From There to Here

METRO Airport Direct: Houston's best deal that practically nobody uses

When I got in from New York last week, I wasn't keen on asking anyone to fight the afternoon rush hour traffic to pick me up at Bush Intercontinental and I didn't feel like shelling out $65 for a cab ride home.

So I decided to try the Airport Direct service offered by METRO, which recently lowered the one-way price to $4.50 in a bid to attract more customers.

As soon as I got to baggage claim at Terminal C, I stopped by the nearby METRO desk and found out the next bus was headed downtown in 10 minutes. Not sure that my baggage would arrive in time to catch that bus, I was told that if I missed it, another bus would leave a half-hour later. But the METRO worker seemed confident I would retrieve my luggage in time to catch the first bus.

It happened to be my lucky day.

My luggage was the first off the carousel — how often does that happen? — so I easily walked to the bus, right outside the terminal, in plenty of time. Since it makes no other airport stops, we were soon on the freeway headed for downtown.

Around 30 minutes later, the bus made its first stop in front of the Hilton Americas before heading to the Four Seasons Hotel and then near Macy's (and the nearby Marriott Courtyard and access to the METRORail system).

From there, it stopped on the Dallas street side of the Hyatt Regency, where I got off and waited for my ride home. The bus makes one more stop, at the Airport Direct Passenger Plaza (at Pierce and Travis) before heading back to IAH.

Only seven passengers, including a Transportation Safety Authority employee, were on the bus. And no one got on it downtown for a trip to IAH. But METRO is hopeful that good-word-of-mouth will increase the numbers and make the route viable. (It runs about every half hour from 4:50 a.m. until 7:45 p.m. seven days a week.)

It's not a flashy as a light rail system from the airport — that's unlikely to be built in my lifetime — but it provides a friendly entry to tourists and budget-minded business travelers. And if there's anything to entice Houstonians out of their cars — even for a short while — this may be it.

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an architect's dream

This stunning steel house is the No. 1 most 'wishlisted' Airbnb in Texas

Robert Bruno Steel House Airbnb in Ransom Canyon, Texas

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Have you ever wanted to stay the night inside an art sculpture?

A stunning architectural paradise just minutes outside of Lubbock is drawing attention as the most sought-after Airbnb property in Texas.

The vacation rental platform's 2026 list of the most "wishlisted" listings in the U.S. surveyed over 2,000 people to find which properties "offer a unique experience for every type of adventurer across all 50 states." More than half of all respondents said uniquely designed listings would attract them to previously overlooked destinations.

The Lone Star State's most desirable — and most fascinating — Airbnb listing is Architectural Marvel: Robert Bruno Steel House, a futuristic 2,200-square-foot three-story piece of art. Last year, the most wishlisted property was a shipping container treehouse in North Texas.

The structure was built and designed by sculptor and Texas Tech University professor Robert Bruno in 1973, but it wasn't quite finished by the time Bruno died in 2008 at the age of 63. The famous building and its history was extensively documented by Texas Monthly in 2022.

"The Robert Bruno Steel House is a one of a kind house and you will never see anything like it," the listing says. "Enjoy the beautiful sunrise on the balcony and the stunning sunset from the large windows."

Robert Bruno Steel House living room Experience the views from the comfort of the living room.Photo courtesy of Airbnb

The Steel House is a 20-minute drive east from Lubbock and about eight hours from Houston, located near Lake Ransom Canyon and offering beautiful views of the water.

The listing says it can accommodate up to eight guests across three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and a spacious living room, and it offers in-unit washer and dryers for extended stays. Guests might become awestruck at the home's organic and unconventional design, the flood of natural light coming through stained glass windows, the sweeping staircases, and more.

"I first discovered this house in the mid[-]90s from an old 80s art magazine," one reviewer said. "This is truly a very rare sculptural an[d] architecture marvel to be able to stay in. The new interiors artfully compliment the design and are comfy. The view in the canyon is splendid through the windows. It was a true treasure and I’m glad it’s open to the public to be shared."

Robert Bruno Steel House bedroom Two of the Steel House bedrooms have queen size beds, while the third bedroom has a king.Photo courtesy of Airbnb

The property also boasts an abundance of local wildlife, such as deer and two great horned owls — which also means drones are prohibited on the premises for their protection.

Two-night minimum stays at the Robert Bruno Steel House in May 2026 start at about $585 per night, according to the listing.

From big cities to small towns, places in West Texas and the Panhandle are becoming popular under-the-radar destinations among travelers this year. Vacationers are also exploring the region's newly opened and expanding state parks to avoid visiting tourist traps during their adventures.

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