Routes around Houston TX

I lived outside of Houston and worked downtown for some years. As you probably suspect, avoid rush hour at all costs, even to the point of stopping somewhere for a few hours (better stopped there than on the interstate!). But swinging wide of town on the back roads would be my advice as thats what we usually do to large cities when its possible. But everyone has their own preferences.
And fwiw, i did the Houston - south TX drive many times along the major road before there was an interstate below SA. Peaceful drive until you got near Houston.