With an area over 600 square miles in size, Houston, Texas gives us more than enough free space for outdoor activities. The city has much to offer to its Houstonians and visitors from all over the world. Today, we can enjoy many outdoor adventures, whether it’s having fun in a nice green area like Hermann Park, playing golf, enjoying outdoor shows, or visiting a monument. But no worries, the following are the best outdoor activity suggestions we could come up with for you and your family.
Visit Hermann Park
Location: 6001 Fannin St., Houston, TX 77030
Hermann Park is more than your average community park. You can enjoy many free family events and botanic gardens at this Houstonian point of interest.
Explore the Japanese Garden
Hermann Park hosts an amazing Japanese Garden that will help bring you some peaceful feelings. The garden contains beautiful plants like the Oga lotus, the Taiwan cherry tree, and the Japanese apricot just to name a few.
Entrance to the garden is free, so be sure to stop by and enjoy the scenery.
Enjoy the McGovern Centennial Gardens
Visitors can enjoy the Centennial Gardens, which are home to multiple themed garden rooms.
You can also enjoy the train and pedal boating, Art in the Park, biking, and having a picnic.
Discover the Houston Zoo
The Houston Zoo is in front of Hermann Park. Here, you can enjoy learning about over 4,500 different animal species. The zoo includes an African Forest section to display its imitation of the western African forest. They also house animals from the western hemisphere as they aim to inform the public about the importance of protecting wildlife. The Houston Zoo is truly a a place to bring your family to enjoy the environment.
River Terrace Golf Course
Location: 16777 Wallisville Road, Houston, TX 77049
This beautiful golf course has been open to the public since 1997. It has a nice Bermuda scenery and consists of mostly flat ground. If you love to golf, come and check out the River Terrace Golf Course, and enjoy a nice and relaxed day out in the open area.
Have Fun at the Miller Outdoor Theatre
Location: 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
This awesome outdoor venue hosts some of the more popular events in the Houston area. Every musical performance at the theater is sure to be free. Just make sure to check out each event online before joining the fun because some events are ticketed to help reserve seats. You can enjoy the festivities by bringing your own beverages to the park.
Note: The use of glass bottles is prohibited on the premises.
Take a Picture of the Water Wall (Galleria)
Location: 2800 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, TX 77056
This beautiful water wall is perfect for picture fanatics. Although it was designed over 20 years ago, it never ceases to amaze those who look at the tall fountain for the first time. This eye-catching monument is in the Galleria area.
See the Houston Monumental Cloud Column Bean Sculpture
Location: Cloud Column, 0360220000001, Houston, TX 77006
Houston has its own version of Chicago’s Cloud Gate monument (The Bean). Yes indeed, and some of us Houstonians are daring enough to say that our version is better than Chicago’s. For those of you who haven’t visited yet, our very own bean is located near Hermann Park. Whether or not the bean is better than Chicago’s, it is an amazing work of art that everyone in Houston should go and take a picture of.
See the Bats at Buffalo Bayou Park
Location: 1800-3600 Allen Parkway/Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77019
Now, this might sound frightening, but it really isn’t. Memorial Park is home to more than 200,000 bats. You can enjoy watching a remarkable heard of bats during sunset from the Waugh Bridge.
This bat-filled park has a good set of hiking trails, jogging trails, and a skate park. It’s a great place to go to run due to its slopping nature. Be sure to stop and enjoy some of the art pieces on the higher areas of the park.
Exercise at Memorial Park
Location: 6501 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77007
This is one of Houston’s favorite parks to run in. If you live near the area, make sure you take advantage and include going to Memorial Park into your weekly routine. It is also a great place to do a scavenger hunt for plants and animals.
Play Sports at Mason Park
Location: 541 S. 75th St., Houston, TX 77023
Mason Park offers a variety of sports terrains for the athletic Houstonian community. These terrains include football fields, baseball fields, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a disc golf course for the community. It’s a perfect place to stay active in a big city like Houston.
Stay Active at Levy Park
Location: 3801 Eastside St., Houston, TX 77098
Levy Park has been rapidly rising in the popularity ranks here in Houston. This lovely park has some awesome concerts, community gardens, playgrounds for children, and even a dog park. You won’t regret coming out to the free events Levy Park has to offer. They also offer storytime for children and free workout classes for adults. It’s no wonder why this park has been gaining much attention since it opened in 2017.
Rediscover Discovery Green
Location: 1500 McKinney St., Houston, TX 77010
Discovery Green is one of the most exciting destinations in Houston. It is in downtown Houston, which makes it a convenient location for the Houston community. They hold free events that include workouts, farmers markets, concerts, and much more. If you’re into water activities, they also offer rentable kayaks and paddleboards on the lake. Come and enjoy this amazing and youthful place.
Appreciate the Mercer Botanic Gardens
Location: 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, TX 77338
Although the Mercer Botanic Gardens aren’t located directly in Houston, they are right outside. The botanic garden offers free admission to the gardens and hiking trails in the same location. This is a great place to explore the outdoors at its finest. Mercer Botanic Gardens is a must-see place near Houston.
Pass the Time by Fishing
Who can forget fishing in the great outdoors? It is one of America’s favorite outdoor sports and is certainly something that can be done in Houston’s freshwater and saltwater bodies.
Note: You are required to have a Texas fishing license to fish in the state. Make sure you have purchased the appropriate license for salt and freshwater before going out to catch.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoy our list of the best outdoor activities in Houston. You’ll quickly realize that this city is more than packed highways and tall buildings. We have beautiful outdoor locations that are ready to be explored by everyone. Feel free to share your favorite outdoor spot in case we missed it!
Be sure to check out our other great blogs here!
