We Picnicked All Around Houston and Found the Top 10 Spots
With spring comes two things – one, floral print (groundbreaking, we know), and two, picnics! Picnics have been all the rage in Houston lately and it’s home to one of the biggest parks in the U.S.,!
Lucky for you, we’re more than happy to help you out! Prepare your comfiest picnic blanket and cook your world-famous potato salad that took 3 days to make as we give you the list of the best picnic spots in Houston you can visit today!
1. Buffalo Bayou Park
Address: Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street between Allen Parkway and, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX
Phone Number: 713-752-0314 ext. 301
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Perhaps the first place you’re probably thinking of when it comes to picnic areas, Buffalo Bayou Park is every Houstonian’s go-to for a reason. It’s a huge, 160-acre park that encompasses pretty much the entirety of the city!
There are plenty of picnic areas that you can visit at the Buffalo Bayou Park, though you will have to sign up and reserve your spot at their website first. The park can get crowded after all – especially during the peak season of mid-April to late September.
We suggest the Buffalo Bayou Park’s Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and their picnic pavilion for your next picnic. The play area has a big space for your kids to play and go around in, plus a waterfall to boot!
Pro Tips:
Though the Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area has a picnic pavilion, you still need to bring some SPF-30 or higher sunscreen. Especially if you plan to hold your picnic at noon!
2. Menil Park
Address: 1423 Branard St, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-525-9400
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
A triumph of both form and function, Menil Park is more suited to those who are looking for an artsy picnic spot in Houston! After all, it’s also the home to museums and exhibitions you can explore after your picnics!
Similar to other attractions, going to Menil Park for a quick stroll and picnic is free! That being said you will need to have written permission and run it over with the park’s administration beforehand if you plan to bring something that impacts the public.
There are still rules to follow, such as no alcoholic beverages and especially no glass containers. Dogs must also be on leashes, and you must pick up litter made by either you or your pet, or you’ll be slapped with fines all over.
Pro Tips:
Take note that there are no bathrooms in the Menil Park. There are some in the Museums that you can use so long as you tell the attendants that you’re just there to use the loo.
3. Oyster Creek Park
Address: 4033 Hwy 6, Sugar Land, TX 77478
Phone Number: 281-275-2885
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
If you’re ever within the Sugar Land area, then we recommend going to Oyster Creek Park for your picnics! Think of it as a slice of nature in the middle of Sugar Land, with rivers, lakes, and even an amphitheater you can rest in when the sun gets hot!
Oyster Creek Park is free to enjoy! Just remember to follow the park’s rules, along with cleaning up after yourself.
Oyster Creek Park also has plenty of sights for you to see – including the beautiful bridge that overlooks the beautiful river! It’s by far one of the best sights that the park has to offer!
Pro Tips:
Though Oyster Creek Park is indeed very pretty, its picnic spaces can be a little limited. We still recommend visiting, but only during the early hours of the weekends to make sure you’re in a pretty spot!
4. Willow Waterhole Greenway
Address: 5300 Dryad Dr, Houston, TX 77035
Phone Number: 713-729-1122
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM
With lots of greens and a beautiful lakeside view to boot, Willow Waterhole Greenway in Westbury is one of the more hush-hush spots on the list. There are plenty of seats that you can use for your picnics – but you can enjoy the shade of trees!
Willow Waterhole Greenway consists of a mix of lakes, prairie, marsh, islands, native plants, and wildlife with some park amenities thrown into the equation. The entire park also spans 300 acres, which means more space for everyone to relax!
What’s more, if you come in at the right time then you might even have some music accompaniment with your picnics! Willow Waterhole Greenway has a MusicFEST that you can catch if you’re lucky enough since the event depends on the organizers.
Pro Tips:
If you do plan to visit the Willow Waterhole Greenway, we strongly suggest using the bathroom before you enter or visiting a gas station as a pit stop. There are – and we can’t stress this enough – no bathrooms at all at the park.
5. Memorial Park
Address: 6501 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007
Phone Number: 713-863-8403
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Although Hermann Park is free to visit for the most part, you will need to reserve your spots if you want a more picturesque picnic area. Rest assured, you’re getting quality seats with some bells and whistles included!
The typical price for a picnic at Memorial Park costs between $150 to $550 on the weekdays, or $200 to $600 on the weekends. The cheapest options let you rent picnic pads good for 3 people, while the most expensive ones will get you the whole pavilion!
Reservations last for 3 hours max, and the weekend prices extend from Friday to Sunday. You’ll also need to sign a rental agreement that explicitly states your purpose. That said, you can bring alcohol with you so long as you don’t cause a disturbance.
Pro Tips:
Memorial Park can be a bit too big, so we suggest wearing comfortable shoes. You can also download a map of the park to help you get around easier!
6. Stude Park
Address: 1031 Stude St Houston, TX 77007
Phone Number: 713-837-0311
Hours: Open 24 hours
If you’re looking for a picnic area in Houston that has a bit of a modern twist, Stude Park is a must-visit. The park offers a beautiful picnic area and amenities like a pool, gym, and even a small playground for your kids!
Entrance to Stude Park and picnicking is free, but you’ll need to pay for the amenities except the playground. There are also plenty of activities that you can do at Stude Park, like the 0.8-mile trail and the pool, both of which you can visit for free.
Stude Park offers lots of space for you and your kids to play around in, along with plenty of shade!
Pro Tips:
Unless you own a big, soccer-mom minivan, then we don’t recommend parking at Stude Park since it’s very pothole-y. The nearest, cheapest parking spot is at 601 Heights Blvd. for $5.
7. Eastern Glades
Address: 6501 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007
Phone Number: 713-863-8403
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 5:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Yes, this might be cheating a bit since Eastern Glades is inside Memorial Park – but Eastern Glades deserves to have its entry! You’ll need to pay an entrance fee of $150but it’s a price worth paying!
What makes Eastern Glades unique are the sights that you’ll see while picnicking. The landscape artists took a once-previously inaccessible parkland and turned it into a beautiful greenery for you to visit.
Eastern Glades boasts 100 acres of open space along with a 5.5 acre lake that can net you a beautiful, Instagram-worthy photo of Houston’s sunset. You can also bring your dogs with you, just so long as you keep them on a leash.
Pro Tips:
Eastern Glades has a beautiful lake but there’s no swimming, boating, or fishing in there – and it applies to your pet dogs!
8. Challenger Seven Memorial Park
Address: 2301 W Nasa Blvd, Webster, TX 77598
Phone Number: 281-332-1903
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Perhaps one of the more iconic places in all of Houston, the Challenger Seven Memorial Park lets you take a moment to respect the place of one of the nation’s greatest trying moments, the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster.
The park itself is 100 acres across, and the Challenger Memorial inside the park shares the design with the same logo as the one used by the crew. This makes it a lot more special since the logo was made by the crew themselves before the tragic moment.
If you want a more quaint picnic spot at the Challenger Seven Memorial Park, then we suggest having one near the fishing pond. But if you’re looking for something more picturesque, then we recommend going for the spot that overlooks Galveston Bay.
Challenger Seven Memorial Park also has plenty of amenities that both kids and adults can enjoy. The most prominent ones that we recommend the most would be the 100-acre bird sanctuary and the boardwalk which offers a challenging walk.
Pro Tips:
If you do plan to make a trip to the Challenger Seven Memorial Park, we strongly suggest visiting them during the morning or the afternoon. It can be dangerous there at night since they don’t usually open their lights!
9. Hermann Park
Address: 6001 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030
Phone Number: 713-526-2183
Website
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Another one of Houston’s most popular parks, Hermann Park spans 445 acres and has plenty of spaces for you to explore! The designated picnic area also has plenty of amenities that you can use for free, like a BBQ Grill and a swing set.
Entrance to Hermann Park is free, but you’ll need to pay extra if you want to ride the Hermann Park Railroad and a 30-minute boat ride. It’ll cost $3.75 and $14.50 respectively, but it’s a lot of fun especially if you have kids with you!
But if you ask us, walking throughout the entirety of Hermann Park before your picnic is the way to go. After all, you can slowly take in all the sights the park has to offer, all while working up your appetite before the actual picnic!
Pro Tips:
The parking situation at Hermann Park can be tough, especially on weekends. We suggest either going there early to secure your spot or using Parking Lot F.
10. Tom Bass Regional Park
Address: 3452 Fellows Rd, Houston, TX 77047
Phone Number: 713-991-6881
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
With several sections encompassing 115 acres, Tom Bass Regional Park has plenty of sights to see, which means more places for you to picnic in! That being said, we recommend the park’s section III most of all for the views and the vibe.
If you ask us, the best time to go for a picnic at the Tom Bass Regional Park would be between March and April for the peak springtime experience. That being said, having your picnics at their designated picnic tables during the autumn isn’t half bad, either.
Other than the picnic area, Tom Bass Regional Park has a big playground for kids along with two volleyball courts and a 13-mile jogging trail! These are present in all three sections of the park too, which is a nice touch.
Pro Tips:
Since Tom Bass Regional Park has plenty of areas, we strongly suggest wearing comfortable shoes if you’re planning to visit. We also recommend bringing some good SPF-30 sunscreen if you plan to visit them during lunch!
