9 Fun and Free Things To Do in Houston That Will Keep You and Your Wallet Happy
- Catch a Free Show on Miller Outdoor Theatre
- Have a (Water) Blast and Picnic at Discovery Green
- Explore the Downtown Houston Underground Tunnel
- Go on an Art Crawl in Buffalo Bayou Park
- Check Out the Art at The Menil Collection
- Spend an Afternoon in Houston’s First Park
- Enjoy a Sunday in Smither Park
- Visit the The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Visit the The Houston Museum of Natural Science
When I first moved to Houston, I didn’t have much money or many plans. One evening, I went to a free concert at Miller Outdoor Theatre, and it was such a great experience. It made me realize how much fun Houston has to offer for free.
If you want to enjoy the city without spending much, you’re in luck! There are plenty of fun and free things in Houston to do to brighten your day. From shows at Miller Outdoor Theatre to exploring the downtown tunnels, there’s plenty to explore!
Catch a Free Show on Miller Outdoor Theatre
Media Credit: milleroutdoor
Website: https://www.milleroutdoortheatre.com/
Address: 6000 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (832) 487-7102
Miller Outdoor Theatre is a must-visit for free entertainment in Houston! In this outdoor amphitheater nestled within the well-loved Hermann Park, visitors can look forward to a variety of performances and concerts at no cost.
These events showcase Houston’s vibrant arts scene. The Houston Jazz Latin Orchestra often performs at this venue, while dance festivals like Bayou City Dances celebrate the city’s top dance companies are held here too.
For those planning to catch a show for the first time, you need to know the types of seating available! There’s covered seating under a large canopy that requires ticket reservations for seat assignments (don’t worry–still totally free) and hillside seating on the grassy area around the theater where guests can bring blankets and lawn chairs.
| Pro Tip: Interested in catching one of Miller Outdoor Theater’s most popular shows? Join their ticket lottery and test your luck! |
Have a (Water) Blast and Picnic at Discovery Green
Media Credit: discoverygreen
Website: https://linktr.ee/discoverygreen
Address: 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 400-7336
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 6 AM to 11 PM
Looking to do something free near Downtown Houston? Grab a blanket and head on over to Discovery Green!
We love Discovery Green for its proximity to Downtown and because there’s plenty to do! Not all are free, but one free activity that anyone can enjoy is to have a picnic at the park.
Our favorite spot for a picnic in the park is the Sarofim Picnic Lawn. It’s a wide-open space that’s perfect for an al fresco meal or snack–just lay down a blanket on the ground! Don’t like eating on grass? There are picnic tables available on the side.
Two more cool things about this area in Discovery Green: for parents, there’s a huge playground nearby for kids to burn off energy after snacks! You’ll also find the Mistree in this spot, so you can stay cool outdoors.
Another way to stay cool outdoors at Discovery Green is to head on to Gateway Fountain and have a bit of a splash! During summer months, kids can jump in and enjoy the streams of water shooting from the ground.
| Pro Tip: Bring water shoes with traction when playing at the Gateway Fountain to avoid slipping! |
Explore the Downtown Houston Underground Tunnel
Media Credit: pchiro
Website: https://downtownhouston.org/experience/downtown-tunnels
Address: 909 Fannin St #1650, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 650-3022
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 8 AM to 5 PM
- Saturday to Sunday – Closed
For those who want to escape the Houston heat, a walk in Downtown Houston’s six-mile underground tunnel may just be the answer! Just a 10 minute walk from Discovery Green, this city-under-a-city is an airconditioned underground haven.
It’s surprising how many Houston residents don’t know about this tunnel system. The tunnels connect many of the buildings in the Downtown area, allowing workers to go from one building to another without breaking a sweat.
There’s a wide variety of shops and restaurants in the tunnel system, but if you don’t feel like spending money, just explore the area! Being inside the tunnel feels like being in a maze, so just walking in the tunnel already feels like an adventure!
| Pro Tip: Need a map of the tunnel system? Download the Houston Tunnels app on your phone! |
Go on an Art Crawl in Buffalo Bayou Park
Media Credit: buffalobayou
Website: https://buffalobayou.org/
Address: Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street between Allen Parkway and, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 752-0314 ext. 301
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 6 AM to 11 PM
If you’re looking for a fantastic way to spend a day in Houston without spending a dime, Buffalo Bayou Park is the place to be! This expansive green space has something for everyone.
The park’s well-maintained trails are perfect for biking and walking, while the open spaces are awesome for a leisurely game of frisbee. Scenic paths will take you to different areas such as Eleanor Tinsley Park and The Water Works.
Here’s a fun free thing to do in this park: scattered across the park are some of the city’s most iconic art installations! Go on art crawl and check out the 15 permanent art pieces in the park. Take a picture of each and post it on your socials (or just keep them in your gallery).
Another fun free idea: check out the Gus S. Wortham Memorial Fountain, more famously known as the dandelion fountain. Take a snap at dusk for a dramatic souvenir of this Houston icon.
| Pro Tip: Buffalo Bayou Park offers a great view of the Downtown Houston skyline so keep your eyes peeled for great spots to take a photo! |
Check Out the Art at The Menil Collection
Media Credit: menilcollection
Website: https://www.menil.org/
Address: 1533 Sul Ross St. Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 525-9400
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Tuesday – Closed
- Wednesday to Sunday – 11 AM to 7 PM
Houston is a city that loves art and The Menil Collection is one of the few galleries that will allow you to see a huge variety of contemporary and surrealist art pieces for free!
The Menil Collection spans 30 acres and several key buildings: the main gallery, Menil Drawing Institute, Cy Twombly Gallery, Richmond Hall with Dan Flavin’s installation, and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel. Guests can explore these spaces at no cost.
The gallery features works by renowned artists like Picasso. The buildings, designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano, are also considered art themselves, so architecture enthusiasts often drop by to admire his work as well.
Because of the size of the campus and the large collection of this gallery, visiting The Menil Collection is a 2-3 day experience worth the time. For those who love art, it’s definitely worth it, as there’s so much to see and enjoy without needing to rush.
| Pro Tip: The Menil Collections rotates the art collections 2-3 times a year, so there’s always a reason to come back to the gallery! |
Spend an Afternoon in Houston’s First Park
Media Credit: rebicca
Website: https://www.houstontx.gov/abouthouston/samhoustonpark.html
Address: 1000 Bagby St, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (832) 394-8805
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 9 PM
Sam Houston Park (not to be confused with Sam Houston Race Park, the horse racing track) is a piece of Houston history. While the city has plenty of parks, Sam Houston Park stands out for the preserved wooden buildings that highlight the city’s history.
A fun, free activity to do in the park is to, of course, visit the wooden buildings! There are QR codes that can be scanned that will tell you all you need to know about the historic structures. It’s like being in an outdoor museum.
Across Allen Parkway, the park has another area with more buildings and a small museum about Houston’s history. There’s also a memorial obelisk honoring the USS Houston CA 30, which was sunk in the early days of WWII.
For history buffs, here’s another fun and free activity for a lovely afternoon: visit all the historical monuments that can be found in the park!
| Pro Tip: Drop by the visitor center to know more about the history of the park as well as the buildings within it. Some are UNESCO-designated as part of the “Routes of Enslaved Peoples” project. |
Enjoy a Sunday in Smither Park
Media Credit: smitherpark
Website: https://www.full.orangeshow.org/smither-park
Address: 2441 Munger St, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 926-6368
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 7 PM
At the corner of Third Ward and East End, you’ll find Smither Park, a haven for Houstonian artistry and creativity! It’s a fun park with plenty of functional art pieces for visitors to enjoy.
Just admiring the artwork of over 300 local artists is a free activity that can last hours. For those looking to relax and unwind, take a few minutes to meditate in the Marilyn Oshman Meditation Wall or hang out by the Burguieres, Hinton and Mathre Swings.
Every first Sunday of the month, there’s free live music in the park! Enjoy the sounds while enjoying the functional mosaic art around the park, or join the arts and crafts activities for kids and adults alike.
| Pro Tip: You’ll need to RSVP to attend Smither Park Sundays! |
Visit the The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Media Credit: mfahouston
Website: https://www.mfah.org/
Address: 1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 639-7300
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Tuesday – Closed
- Wednesday – 11 AM to 5 PM
- Thursday to Friday – 11 AM to 9 PM
- Saturday – 11 AM to 6 PM
- Sunday – 12:30– to 6 PM
Admission Costs: Free Every Thursday Only
Hard to believe, but even Houston’s top museums offer free admission!
Every Thursday, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston opens its doors at no cost. The museum’s permanent collection is a treasure trove that spans over 5,000 years and showcases nearly 80,000 works from around the world.
You’ll find everything from Italian Renaissance masterpieces to French Impressionist gems, African-American art, and unique Texas pieces. With so much to see and explore, it could take several visits just to scratch the surface of what’s on display.
So, if you’re a fan of art, mark your calendar for free visits to the MFAH every Thursday!
| Pro Tip: The MFAH has 3 buildings connected by a tunnel, so plan your visit accordingly since a visit to each building will take a lot of time! |
Visit the The Houston Museum of Natural Science
Media Credit: hmns
Website: https://www.hmns.org/
Address: 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX
Contact Details: (713) 639-4629
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 9 AM to 5:30 PM
If art museums aren’t your thing, you might enjoy a visit to the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Hermann Park instead. It’s free every Tuesday from 5 to 8 PM, but you’ll need to get there early since it’s first-come, first-served.
This museum is a hit with both kids and adults. Check out cool exhibits about Texas wildlife, see real dinosaur bones, and learn about space and ancient cultures. The museum is full of interactive displays that make learning fun.
You can explore everything in a little over 2 hours, so it’s a great way to spend an evening with kids!
| Pro Tip: Want to see more of the museum? Sign up for a membership for heavily discounted rates for all the special exhibits on top of a free general admission ticket! |
