A few minutes away from Downtown, the Medical Center and the Museum District, Hermann Park Offers a wide range of recreational amenities for the children. Stroll along the reflecting pool or have a picnic in the shade of the Bayou Parkland. Once done, pick up your picnic blanket and walk over to the Houston zoo located on the southwest corner of the park. Established in 1905, the zoo houses a variety of wild animals, and in 2003 was the first zoo in Texas to host a giant eland antelope exhibit. As the day winds down, the Miller Outdoor Theater is an option for family-friendly entertainment. The theater offers plays, music acts, dance shows and even symphonies that can be enjoyed free of charge---either from under a covered seated area or on the lawn, picnic-style.
The park also offers walking/jogging trails for exercising or just enjoying the scenery, and the Hermann Park Railroad that will give you a tour around the park. Other attractions offered are the Japanese Garden, a children's playground, multiple lakes and open lawn areas, pedal boat rentals, and even fishing for kids.
Hermann Park Conservancy
6201-A Hermann Park Drive
Houston, TX 77030
713-524-5876
hermannpark.org
Close to 4 million Houstonians visit the park every year for its wide variety of sports courts, exercise trails and recreational facilities. Children's playgrounds and picnic tables are options for family recreation at the park. The park also offers 30 miles of trails for walking, running and biking open to adults and children of all ages, and a 33-meter pool open during the summer months.
Memorial Park Conservancy
6501 1/2 Memorial Drive
1001 E Memorial Loop
Houston, TX 77007
713-863-8403
memorialparkconservancy.org
The newest park in town, Discovery Green is a sort of green oasis among the monumental buildings of Downtown Houston. The 12-acre park offers family-friendly activities ranging from playgrounds to interactive art and water features, and year-round live entertainment.
The west tip of the park is the most densely wooded area and can be used for picnics under the shade of the trees. Located near the picnic lawn are the John P. McGovern playground and the Gateway Fountain area. Another attraction is the Kinder lake, which during the hotter months of the year is used for remote controlled model boats. In the winter, the lake becomes an ice-skating rink. The park also offers a variety of outdoor dinning establishments, and an outdoor stage with regular live music, theater, dance and film entertainment.
Discovery Green Conservancy
1500 McKinney St.
Houston, TX 77010
713-400-7336
discoverygreen.com
One of the two bayous that cuts through the city of Houston, Buffalo Bayou has recently gone through extensive cleaning and restoration of its banks. All along the bayou, you can now enjoy the extensive trails for walking, jogging and cycling, plus numerous parks connected by the trails.
Among the many parks, Buffalo Bayou Park offers children's playgrounds, areas for picnic and playing, a series of interactive large-scale public art pieces, and even a boat launch dock. Also along the Bayou, on the north edge of Downtown, you'll find Allen's Landing. The landing is the historic site where in 1836 August C. and John K. Allen first set foot on the city they would shortly thereafter establish.
Buffalo Bayou Park
buffalobayou.org/parks
For Houstonians and tourists alike, the Waterwall Park in the Uptown/Galleria is an option for outdoor entertainment. A long, and open lawn sprawls from the south side of the Williams Tower and into the Waterwall. The park can be used for family picnics, general child's play and for the admiration and enjoyment of the Waterwall structure, which stands at about seven stories high and uses up 11,000 gallons of water a day.
2800 S. Post Oak Blvd.
Houston, TX 77056
culturemap.com/mapdetail/gerald-d-hines-waterwall-park
