Galleria area survival guide: Working, shopping, and not losing your mind in traffic

The Galleria area is the second downtown of Houston. Massive office towers, the Galleria Mall, Uptown Park, and the worst traffic in the entire city. Here's how to deal with it.

The traffic: 610 West Loop through the Galleria is bumper-to-bumper from 3 PM to 7 PM every single weekday. Post Oak Blvd is almost as bad. Westheimer through the Galleria area is a crawl at all times. There is no good time to drive through here. There is only "bad" and "less bad."

Parking at the Galleria Mall:

• Use the garage on the Nordstrom side (Westheimer entrance). Less crowded than the main entrance off Post Oak.
• Saturday afternoon: don't even try. Go early (before 11 AM) or late (after 7 PM).
• Valet is $10-20 and worth it during holidays.

If you work in Uptown:

• The Post Oak Bus Rapid Transit lane has made the commute slightly better. The dedicated bus lane on Post Oak runs every 10-15 minutes.
• Lunch options: avoid the Galleria food court. Walk to Uptown Park for better options — Peli Peli, Local Pour, True Food Kitchen.
• Happy hour: Mastro's bar, Del Frisco's patio, or State of Grace for something more creative.

Living near the Galleria:

• Pros: walking distance to shopping, restaurants, nightlife. Galleria area apartments are dense and walkable by Houston standards.
• Cons: traffic noise, expensive rent ($1,800-2,500 for a 1BR), and 610 construction is perpetual.

Source: Worked in Uptown for 6 years, shopped at the Galleria for 15