>I may need to spend some time in downtown Houston in the future. I honestly haven't been there except for a quick trip to see a concert or play and then immediately leave in over a decade.
I'm wondering - These days, what's the "vibe" downtown?
Back in the day, there were lots of office workers running around during the day, packing the tunnels at lunch. It was a vibrant place during the day with a few things worth doing after dark, though wandering the streets would not fall into that category.
What's it like now? If I were in the middle of the tunnel system during a weekday lunch rush, would it be packed? What percentage of those people would be wearing masks? Have the beggars and homeless gotten worse or just concentrated in particular places?
What kind of first impression would it make on a foreign visitor?
I'm not looking for screeds about how stupid it is to consider getting out of your car anywhere within five miles of downtown. I know plenty of people who feel that way for their own reasons and I accept their viewpoints as valid for them. But that sort of response would be distinctly unhelpful.
I'm looking for current Intel from folks who work or live or frequently visit downtown.
The cafe @ “Challenger Green” mid downtown is nice. I only like downtown on Sunday mornings for bike rides.