was a dream come true.

(Image: Chris Atkinson)

Helping that was a fun VIP tour experience, where we got to go behind the scenes with our incredibly charismatic tour guide, seeing different simulators, pieces of tech and more. I highly recommend that anyone who likes space visit the space centre: you can learn a lot and see some absolutely fantastic artefacts, including space suits from the Apollo missions and even a Star Trek Starfleet uniform, which was taken up to the International Space Station, my personal favourite item on display.

I’m running out of space and time to discuss everything I did in Houston, from having a custom cowboy hat made to exploring the massive hotel room I stayed in at the Four Seasons hotel. Let me leave you with this: if you want to enjoy sport, or good food, or simply good people, then Houston is the place to go.

Fact file:

The Four Seasons Houston’s 30-storey tower houses a total of 468 accommodations, including 289 guest rooms, 103 suites, 12 speciality suites, and 64 one-, two-, and three-bedroom residential suites. Ranging in size from 315 to 2,126 square feet, nightly rates range from $550 to $4,955.

Culinary experiences include Toro Toro, the Pan-Latin steakhouse by Chef Partner Richard Sandoval; Bayou & Bottle, the bourbon bar and restaurant, and the acclaimed speakeasy, Bandista. Guests also enjoy the Pool Deck Café and 24-hour In-Room Dining.

More information can be found on fourseasons.com/houston/