PARKS
- Stude Park: (pictured above). http://houstonwalks.blogspot.com/2012/03/stude-park-and-white-oak-park-trails.html
- Hermann Park: Walk, bike, run… golf, bring a picnic, rent pedal boats, take your kids around the park in a train, visit the Japanese Garden, visit the Sam Houston statute, watch a quality performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre (http://milleroutdoortheatre.com/), visit the Houston Zoo (http://www.houstonzoo.org/), or take pictures at the Mecon Fountain (a mecca for photographers capturing opulent bridal and quinceañera parties). Free. http://www.hermannpark.org/
BTW... Rumor has it that before Byron Preiss wrote 1982’s The Secret: A Treasure Hunt, he traveled the country hiding 12 keys (which in turn unlock a safety box housing one of 12 precious gems) and basically mind-effing everyone into reading his crappy book. According to what we see on Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/1so8rj/the_secret_a_thirty_year_old_unsolved_treasure/), it’s working. Hint: If you’re into it, we hear the starting point is at Hermann Park. - Memorial Park: Good place to exercise although most of the 3-mile track around (Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail) is not shaded. It also has a Picnic Loop for in-line skaters, traditional roller skaters and hikers. There is also a golf course in the park in addition to mountain biking trails (http://houstonnaturewalks.blogspot.com/2006/12/trail-bike-trails-at-memorial-park.html and http://alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/memorial-park-jogging-trail). http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/ourparks/memorialpark.html and http://www.memorialparkconservancy.org/
- Bethel Church Park. 801 Andrews; Houston, TX 77019. http://www.pgal.com/portfolio/city-of-houston-bethel-baptist-church-park/
- Smither Park: “A whimsical folk art refuge.” You can also find The Orange Show here, a 3,000-square-foot architectural maze created by the late Houston postman Jeff McKissack (http://orangeshow.org/). Free. http://orangeshow.org/smitherpark/.
- Terry Hershey Park: Known for its shade, scenery and gentle hills. It runs 8 miles from West Beltway 8 to Texas 6, south of Interstate 10. It has lots of trails, including some off-road for mountain biking (The Anthills). http://www.terryhersheypark.org/park-map.html
- Jack Brooks Park: Mostly for mountain biking near Hitchcock. http://alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/jack-brooks-park-trail
- George Bush Park, Equestrian Center. http://www.pct3.com/parks/bush-park/
- Cypresswood Trails at Collins Park. http://www.hcp4.net/parks/collins/
- Buffalo Bayou: Walk, bike, enjoy good views of downtown Houston (good place to watch the 4th of July fireworks, too), kayak or canoe (http://bayoushuttle.com/ and www.bayoucityadventures.org), exercise your skating skills (http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/ourparks/leejoepark.html), bubble up the Bayou using the mysterious red button on the Preston Street bridge (http://www.bigkidsmallcity.com/2013/01/burping-the-buffalo-bayou-the-big-bubble-in-the-bayou-the-mysterious-red-button-on-the-preston-street-bridge/), or watch bats from the Waugh Bridge. It’s one of Houston’s peculiar secrets that a bat colony inhabits the Waugh Drive bridge over Buffalo Bayou. Watch millions of bats swarm under the bridge and exit in a steady flow for their nightly insect feast. During summer, show up 30 minutes before dusk (normally around 8:30 pm - http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/batpage.html).
A massive underground cistern has been opened to the public under what is now the Sky Lawn at the Water Works (http://buffalobayou.org/visit/destination/the-cistern/). This 87,500 sq ft, 25 ft tall cistern was built in 1927 as the city's first underground drinking reservoir and provided drinking water for Houstonians for decades before springing a leak. The totally-creepy-but-pretty-dope cavern is only reachable via tiny hatches that open to 14ft ladders. $2 per adult except on Thursdays. Reservations are required.
And if that wasn't enough... many Houstonians unwittingly drive over the Donnellan Crypt, which was once filled with dead members of the Donnellan family. Now empty, it sits underneath the Frankling Ave bridge (http://users.hal-pc.org/~lfa/BB38.html).
For more information, visit http://www.buffalobayou.org/. - Sculpture Park: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g56003-d2273098-Reviews-Sculpture_Park-Houston_Texas.html
- Eclectic Menagerie Park: Alongside highway 288, it contains enormous monster sculptures including a daddy long legs and a hippo who keep watch over a Texas pipe works. http://www.texaspipe.com/menagerie_park.html
- Discovery Green Park, Tranquility Park, and Market Square Park: See to "Downtown" under "Things to See" for more information.
- Looking for water spraygrounds for your kid? You are in luck with this link: http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/aquatics/waterspraygrounds.html
- Armand Bayou Nature Center: Located near NASA, about a 30 min drive from downtown Houston. It offers a chance to learn about native plants and animal species, hike on discovery trails, or see the live animal displays featuring the likes of bison, hawks, and spiders. The main area of the park contains a boardwalk traversing the marshes and forests and providing a glimpse of the beautiful bayou region of East Texas. The best way to experience this place is by boat so consider taking a tour on the Bayou Ranger pontoon boat or signing up for a guided canoe tour. http://www.abnc.org/
- Keith-Wiess Park: North Houston is home to a beautiful, 499.46-acre park that has become a key to flood control for the Hall's Bayou watershed. Keith-Wiess Park, nestled within pine forests along Aldine-Westfield Road, has a history that includes the philanthropy of one of the area's most influential oil and timber families, a land grant from the Republic of Texas, a family-run dairy, Prohibition era bootleggers, pre-Columbian hunters, and creative flood control engineering. http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/ourparks/keithwiesspark.html
- Look for other parks in the downtown tab.
- For information on other parks, visit: http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/
TRAILS
In addition to the trails inside the parks mentioned above, here are some other trails around town:
- Timberlane Trail: Starts off on a gravel path. After you follow the creek for a while, it branches off for bikes and the gravel stops. There are a few bridges, the occasional up and down, but nothing extreme. Plenty of signs and five trail heads, each with a map. http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-states-trails/texas-trails/texas-houston/trail/timberlane-trails/prd_412374_4582crx.aspx
- White Oak Trail: http://houstonparksboard.org/projects/white_oak_bayou_trails/ and http://www.bayougreenways.org/white-oak-bayou
- Brays Bayou Trail: http://houstonparksboard.org/projects/brays_bayou_trails/
- Hunting Bayou Trail: http://houstonparksboard.org/projects/hunting_bayou_trails/
- Braeswood Avenue: 9 miles asphalt path runs along Braeswood Avenue, following Braes Bayou between Gessner and the Texas Medical Center.
- Sims Bayou Trail: http://houstonparksboard.org/projects/sims_bayou_trails/
- Houston Arboretum and Nature Center: http://alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/houston-arboretum-and-nature-center-outer-loop-trail
- Pine Gully: Trail loop in Seabrook
- Houston is growing its walking/hiking/biking trails. Here is a listing of all of them. http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/hikeandbike.html. Google Maps also has a biking and walking option that works pretty well if you need help deciding how to get somewhere using mostly dedicated trails and staying off roads.
- This website also has a list of a lot of trails around town and even ranks them based on activity (hiking, mountain biking or running): http://alltrails.com/us/texas/houston?ref=search
- If you don't already own one, you can rent a bike: https://houston.bcycle.com/. Make sure you understand how it works before using this service. You buy what they call a "day pass" for $8. However, it doesn't work like a normal "day pass" would work (unlimited access for a 24 hr period). The $8 gives you unlimited 30 minute trips. After you have the bike out of a station for more than 30 minutes, they charge you an additional (in addition to the $8) $4/30 minutes. It can ready add up quickly. If you plan on riding for a while or keeping the bike for a while, you may be better of with a regular rental bike (and they are probably better bikes), such as http://bikebarn.com/about/rental-pg1393.htm.
- The Greater Houston Off Road Bicycle Association has more information about off-road trails and their current condition. www.ghorba.org/trails