Twenty miles to the north of Houston, Texas, the state's largest city and the fourth largest urban area in the United States, there lies a peaceful, unincorporated community called Cypress. Locals often refer to the region as Cypress-Fairfield or Cy-Fair. Although over-shadowed in reputation by its massive neighbor, this smaller, quieter, slower area has increasingly drawn visitors seeking to get away from the fast life for a few days as well as Houstonites willing to trade a short daily commute for the pleasures of life in this country-like community.
From a Cypress hotel like the Hampton Inn & Suites Houston-Cypress Station on the north side of Houston proper (near Bush airport), visitors are only minutes from both an exciting metropolitan downtown and a quiet community. Cypress is an attractive mixture of rolling prairie and wooded land first discovered by early settlers of the region in the nineteenth century.
Forging a successful relationship with its sprawling neighbor, Houston, the offerings in smaller Cypress - gardens and good soil, friendly people, and interesting attractions - draw visitors and real estate hunters alike. It is the great conundrum of modern life. We are drawn to the city but always we long for the country. Cypress gives guests and residents the best of both.
A major local facility, Tin Hall, was established in 1889 in Cypress. Hotel like in its amenities, the rental hall is ideal for weddings and banquets as well as corporate and private meetings and gatherings. Sitting on forty acres of wooded land, the 24,000 square foot complex will accommodate 1,200 people and includes a 4,400 square foot dance floor. Whether your group requires a business-like venue to conduct a working retreat or a party atmosphere complete with boot scooting and country music, Tin Hall will fill the bill.
For many visitors to Cypress, hotel dwelling quickly turns to plans for permanent residence. Families will find the Cy-Fair Independent School district a major draw. The district serves the needs of more than 55,000 young people, second only to the sprawling Houston Independent School district, and cherishes a reputation for academic excellence.
In the area of the intersection of Sam Houston Toll Road and Texas State Highway 249 visitors will find the Sam Houston Race Park in Cypress. Hotel bound? Not a chance. Get on out the door and treat yourself to a day at the park's 240-acres where Class 1 thoroughbred and quarter horses churn up the track for most of the year in Cypress. Hotel bound and exhausted by the end of the day? Maybe, but you'll have had a wonderful day and maybe even be a few dollars richer if you hit some winners.
Suburban regions like Cypress, or Cy-Fair, lie next to sprawling urban communities like jewels in the crown. In the quiet atmosphere of Cypress, gardens and recreational facilities make it an attractive neighbor to the huge metropolitan area of Houston. Enjoy the peace and quiet of the country and country pursuits without divorcing yourself from the excitement, convenience, and opportunities of city life.