over seems like it's specifying that you aren't changing your "locale", whereas out seems to mean "more rural". Everything east of Houston that you might go to

over seems like it's specifying that you aren't changing your "locale", whereas out seems to mean "more rural". Everything east of Houston that you might go to is as urban as houston itself, whereas most everything to the west of Houston is far less urban. Down, in contrast, seems to mean "more urban", as well as south.