Your Trip to Houston: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Museums in Houston Theater in Houston Live Music in Houston Shopping in Houston Houston's Top Festivals Best Food to Try in Houston Best Restaurants in Houston Top Bars in Houston Best Breweries in Houston Weather & Climate Houston's Airports Best Hotels in Houston Neighborhoods to Know Driving in Houston Houston's Public Transport 48 Hours in Houston: Itinerary Day Trips From Houston Best Beaches Near Houston Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Things to Do With Kids Houston's Best Parks Your Trip to Houston: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Texas 10 Houston Parks to Visit By Robyn Correll Robyn Correll LinkedIn Twitter Robyn Correll is a freelance writer specializing in Houston, and whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Points Guy, and Time Out. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 06/22/21 Fact checked by Erin Medlicott Fact checked by Erin Medlicott LinkedIn Twitter New York University Rutgers University Erin Medlicott is a fact checker and researcher with a background in lifestyle and finance. Prior to her work at TripSavvy, she did financial research for the American Express Departures Magazine as well as the Wall Street Journal. She earned a TripSavvy's fact-checking There are a lot of things bigger in Texas—the highways, the rodeo, the commutes—but few are as impressive as Houston’s green spaces. The city’s park system is made up of more than 38,000 acres of wildlife and recreation that are a mix of quaint neighborhood parks and sprawling oases. Here are some of the best. 01 of 10 Smither Park Courtesy of Smither Park View Map Address 2441 Munger St, Houston, TX 77023-5139, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-926-6368 Web Visit website Who says parks all have to be green? Smither Park is decked out in a wild mix of colorful mosaic, making it easily one of the coolest and most Instagrammable places in Houston. Everything—from play areas (including a bench swing and marble roll) to performance stages to covered spaces—is decorated with designs made with repurposed materials like bottle caps, seashells, and broken ceramic. The park’s signature feature is the Memory Wall. At roughly 400 feet, the wall spans with entirely length of the park and includes more than 60 different mosaic panels that are perfect backdrops for colorful photoshoots. 02 of 10 Levy Park Courtesy of Levy Park Conservancy View Map Address 3801 Eastside St, Houston, TX 77098, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-522-7275 Web Visit website Families 4.4 Levy Park isn’t just one of the city’s newest urban parks; it’s also one of its most popular. The Upper Kirby space puts every square inch of the park to good use. The unique children’s area isn't like traditional playgrounds: it has a giant stone slide instead of several plastic ones, a spherical jungle gym in lieu of monkey bars. There are large tunnels and grassy mounds to crawl over and through that offer a natural-feeling alternative to a metal playset. The play space, however, is only a fraction of the fun. The park also features an activity cart, library, dog run, packed events calendar, and a rotating selection of food trucks that make it easy to stay all day (and come back the next). 03 of 10 Donovan Park View Map Address 700 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-861-4002 Web Visit website This Heights-area park is one of the few neighborhood playgrounds in Houston that was actually built by the neighborhood itself. In fall of 1996, families in the Heights pitched in to build the all-wooden playsets. It took just five days and has been a favorite gathering place for area families ever since. While the kids play, grown-ups can hang out at benches and tables or under one of the tall trees for shade. In addition to all the fun stuff inside, one of the best features of Donovan Park is its location. The park sits on Heights Boulevard, near the intersection of two busy biking and jogging trails and within walking distance to some of the neighborhood’s best restaurants. 04 of 10 Hermann Park TripSavvy / Robyn Correll View Map Address 6001 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-526-2183 Web Visit website There are a lot of great things to see and do in Houston’s Museum District (also called Museum Park), but Hermann Park tops the list. The space is home to some of the city’s favorite attractions—including the Houston Zoo and Miller Outdoor Theatre—as well as splash pads, a golf course, playgrounds, and a jogging trail. Both the Japanese gardens and the McGovern Centennial Gardens are a favorite place for family outings and photoshoots, and kids love to ride the Hermann Park Railroad or fly kites on the hill behind Miller. Pro tip: Parking can be tricky on busy weekends, but the park’s METRORail stop and multiple BCycle stations provide nice alternatives to circling the grounds to find a space. Continue to 5 of 10 below. 05 of 10 Exploration Park Courtesy of Willow Fork Drainage District View Map Address 15020 Cinco Park Rd, Katy, TX 77450, USA Get directions Located out in the western suburb of Katy, Exploration Park is a bit of a hike from Houston’s downtown, but it’s well worth the drive if you have kids in tow. The children’s play area structures are versatile—there’s no one right way to use the equipment—making it a particularly popular hangout for families with a wide range of ages. Exploration Park is big on conservation; signage and an interactive water feature in the park help educate visitors about the water cycle. Pro tip: Exploration Park is a great place for a birthday shindig, but it doesn’t take reservations. If you want to host a party, come early to snag a space in the pavilion. 06 of 10 Memorial Park Courtesy of Memorial Park Conservancy View Map Address 6501 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-863-8403 Web Visit website Plant Moms 4.2 At over 1,400 acres, Memorial Park is Houston’s largest park inside the Inner Loop, and a good bet for those looking for a more traditional park experience. It houses a golf course, community pool, tennis courts, soccer fields, hike and bike trails, countless picnic tables, a classic playground, and lots and lots of trees. Memorial Park is located near the intersection of I-10 and 610 (two of Houston’s busiest freeways), but it’s easy to forget how central it is. There are spots in the park, especially within the Houston Nature Center and Arboretum, that feel like you’re miles from the city—despite being right inside it. 07 of 10 Buffalo Bayou Park TripSavvy / Vincent Mercer View Map Address 1800 Allen Pkwy &, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77019, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-752-0314 Web Visit website Buffalo Bayou isn’t just the park’s namesake; it’s its most prominent feature. The park is narrow but long, filling in the thin stretch of land on either side of the waterway between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive. The entire length of the park goes from Shepherd Drive into downtown. Along the way, you’ll see lush landscaping, paved bike trails, sculptures, dog parks, skate parks, kayakers, and play areas. Perhaps the coolest inclusion, however, is the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. The underground space used to be a part of the city’s water system before being decommissioned and renovated for public tours and art installations. 08 of 10 Emancipation Park View Map Address 3018 Emancipation Ave, Houston, TX 77004, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-528-1872 Web Visit website Emancipation Park was founded in 1872 by Reverend Jack Yates, a local minister and former slave in Houston. The park was originally created to celebrate the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in Texas, the last state to do so at the end of the Civil War, on June 19, 1865. The celebration at Emancipation Park in 1872 was one of the earliest Juneteenth events in the nation. Juneteenth, which is now a federal holiday in the U.S., is still commemorated every year at Emancipation Park. Emancipation Park is rumored to be the oldest public park in Texas, and for a while, it was the only park open to Black people in Houston. Its long and rich history alone make it one of the most important public spaces in the city, but it’s also a great park having been completely renovated in 2017. With amenities like a recreation center, swimming pool, splash pad, walking trails, and playgrounds, the park has continued to serve as a meeting place for the community on June 19 and every day of the year. Continue to 9 of 10 below. 09 of 10 Mason Park View Map Address Houston, TX, USA Get directions Like many green spaces in Houston, this 100-acre East End park is dual-purpose: recreation and flood control. Roughly 3.5 acres of the park have been converted into wetlands, where ponds host plants and wildlife while at the same time protecting the nearby streets and homes from flooding after heavy rains. It’s also a neighborhood activity center, with sports fields and courts, a swimming pool, jogging trail, exercise stations, and a community center. Taken together, the two pieces create a fun, activity-filled space that’s surrounded by natural beauty. 10 of 10 Discovery Green Courtesy of Discovery Green View Map Address 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010, USA Get directions Phone +1 713-400-7336 Web Visit website Houston’s downtown might be known for its concrete skyscrapers, god-awful traffic, and ubiquitous parking garages, but it’s also home to one of the best parks in the city. Discovery Green offers a natural reprieve right in the heart of downtown. The 12-acre plot houses a lot of the things that make up a great park—a large green lawn, a small lake, and children’s playground equipment—but adds its own sophisticated urban flare. Interactive sculptures and frequent art installations provide a touch of culture, while performance spaces and a jam-packed events calendar ensure there’s always something fun going on. Pro tip: Be sure to visit during the holidays when the park turns into a winter wonderland complete with an outdoor ice rink. 10 Must-See Museums in Houston Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email