Visitors looking for things to do in Houston, Texas should check out the many great Houston parks. Hermann Park is the home of the Houston Zoo, among other things. Lake Houston Park has camping and other outdoor adventure opportunities and Sam Houston Park helps preserve the city’s living history.
Hermann Park
This park is full of cultural amenities and is centrally located in the heart of the city.
Hermann Park is a historic, 445-acre park that is home to several cultural Houston attractions like the Houston Zoo, Houston Garden Center, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Houston Museum of Natural Science. As such it is one of the most-visited Houston parks. The park is centrally located in Houston, Texas between Fannin Street and North Macgregor Way near the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, the Museum District, Third Ward, the historic Astrodome and Reliant Stadium. There is certainly no shortage of things to do in Houston, and many of them are within walking distance of Hermann Park.
One of the park’s most popular, indeed icon, spots is the enormous Reflecting Pool, which is reminiscent of the pool found in Washington, D.C. on the National Mall. At the far end of the pool is a statue of the Texan hero and patriot, Sam Houston.
Lake Houston Park
Boating, hiking, camping, and more are only 1/2 hour from the city thanks to this park.
Lake Houston Park is a 5,000-acre woodland-park located 30 miles north of Houston, Texas where Caney Creek and the East Fork of the San Jacinto River meet near the town of New Caney. It is a fairly recent addition to the Houston parks network and is a welcome addition to the “things to do in Houston” list.
Visitors to Lake Houston Park have plenty of outdoor adventures to choose from, include camping, hiking, biking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, and horseback riding (animals and equipment are not provided or available for rent). The park’s natural setting makes it a perfect spot for nature photography and bird watching.
Camping facilities include walk-in campsites with a lantern post, picnic table, fire ring, grill, and centrally located water. The park also has a shower building with restrooms. Campers get easy access to 12 miles of hiking and biking trails and 8 miles of equestrian trails.
Sam Houston Park
This park’s tranquil grounds are home to well-preserved houses dating back to the 1850s.
Sam Houston Park is located in the heart of Houston, Texas, just a short walk from City Hall. It is one of the most honored of Houston Parks, as it is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the city of Houston.
Houston attractions found here include; the Kellum-Noble House, where Mrs. Noble operated her private school t until 1877;
The Old Place, a rustic cabin built in1823, which was moved to Sam Houston Park in 1973; The Fourth Ward Cottage, built in a style suggestive of architectural ties to Acadian Louisiana; The San Felipe Cottage, built on the southwestern edge of Houston by a German immigrant family in 1868; The Staiti House, which was built in 1905 with the amazing convenience of electrical wiring; and the St. John Church, built-in 1891 to house an Evangelical congregation that conducted services in German until well into the 20th Century.