For a park you can't do much better than Hermann. There is a variety of activities, it's easy to get to by car or rail (though parking can be an issue). It's pretty and centrally located. There are quiet places to relax, places to picnic, places to run around, water activities, public art, walking paths. There is even a little cafe, though I didn't get a chance to check it out. Not to mention the fountain and the miniature train! My parents didn't take me here often enough as a kid... that's for sure. read more

So much to do, so much to see, with so little time! Parks like these just gives me one more reason why I question living in Los Angeles. The park is really big and one could spend a day and not get through half of it. The kids really enjoyed the train that circles most of the park and the boats you can rent on the water. A must stop in Houston with or without kids. read more

Hermann Park may be one of the best green spaces I have been to. The running trail is nice with some gorgeous panoramas of the med center, hotel zaza and the monuments visible for most of your run. The park is adorned by beautiful tall pines and it's a part of Houston that actually has some topographical variation (even though it's man made). Overall Hermann is a great place for a jog, walk or just to throw down a blanket and relax. read more

After you find somewhere to park, Hermann Park is wonderful. My children and I love it. The kids dig the playground, but they really dig the Japanese Garden and feeding the ducks. There is just so much here to see and do. With children, I would suggest you pick your poison - either do the playground or choose to walk and explore or choose a picnic and train ride. For us, attempting to do it all only means a round of whining. On the playground, one of the play structures is a distance from the others. Keep that in mind if you have multiple children in different age ranges. From our experience, it's most crowded on beautiful Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Determine if you want to visit during those times based on your own tolerance level. And, like any place, parking can also be a challenge on very crowded days We have only had one disaster trip, and it wasn't due to the park, but due to the fact that it was blazing hot on that particular day. Overall, it is a cool park for families. read more

What can I say? I came here almost every week as a kid living in the medical center area. It is just one of those parks that all kids will enjoy. It is close to the Houston Zoo so there are always numerous activities to partake in case the park itself get's boring during the day. If you want your kids to have a good time, make sure to take them on the mini train ride that goes through the entire park. On top of the gardens dotted around the park, there is great scenery that prove to be great for family fun! Only downside is parking can be tight on days with events, free-admissions to the zoo, or the weekends. So always prepare for that, much like most places near downtown Houston. read more

Hard to believe in all my years that I've been living in Houston that I've hardly ever been to the Herman Park area, minus the Zoo of course. It was my first time in the Japanese Gardens and the purpose was for my cousin's surprise proposal from her boyfriend! She had no idea and a few of us got to be part of her special day, so the Japanese Garden will always hold a special place. The story behind the proposal: her boyfriend convinced her that his work was having a scavenger hunt in Herman Park and that spouses/significant others were invited. We met him before he went to go meet my cousin in the parking lot to scope out the gazebo's for a prime location. It had rained the night before so the trail was somewhat muddy, but it was still pretty scenic. I think my favorite was the bridge over the pond that had turtles swimming and lounging around. Turtles are my favorite, so this place was already a win from this point. Anyways, after we claimed our gazebo, we went over his story and how he planned to propose. He was definitely a nervous wreck, lol so at one point we just told him to wing it haha. He went to go meet her in the parking lot as we tried to strategically hide in gazebo. It was kind of a fail because she saw us crouching down through one of the small windows haha. But upon seeing us she automatically started crying because she immediately clued in onto what was really happening. Great location, great memories, great place to get engaged. And for those wondering, of course she said yes! read more

The Miller Theatre, Japanese Gardens, the zoo, a nice running trail, and a golf course - what more do you need? Plus, there is plenty of shade for a leisurely walk around the park as well. My only gripe is the number of shady characters that frequent the park as dusk arrives in the evening. My recommendation: go to the park early and head out as the sun sets. Have fun! read more

I used to go to Hermann Park all the time, but since I broke my Segway (still have not gotten it fixed) I have not been able to go. It is a pretty nice place, but it does have some big city issues. Like the time I saw, what appeared to be, a homeless man urinating in public. That was a bit disturbing and scary, not because it was a homeless person, but that there were public restrooms available for him to use. The park gets crowed often and early, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is just right for outdoor activities. One of the best activities I used to enjoy was riding around the park and smelling all of the different BBQs people were having. It was actually recommended to me by my therapist as a form of calorie management and it worked pretty well, until my Segway broke. The park has facilities for cooking that many families take advantage of. And that is mainly what you see there, families having picnics and reunions, which is pretty cool. They also have a Japanese Tea Garden that is quite an attraction. My grandmother is a big flower lover and I know she would love to see it, but she and I have had a falling out. However, if you know anyone that likes flowers, including any bees you might be friends with, this would be a good place to take them. They also have a splash pad, but unfortunately it is pretty much reserved for children. read more

Is there any other great park like this in Houston? Not only is it well kept up but also you can't beat the location. Located near the Med Center, Rice, and the museum district. Houses both the Houston Zoo and Miller Outdoor Theatre. The place even has a mini train that rides around the park. Great place to get away from work and spend some time relaxing in the grass. read more

I've lived in Houston my entire life, but have never really visited Hermann Park until recently. I've been to HMNS & the zoo multiple times, but never took the opportunity to walk around the actual park and see all the various activities and things to see there! Pleasantly surprised. The Japanese Garden was probably one of my favorites. So pretty and quiet...great place to walk around. It's right by the Reflection Pool, which is also really neat too. Miniature version of the real one in DC! The lake is also really nice! Lots of paddle boats for rental, and multiple areas to just sit and relax. Great place to bring visitors or to just come with family or friends, especially when the weather is nice! Gotta take advantage of the few weeks of non-sweltering heat in Houston ;) read more

The most beautiful public park that I have visited so far in the US. Water fountain in the middle with a twisting water passage all around the park is an amazing sight. Decent walking trail, swings for kids and space for families to party. The square at entrance marks an impressive beginning. Ample parking space. Evenings here are amazing, away from the Houston sun. We wish we had more time. read more

This was such a great experience! The parking was slightly a hassle, but I did get lucky that morning. The park is beautiful for a walk with the family or a romantic stroll in the evening. I attended for a cute picnic with my partner and enjoyed it very much. We laid out a picnic at the Miller theater and walked to the gardens and it was a beautiful scene in the middle of Houston that we both enjoyed. It's a must for anyone visiting or wanting to get out of the house. read more

Such a great place to relax at! I love how huge Hermann is even in the middle of Houston. There is tons of activities too! The train that runs around Miller Outdoor Theater, then of course there is Miller Outdoor Theater, the water park that's close to the medical center, the several gardens, close proximity to the museums, the ponds with paddle boats, and the lovely reflection pool. Its a great place to have a picnic or ride your bike around. I actually took my engagement pictures here and plan to also take my bridals here. Great place for it! The only park as usual is parking. On a not complete gorgeous day you should be able to find parking in the zoo parking lot or in the lots near the museums. If its an amazing day you better get there ridiculously early! But if you live close like me I suggest walking or biking! read more

I LOVE Hermann Park. Best outdoor spot in town with so much to do! For the locals who love running, there is a new pedestrian bridge with hiking/biking/running trails near Almeda/MacGregor that has just opened and is great! I've started running and the paths are really nice and can easily connect to the park/zoo and med center. Grab your 7 iron and head to the driving range for quick practice with a $5 bucket of balls. Grab a picnic blanket, bottle of wine, snacks and head over to Miller Outdoor Theater to cuddle under the stars while watching a play on the hill. Zoo, museums, free plays, kiddie train, trails... what's not to love? read more

This is a great park for exercising! There is a trail for running that has a beautiful canopy for shade. The park is home to a large golf course so it can make you uneasy. I hate the feeling of potential stray balls hitting me out of nowhere. LOL read more

Hermann Park Conservancy - The exercise stations in Hermann Park. I'm really excited about this new equipment! - Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This was my first time here and it's a really nice park for Houston which doesn't seem to have as many nice outdoorsy parks as I'm used to in New England. Nice place for a stroll or jog and kids will enjoy the water and fowl. It definitely has a manmade feel though, but it's still a pleasant place to hang out on a nice day with the family. read more

Really beautiful park with lots of things to see and do here. I liked all of the fountains and the weather was absolutely perfect when we visited. I did also like that there was a train you could ride around the park - who says trains are just for kids!? :) read more

Feeling the urge to give back to the community and help out with nature? Then this is definitely a great place for you to go. I came with my Alternative Spring Break group (about 8 people), and we helped out with planting trees, marking invasive species, and actually doing invasive species removal. Hermann Park is a beautiful place, but it definitely needs a lot of volunteers to maintain the green spaces around the non-central locations. The volunteer coordinator, Diane Kerr, is really friendly, great with communication, and knows a lot about the park and the environment, especially Texas flora. Just shoot her an e-mail, and she'll be more than happy to set-up some service work for you! read more

Memorial park is big and sprawling, but Hermann Park is probably the better day out. A beautiful lake for paddle boating, an exquisite Japanese garden, a train for the kids ($3.25 a ticket, but worth it). Just a wonderful place right in the heart of residential downtown Houston. * Oh, and of course this is where the Houston Zoo is located, but we didn't go. read more

Great view! I always enjoy the ducks at the duck pond and they always enjoy some 99 cent bread! This place is good for jogging and is also a good place to let your kiddos run off some steam... Also, don't forget to check out the Japanese Gardens! Admission is next to nothing and its a beautiful spot to take a walk or take some pictures! read more

Hermann Park is one of my favorite places in Houston, and the closest you'll get to Mother Nature inside the busy city of Houston. My favorite features: 1) Running paths 2) Miller Outdoor Theater: FREE seating on the grassy hill overlooking the theater, where you can meetup with friends and bring a delicious picnic to watch all of Houston's top performance groups every year (e.g. Houston's ballet, symphony, opera, theater, local dance/music groups, and more!). 3) Special features: Japanese Garden, Millennium garden (?), duck pond with paddle boats, zoo. 4) Rice University across the street, the perfect extension to your running route! FREE parking in the zoo parking lots within reasonable walking distance to the Texas Medical Center. Gates open at 8:30am, and I must say this has saved me from the exorbitant parking fees in the TMC parking lots throughout my 5 years of graduate school. I am thankful to Hermann Park for allowing us grad students & postdocs to park in their lots and make the daily migration across the street to work in the TMC. One downside of the park is how crowded it gets over holidays (stay away during spring break, July 4th, and certain Miller Outdoor performances). There is just no effective way to direct the traffic, so all surrounding roads are backed up like crazy, and despite adding a new parking lot recently, it's impossible to find parking after 10am on holidays. Oh yea, and there is also a golf course and driving range that is pretty nicely kept and a pretty asset to run around (though I haven't played). read more

I love coming here for picnics or walks in the park. This is one of the best areas to highlight how gorgeous Houston is because let's face it- we're a city that loves concrete. This park has tons of open areas to play sports, bring a picnic, read and relax while enjoying the outside, or bringing your dog for a walk There's parking at the various museums and at the zoo, or you can try to find parking on the streets. read more

I'm a huge fan of being outdoors & enjoying the beauty of nature so of course I enjoyed the beautiful park. There are so many things to do! It was a hot summer day so there were so many families there with little cute kids running around cooling themselves off underneath the shooting water fountains, people out on the lake in pedal boats, kids on the little train that goes all around the park, or you could always just go for a nice romantic walk! =o) The Japanese Gardens are definitely something to check out too. It's completely beautiful. If I wasn't such a spoiled CA girl I probably would have stayed longer, but I couldn't hang in the 100+ degree heat & I forgot to bring my allergy medicine! Boo! I liked the who area (Museum District) with so many places & sights to see. I was staying in Downtown Houston but if I ever come back I think I'll want to get a hotel in this area. read more

Very nice park with a number of 'attractions.' Lots to see and do! Nice trails, gardens, museums, the lake, the zoo... Two things detract a little: parking on weekends can be a pain and the Japanese garden was a little disappointing in that the entrance is probably the most Japanese looking part of it... at least its serene and free. read more

The function of this area, primarily seems to be for walking. There is no short supply of pleasant sights and scenes. It's a lovely way to connect the museums, lots, and other gardens. read more

A very beautiful place! My boyfriend and I walked around and went pedal boating! We had a blast! read more

Hermann Park Conservancy - A very beautiful place! My boyfriend and I walked around and went pedal-boating. We had a blast! - Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

Such a beautiful and HUGE park. There's lots of things to do and see like the Japanese Garden and it seems like they have a lot of plays/shows in the outside theater. Definitely a nice place to walk around and explore. read more

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Awesome local park in the heart of Houston! You can't beat a day at the park when the sun is shinning. Enjoy the great walking trails, paddle boats, and the outdoor theater. The best part--its in walking distance to all the wonderful museums that Houston has to offer. read more

With Houston weather you never know what to expect but on those nice sunny days, this park is awesome! i enjoy the enviorment and the atmosphere of everyone there. alot of friendly people, very clean park :) high recomend on those nice beautiful houston days :-) read more

My favorite place to go Running! I am so in love with this place, i try to go over there every sunday morning and i loved it from the beggining, you can see a lot of runners and nice people hanging around. read more

Love it here you come an chill relax . I like to walk around nice and clean . Place to bring the fam an enjoy the weather

Train ride $3 but closes at 530pm. Beautiful water features including a water park for the kids. Paddle boats. Running trail. Nearby Miller Park with free events. Natural hx museum with IMAX. Zoo. Also free parking! read more

If you are interested in the SH 288 direct connector construction project that will reportedly impact Hermann Park, you may want attend a public meeting of the Transportation Policy Council at the Houston-Galveston Area Council at 9:30am, Friday, June 22, 2012. read more

Now I have never been to Central Park in NYC, but spending a good part of our afternoon at Hermann Park gave me the vibe that this is what is must be like. I don't visit many parks simply because my spare time is lacking but today I suggested to my wife and daughter that we picnic on the hill overlooking Miller outdoor theater and I must say it was a hit for all of us. It was so peaceful and the view was gorgeous. I did not see one spec of trash anywhere, this tells me the park is well funded to be kept up. I did notice a person walking around actually picking up trash and disposing of it. There were lots of different kinds of people to watch anywhere from school kids to moms with kids to a guy teaching a class on how to acrobatically maneuver a hand held sign to draw attention to a business. We did ride the train and while waiting for that I noticed the man made lake and reflecting pool that leads to the Sam. Houston statue, this reminds me of the National Mall in DC, the design is strikingly similar. Adjacent to train station is the pinewood cafe and it seemed to have some good eats there. All in all we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves here and it is definitely family friendly. The only negative thing I saw about the space was the loitering of homeless people towards the northwest sector of the park an eyesore but won't keep us from coming back. read more

Hermann Park Conservancy - Lots of green space! - Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I love this place!! It's so magical. I plan to come here at least once a week to breath in some nature. The garden is so beautiful and peaceful. read more

This is another excellent park within the Houston parks system. Nice fountains and walking areas. Great for picnics. Many things to do within walking distance as well (butterfly conservatory, natural science museum, etc). read more

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon, and a friend says that he is getting married, in Hermann Park. I do not frequent the park (crazy allergies) but I have to say it was a very nice day, the sun was out, and I really enjoyed the scenery. It was a small quaint ceremony, just immediate friends and family, in the Japanese garden by the Koi pond. Great place to go and hang for the day, free, the parking was a little ridiculous because of the zoo, but enjoyable. read more

Hermann Park Conservancy - Koi Pond - Parks Near Me - Houston, Texas

Hermann Park is awesome! I truly enjoy coming here and just walk around, or have a picnic with friends. It's clean for the most part and most visitors try to keep it clean as well. Parking is not a problem and the park is big enough for runners, joggers, bikers, picnics and even kite-flying. The only drawbacks are the drunken hobos around, they're persistent and sometimes even dangerous, I've seen a couple of them harassing women or couples. read more

This park is so conveniently located next to the zoo, Japanese garden, and Miller outdoor theater. Which can make for an eventful day. The park itself is really pleasant as well! I would definitely recommend going if you haven't been already. And make sure to wander since the park is huge and spread out. read more

I love this park! I actually chose our apartment because of this park; I'm looking at it right now! Makes my home so pleasant to see children, pets, and families having fun there all the time. And that's true; you can find people there pretty much all the time! Especially on holidays or weekends, the place is brimming with good, clean activity. It lightens up my heart :-) There are cool water features, like a reflecting pool, fountains you can walk through that are constantly spraying, even at night. There is also a lake to walk around; my wife and I go for walks around it whenever we need to talk about big life decisions, and it has become a very meaningful place for us. I live in Plaza Museum District apartments and go to school at Rice, and the only thing between point A and B is the park. It's a great place to walk through everyday! When we move away from Museum District, I'm going to miss the park the most. Definitely come by and check it out if you can! read more