Referred to as “Houston’s Plymouth Rock,” is where August Chapman and John Kirby Allen stepped ashore in 1836 to found Houston.
ADDRESS: 1005 Commerce St, Houston, TX 77002
Bear Creek Pioneers Park is a 2,100-acre park featuring walking trails, tennis courts, ball fields, an equestrian trail and even a small zoo. acres in size and has paved roads and parking for visitors.
ADDRESS: 3535 War Memorial St, Houston, TX 77084
Buffalo Bayou Park is a 160-acre greenspace that lies just west of downtown Houston. The park, operated by Buffalo Bayou Partnership, includes beautiful gardens and native landscaping; hike and bike trails; paddle craft and bike rentals; the Johnny Steele dog park; public art; a creative nature play area; gathering places for visitors to picnic and enjoy outdoor activities.
ADDRESS: 1800 Allen Pkwy &, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77019
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Created in honor of the astronauts who lost their lives in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, Challenger Seven Memorial Park contains natural trails, a bird sanctuary, a boardwalk over natural wetlands and a memorial site.
ADDRESS: 2301 W Nasa Blvd, Webster, TX 77598
The main attraction at Congressman Bill Archer Park is the 17-acre dog park that accommodates dogs of all sizes. The park also has trails and a skate park.
ADDRESS: 3201 Hwy 6 North, Houston, TX 77084
At nearly 9,300 acres, Cullen Park features a ball field complex, multiple picnic areas, hike and bike trails, an archery range and a water playground.
ADDRESS: 19008 Saums Rd, Houston, TX 77084
Honoring the 41st president of the United States George H.W. Bush, 7,800-acre park bearing his name includes soccer fields, playgrounds, trails, a shooting range and picnic pavilions.
ADDRESS: 15201 Westheimer Pkwy, Houston, TX 77082
Serving as the courtyard of City Hall, Hermann Square occupies a city block, and is dominated by a reflecting pool. It is the site of numerous city-sponsored festivals and events throughout the year.
ADDRESS: 900 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
Hermann Park, a 717-acre park located eight miles from downtown is currently renovating a 24-acre section to have rolling hills with pavilions, a new play area and native landscaping. Referred to as the ‘Commons,’ this project is the first of the park’s 20-year master plan for improvements. Hermann currently features a lake, wetlands area, a Japanese Garden, the Centennial Gardens, Miller Outdoor Theatre and the Houston Zoo as well as a number of trails and picnic spots.
The Houston Botanic Garden inspires and connects visitors with a curated collection of tropical, sub-tropical, and arid plants from around the world that reflect the city’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity. As a 132-acre urban oasis and living museum with 1,000 taxa, the Garden enriches lives through discovery, education, and the conservation of plants and the natural environment.
The 500-acre Keith-Wiess Park includes baseball and soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, and picnic shelters all in a wooded setting with several detention ponds designed to ease flooding in the area.
ADDRESS: 12300 Aldine Westfield Rd, Houston, TX 77093
Lake Houston Wilderness Park encompasses 4,786 acres of wooded parkland, approximately 30 minutes north of downtown Houston off of Highway 59 near the town of New Caney. Cabins and walk-in campsites are available for rental; activities include hiking and biking on 20 miles of hike and bike trails, kayaking on tree-lined creeks, and horseback riding on 13 miles of equestrian trails.
Levy Park, a six-acre park in the Upper Kirby neighborhood, won the 2018 Urban Open Space award, an international recognition from the Urban Land Institute, for the park’s architecture and amenities. The park features a giant playscape, restaurant, a dog park, community garden and nearly daily programming.
Tucked on the west side of the Houston's Inner Loop, Memorial Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country. At over 1,400 acres the park features trails for walking and running, picnic areas, playgrounds, volleyball and tennis courts, multiple ball fields and a major golf course among other amenities.
The Sam Houston National Forest is located 50 miles north of Houston. The forest covers 163,037 acres across Huntsville, Conroe, Cleveland and Richards, Texas with land in three different counties. Popular activities in Sam Houston include camping, hiking, boating, fishing and hunting in designated areas.
Named for famed Houston conservationist Terry Hershey who worked to save Buffalo Bayou, Terry Hershey Park contains a network of trails for runners and cyclists.
ADDRESS: 15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079
Tom Bass Regional Park covers roughly 115 acres and features a jogging trail, 23-acre lake and fishing pier.
ADDRESS: 15108 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX 77047
Tranquility Park, located between Walker and Rusk Streets, was dedicated on the 10th anniversary of the first lunar landing to honor Apollo 11 and includes cylindrical water fountains.
ADDRESS: 701 Brooks St, Houston, TX 77009
With four major league sports teams, an abundance of bike and jogging trails and some of largest urban parks in the nation, Houston is a great place to experience the outdoors.
Houston is one of only a handful of cities in the country with resident companies in all of the major performing arts disciplines including opera, drama, musical theater, symphony and ballet. There are also 19 different arts and cultural institutions that make up the walkable Museum District.
Houston offers a wide variety of neighborhoods to suit the taste and budget of residents. Find your perfect neighborhood.
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