Houston vs Minneapolis for tennis

[remshaam]

I am planning to relocate to either Houston or Minneapolis suburb and I was wondering which city is the best for tennis. Obviously, the weather plays a big part here, but also in Houston, I don't see a lot of ATP tournaments. How would you compare both the places?
What about the public courts in the city? In places like Chicago, there are so many public courts all over the city. How does this compare in Minneapolis and Houston?

 

[sportsfan1]

Check online, for example global tennis network will show you courts at a location. There may be similar sites or apps (someone suggested in another thread Tennismaps.com). You could even call a club with tennis facilities and try talk to the tennis director.

I don't know first hand about tennis in those cities but guessing you would find tennis players, they're both big metros.

As you noted, big difference in weather in the two areas of course.

 

[esgee48]

Don’t discount food, cost of living, cost of housing, etc. Tennismaps.com will show all the courts whether private or public. Contact info is also provided for facilities.

 

[remshaam]

Don’t discount food, cost of living, cost of housing, etc. Tennismaps.com will show all the courts whether private or public. Contact info is also provided for facilities.

I think Houston is cheaper that way ?

 

[esgee48]

I do too. Besides tennis, think about other activities like biking. swimming, dating, other sports.

 

[remshaam]

I do too. Besides tennis, think about other activities like biking. swimming, dating, other sports.

Never understood why Minneapolis is so freaking expensive. It's cold, small desolate place with pretty much nothing to do there. Also the freaking 8% state income tax in Minneapolis vs 0% in Texas

 

[atatu]

Minneapolis is beautiful during the summer months and there is a lot of outdoors stuff to do...but yeah I'd stick with Houston, hurricanes and all, for tennis.

 

[Purestriker]

I am planning to relocate to either Houston or Minneapolis suburb and I was wondering which city is the best for tennis. Obviously, the weather plays a big part here, but also in Houston, I don't see a lot of ATP tournaments. How would you compare both the places?
What about the public courts in the city? In places like Chicago, there are so many public courts all over the city. How does this compare in Minneapolis and Houston?

I hope you like humidity, lack of zoning and the constant "smell of money" as Houstonian's call it (does not smell good). Did you look at Dallas or Austin? Yes it is still really hot, but it doesn't' smell or have crazy zoning setups (like a school next to a liquor store or warehouse).

 

[mcs1970]

I can understand trying to decide between two comparable areas where all things being relatively equal, tennis would play a small role in your decision

These are polar opposites when it comes to weather, cost of living,…etc. . Why would tennis even factor into the decision?

 

[remshaam]

I can understand trying to decide between two comparable areas where all things being relatively equal, tennis would play a small role in your decision

These are polar opposites when it comes to weather, cost of living,…etc. . Why would tennis even factor into the decision?

Mainly because I want to play tennis year round and not sit inside 8 months of the year in snow. But I also dont find a lot of public courts in houston like chicago. Shame for a warm city

 

[mcs1970]

Mainly because I want to play tennis year round and not sit inside 8 months of the year in snow. But I also dont find a lot of public courts in houston like chicago. Shame for a warm city

Not sure of Houston. In Dallas most middle schools and high schools have tennis courts that are open to the public when the school team or tournaments are not using it.

However again why would you have to sit around? If you go to Minny you most probably will have to pay for indoor courts in the winter. There are private courts all over in Texas as well.

 

[ollinger]

But I also dont find a lot of public courts in houston like chicago.

Don't be shortsighted; they're planning to change many of them to pickleball courts at this very moment

 

[bluetrain4]

Really different cities for tennis because of the weather. Historically, the Twin Cities have been a strong tennis community. But it's a big metro (not as big as Houston obviously) so access to public courts depends obviously on where you live within the metro. Indoor options abound for winter.

 

[socallefty]

Apart from the weather, the people who live around you in Minneapolis are likely to be very different from the neighbors you have in Houston - just look at how each city votes in elections. That might have a lot more to do with your quality of life depending on what your preferences are than the quality of the tennis.

 

[onehandbh]

Apart from the weather, the people who live around you in Minneapolis are likely to be very different from the neighbors you have in Houston - just look at how each city votes in elections. That might have a lot more to do with your quality of life depending on what your preferences are than the quality of the tennis.

Demographics are also different.

You have to be okay with snow and cold weather if you live in Minnesota.

Easier to find good Mexican food in Houston.

Easier to build a giant snowman in Minnesota.

I've never lived in either city, but find the people in both cities to generally be friendly.

 

[nyta2]

I am planning to relocate to either Houston or Minneapolis suburb and I was wondering which city is the best for tennis. Obviously, the weather plays a big part here, but also in Houston, I don't see a lot of ATP tournaments. How would you compare both the places?
What about the public courts in the city? In places like Chicago, there are so many public courts all over the city. How does this compare in Minneapolis and Houston?

IMO houston is the only choice for tennis.
MN, nice in summer for a couple months but the winters are brutal... feels like i spent all my time indoors (eg. Mall of America - which has everything) when i was there for a wedding.... and i lived in NH, but at least they have winter outdoor sports like snowboarding which i loved at the time.

 

[Jack the Hack]

For what it's worth, my sister and her husband moved from Austin to Minneapolis for a job opportunity. They made the mistake of visiting Minny in the summer while interviewing and getting a place, and were happy at first. However, they spent one cold, brutal, very unhappy Minnesota winter there and then got the f@#k out! They now live in California, where my sister plays tennis all the time in the perfect weather.

Anyway, if choosing on the merits of tennis alone, Houston wins hands down. It's not even close in my opinion. Better weather, more courts, more tournaments, more leagues. You also mentioned ATP tournaments... Houston has the US Clay Courts Championships and has had a Challenger level event in the past. I think there is also a WTA event. there. I don't think Minneapolis has had an ATP event in over 30 years.

That said, if Texas was the choice, I'd move to Austin, Dallas, or San Antonio before Houston because I view them as better cities. But that's coming from someone who hasn't lived in Texas since 1995 and is currently in the PNW.

 

[onehandbh]

Be careful if you go swimming at the Doubletree Hotel in Houston.

Management blames parents for 8-year-old getting sucked into pool pipe at hotel

On March 23, Aliyah Lynette Jaico, 8, and her family were enjoying an afternoon of swimming at a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel when she disappeared.

www.independent.co.uk

 

[atatu]

Be careful if you go swimming at the Doubletree Hotel in Houston.

Management blames parents for 8-year-old getting sucked into pool pipe at hotel

On March 23, Aliyah Lynette Jaico, 8, and her family were enjoying an afternoon of swimming at a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel when she disappeared.

www.independent.co.uk

There are about 100 other reasons not to move to Texas to be honest. Source, I've been here for 30 years.