If you have kids, Hermann Park is the place to go.  Located in the heart of Houston, across from Rice University, next door to the Texas Medical Center, and a few minutes from downtown, Hermann Park is truly the "people's park" in Houston.  There are two MetroRail stops that get you there - Houston Zoo and Rice Univ/Hermann Park.  There also are two parking lots - one next to the Sam Houston statue at the intersection of Main Street and Golf Course Drive and one in front of the Houston Zoo on Golf Course Drive (the main street through the Park).  If you exit the RU/HP rail stop, cross the street and you are almost in   If you are driving, park in the parking lot by the Zoo and

Hermann Park has been the place to play for two and now three generations of kids.  Highlights include:

  • The Buddy Carruth Playground for All Children, a completely handicapped accessible playground with attractions for babies .through teens, including water features that are a real blessing in the summer.
  • Miller Outdoor Theatre, one of the country's last remaining free outdoor performing arts venues and a classic picnic place for Houston families.  Kids of all ages make rolling down the Miller Theatre Hill a rite of passage.
  • McGovern Lake, where kids 12 and under can go fishing in a fully stocked lake (catch and release recommended).
  • The Japanese Garden, a place of incredible beauty and serenity in the heart of the 4th largest city in the U.S.
  • Playing with the ducks in the Jones Reflection Pool.
  • Riding the Hermann Park miniature train ($2.25 per person over one years of age).
  • Enjoying the Hermann Park pedal boats ($8.00 for 30 minutes for up to 4 people).

For maps and more information, visit www.hermannpark.org

 This information comes from a native Houstonian who works for the Hermann Park Conservancy and whose three kids love Hermann Park!

DAY TRIPS:  NASA, Kemah and Galveston are great day trips, but not easliy or conveniently accessible by public transportation.  If you're traveling to NASA, Kemah is just a few minutes further along the same route.  Years ago, it was a small city with great "crabbing" on the jettes. Now, a big, open commercial shopping area has been added with tons of restaurants, an outdoor, waterfront walking path and a mini-theme park for the kids. 

Space Center Houston ( NASA )