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Half Day in Houston

Things to Do + Houston Downtown Tunnel Map

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Find things to do in Downtown Houston and the Houston Downtown Tunnel Map in this post!

When I started this website, I wrote about the Tunnel System under Downtown Houston. Many years later, that post is super popular (because who doesn’t want to see the world under the downtown streets?). So, for those heading down to the tunnels, I’m bringing back the Half-Day in Houston series… to give you more to do in the area!

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot.

Look below for a few tunnel trip options and the map of the walking routes. There are a lot more places to park and explore… and this is just to get you started. (Find more to do in Downtown Houston HERE.)

Also note that this adventure needs to be done on a weekday, during working hours, if you want to enter the tunnels.

Park or Ride:

  1. For this urban Downtown adventure, take the METRORail to add to the fun. You can park anywhere along the line… the museum district can be congested but has several $5 lots along Binz.
  2. If you don’t have time for the METRORail today, just drive and park in the paid lots or metered parking.
  3. Suggested parking spots: Metered parking by Discovery Green or the garage under the Central Library.

(There are a lot of other good options… so if you prefer, just look at the MAP and pick a spot.)

Explore Downtown:

Houston Downtown Tunnel Map

1. Miles of Tunnels – Under Downtown Houston, See MAP – Weekdays Only – Free

Under Downtown Houston there is a 7 mile, climate controlled, system of tunnels linking office buildings, hotels, banks, restaurants, retail stores and the Theater District. Go HERE for a Houston Downtown Tunnel Map.  These tunnels are usually open to the public from 6:00am – 6:00pm on weekdays, but many of the restaurants close after lunch (by 2:00pm).

The tunnels contain food courts, gift shops, banks, copy centers and more and are mostly located in the basement part of office buildings.

You can get to the tunnels from street level stairs/elevators and inside many towers in Downtown.

If you are at the Central Library, walk past the library plaza and City Hall reflecting pool and enter the tunnel at Wells Fargo. (Thanks Matt for this tip!).

If you are at Main Street Square METRORail Station, look where the train tracks go over the water fountain. There is a building with Corner Bakery and UBS Sign. You can go in the lobby and take the elevator or escalator to the basement.

If you are by Discovery Green, walk over to the Shops at Houston Center. In the lobby by Jos A Bank, there is an escalator to the basement.

Once you are in the tunnels, look at the maps and signs on the wall to navigate. You can also find the tunnel map HERE.

Depending on where you park and enter the tunnels, you can change the order of the following activities! All of them are on ground level, close to the tunnels.

Discovery Green Mist Tree

2. Discovery Green – 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010 – Free

Play at the John P. McGovern Playground. The play structure has ropes, bridges and slides. Once the kids are hot, go next door to the splashpad!

The splashpad is on a timer that starts the fountains out small… and gets bigger and bigger. Let the kids cool off while you relax and watch from the deck (or splash with them!)

Then find a garden that most don’t know is a part of the park. Over by the Hilton, you will find these amazing Listening Vessels! These 2 limestone sculptures have concave interiors that focus sound waves. You can sit in 1 vessel and be heard in the 2nd vessel that is 70 feet away.

Downtown Houston Murals

3. Bayou Themed Murals – 1200 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010 – Free

As you walk from Discovery Green to the Shops at Houston Center, take some pictures at the murals on McKinney.

The murals were commissioned by Brookfield Properties to create fun experiences for visitors and to encourage a more walkable and bike-able downtown.

Houston Downtown Tunnel Map

4. Art Blocks at Main Street Square – McKinney Street and Main Street, Houston, TX 77010 – Free

Art is EVERYWHERE in Downtown Houston! The Art Blocks projects are temporary exhibits that are constantly change… and they
compliment the more than 30 permanent public art installations.

See what you can find by Main Street!

Houston Police Museum

5. Houston Police Museum – 1200 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002 – Free

The Houston Police Museum is small… but let me tell you why we like it.

It is located on the first floor of a real police station… meaning you get to walk through the metal detector, talk to real police officers and be a part of the action.

The Houston Police Museum is located in the lobby of the Houston Police Department headquarters and includes a full size police car, a helicopter mounted on the ceiling, badges, uniforms and artifacts from the Honor Guard, SWAT and Mounted Patrol. 

City Hall Houston

6. City Hall & Julia Ideson Library – 550 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77002 – Free

Right next to City Hall is the Spanish revival style Julia Ideson Library. It opened in 1926 as the Houston Central Library and it was to be the centerpiece of a 5 building civic center. Due to the Great Depression, this vision was not realized and the other buildings were built in the modern style of the 1930s.

The Julia Ideson building was the central library until it was replaced by the larger library next door in 1976. Now it is home of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center and the most beautiful children’s reading room that includes the original furniture, and many of the original books, from 1926.

Oh, and it’s rumored that this building is haunted by a friendly violin playing ghost.

Sam Houston Park Houston

7.Sam Houston Park – 1000 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 – Free

Sam Houston Park is Houston’s oldest park. It is located just behind City Hall in Downtown and is a huge piece of green space in the middle of skyscrapers.

You can tour the park and take an audio tour of the historic houses (via cell phone) for free. For a small fee, you can visit the Heritage Society next door.

Market Square Park Houston

8. Market Square Park & Houston is Inspired Mural – 301 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002 – Free

Market Square Park is in Downtown’s Historic District and original town center. In 1836 this park was started as Congress Square and was renamed a few years later to Market Square.

Market Square “burned through” three City Hall buildings and finally became a parking lot. In 2010, the renovated park was reopened.

The park has fountains, gardens, art work, a Niko Nikos cafe, shaded seating, grass to run in and two fenced dog areas. The park is only one block by one block, but a lot is packed into this urban space! And right across the street is my favorite “Houston is Inspired” mural by Gonzo247!

Burp the Bayou on Preston Street Bridge

9. Burp the Bayou – Preston Street Bridge, Over Bayou – Free

(12/30/19 Update: The bubble hasn’t been working every day, but there are plenty of other fun things to do!)

Have you heard about the Big Bubble in the Buffalo Bayou? Have you seen the mysterious red button on the Preston Street Bridge? A friend told us that their 5 year old’s favorite thing to do in Houston was to, “burp the bayou”, and we just had to know what this meant.

In the middle of the brick column on the south(ish) side of the Preston Street Bridge, is a little red button. When you press it, the water it bayou will bubble for several seconds. I realize that this is just a button and some bubbles, but if you are going to visit it, you really have all the materials you need for a great adventure.

First off, there is no sign above this little button. It is just a mysterious red button in the middle of Downtown Houston. You don’t know whether you should press it or not. And if you do press it, what will happen? Where should you look? And say you see or hear the bubbles, what is causing it? Did you wake a bayou monster? And if a boat is traveling down the river, what would happen if you timed the bubbles just right?

For best results, tell your kids you hear there is a mysterious red button in Downtown Houston and you need to find out what it does. Get them close to the bridge and see if they can find it. Once you find it, ask for ideas on what it might do and see who is brave enough to push it.

Once pressed, try to find the bubbles and ask what could be causing them. Finish up with several minutes of pressing the button, running to the side of the bridge, watching the bubbles and giggling with delight. Learn all about it HERE!

AND know two things… this is quirky. We like quirky things. And second, when there is a lot of rain or flooding, the bubbles may not work. You’ve been warned!

Eat:

Find a spot to eat in the tunnels… just do it before 2:00pm! HERE are the restaurants at tunnel level.

Downtown Walking Map:

Find the Houston Downtown Tunnel Map HERE!

Filed Under: All, Downtown Houston, Half Day in Houston, Things to do May 23, 2019

Half Day in Houston: Tomball Train Depot & Old Fashioned Soda Fountain!

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend it with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

Tomball Depot Park Caboose BigKidSmallCity
In this adventure, play on a caboose, tour an old train depot, play at the park and cool off at an old fashioned soda fountain. Visit the Tomball Train Depot and Nonnie’s Soda Fountain! 

Look below for a map of the walking route.

 

Park:

Free parking is available at the Tomball Train Depot Plaza. Park in the spaces near the depot or the marked spaces on the street.

Everything is close by, so park once and walk!

 

Explore:

Tomball Train Depot BigKidSmallCity1
1. Tomball Train Depot – 201 South Elm, Tomball, TX 77375 – Free

Just north of Houston is Old Town Tomball… full of little shops, restaurants, old buildings and an old train depot!

The Tomball Train Depot Plaza has a train depot, caboose, gazebo, turtle pond, lots of grass for running, splashpad and restrooms. Let the kids climb on the caboose, run through the grass (and splash in the summer)! Go HERE for tips on touring the depot and turning on the splashpad!

When you’re tired, head across to the cutest little old fashioned soda fountain!

 

Nonnies Soda Fountain Counter
2. Nonnie’s Soda Fountain – 102 Market Street, Tomball, TX 77375

Nonnie’s is a 50’s style restaurant with a beautiful porch and an awesome counter. This super cute soda fountain is not super cheap, but we love the ice cream and shakes. And when we are lucky, a real train passes by the restaurant and the depot!

 

Old Town Tomball BigKidSmallCity
3. Old Town Tomball

If you want to do more, walk around Old Town Tomball… tour antique stores, shops and restaurants… all on the blocks around the depot!

 

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do January 27, 2016

Half Day in Houston: Uncover Secrets at Rice University

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

This Half Day adventure is one of my very favorites! Pack up your explorers and start uncovering secrets at Rice University! Find goofy carvings, a marble wall that makes a croaking sound, whispering niches, angry dolphins and so much more.

Find details and the walking map below.

Rice University Lovett Hall Columns

Park:

Free parking is available at Hermann Park Parking Lot A. You can cross Fannin and Main, at the METRORail station, and access Gate 1 at Rice University. Just be sure (no matter where you park) that no valuables are in your car because you will be leaving it for a few hours.

Lot A can get full on nice days and weekends, so you can either park in another Hermann Park lot (for free) or pay to park in the Rice Visitor Lots.

Explore:

To start, look up the Rice University Map or print out my marked-up map HERE! There is a lot to see at Rice, but this tour focuses on a small section near Lovette Hall. (Be watching for more Half Day Adventures that explore Rice!)

Rice University Map
I discovered these secrets from the very detailed Walking Tour of Rice that has more information than I could handle on one trip. That said, I keep referring to it for future trips… and you should read it if you want to know a lot more about Rice! Also take a look at this cool post on Chron.com!

Go any day and at any time because our whole adventure is outside the amazing buildings. If you go at 8:00am on a school day, you’ll probably wrap up about the time the campus is waking up.

Rice University Gate 1
1. Rice University Gate 1 – 6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005 – Gate 1 on the Rice Map

Start your adventure by walking (or pushing the stroller) up the tree lined walking path from Gate 1 (by the Hermann Park MetroRail Station). This picture perfect street brings you closer, step by step, to Lovette Hall.

Rice University Lovette Hall at Gate 1
2. Rice University Lovette Hall – Building 48 on the Rice Map

Once you reach Lovette Hall, your secret finding mission begins. Start through the big arch and look up!

Rice University Lovett Hall Freshman
You’d think that intricate stone carvings would be very very serious… but here you find one of the goofy and immature freshman…. and another of the very serious and sophisticated graduate!

Rice University Lovett Hall Graduate
[Read more…] about Half Day in Houston: Uncover Secrets at Rice University

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do January 13, 2016

Half Day in Houston: Learn about Maritime history, about one of the busiest seaports in the world, play dress up and grab lunch!

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

Houston Maritime Museum
In this adventure, learn about Maritime history, about one of the busiest seaports in the world, play dress up and grab lunch! Visit the Maritime Museum and Candelari’s Pizzeria!

Bonus: As of 1/6/16, there is Groupon for the Maritime museum! affiliate: http://goo.gl/dg0g0e

Park:

Free parking is available at the museum, on the street and at the restaurant. You will need to move your car once, but everything is close!

Explore:

Playing Navy Officer at Houston Maritime Museum
1. Houston Maritime Museum – 2204 Dorrington Street, Houston, TX 77030 – Tuesday – Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m – $3-$5/person

Start the day at a museum where there are no crowds to fight, there is a guided tour customized just for you and a play room for the kids. Visit the Houston Maritime Museum!

The museum is currently in a remodeled house, near Holcombe and Greenbriar. There are over 150 model ships and the history that goes with them. The self-guided, audio, or guided tours take you from Columbus to modern times, military vessels and the Port of Houston.

If you get the right tour guide, all ages can really learn a lot about Maritime history. And once you take the tour, kids can play in the kid’s room!

Read all about it HERE.

 

Proscuitto E arugula at Candelaris Pizzeria
2. Candelari’s Pizzeria – 2617 W Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030

After the museum visit, make the short drive to Candelari’s Pizzeria! See our review of the Heights location HERE!

 

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do January 6, 2016

Half Day in Houston: Walk Your Way to Downtown Houston via the Buffalo Bayou Trail

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

In this adventure, walk your way to Downtown Houston via the Buffalo Bayou Trail. Start the day at the nature playground, walk down the bayou trails, burp the bayou, admire the park, see the city for 60 floors up and walk across a waterfall!

Look below for a map of the walking route. Also note that some of this adventure needs to be done on a weekday, during working hours… and that I recommend taking another adult with you along the trails, just to be safe.

Park:

Free parking is available on Sabine Street and in the lot by the Water Works building. Do not leave valuables (or what looks like it could be valuables) in your car… because you will be leaving it for a few hours!

Explore:

Fish Family Play Area at Buffalo Bayou Park Climbing Logs
1. Fish Family Play Area at Buffalo Bayou Park – 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX 77007 – Free

Just around the Water Works Building, on the banks of Buffalo Bayou, is the coolest nature playground!

It has a gaint slide, climbing structures, water features and drums build in to the landscape. It also has an amazing view of the downtown skyline, access to the Buffalo Bayou trails, free parking, new restrooms at the Water Works building… and a newly uncovered historic cistern. Learn all about it HERE!

After you try out all the equipment, head to the trails on Buffalo Bayou!

 

Buffalo Bayou with Bridges and Highways
2. Sabine-to-Bagby Promenade at Buffalo Bayou Park – Sabine Street, between Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway – Free

For this adventure, you want to head towards Downtown Houston. So, if your back is to the playground, right will take you to the Houston Police Memorial and Lost Lake and left will take you towards the Downtown skyline.

Buffalo Bayou trails are below street level, so I always recommend taking another adult with your for safety.

This part of the park shares a bike and walking trail… so be watching for bikes. This trail also takes you to the middle of the city… under lots of highways. It’s not the prettiest part of Buffalo Bayou Park… but the destination is going to be pretty cool.

Keep walking, jogging or biking until you see the silver columns pictured below!

 

 

Preston Street Bridge and Wortham Theater
3. Burp the Bayou – Preston Street Bridge, Preston and Smith, Downtown Houston – Free

When you see Wortham Theater on your right, you will be at in front of the Preston Street Bridge! Go up the stairs and look for the mysterious red button on the columns of the bridge.

This silly little thing can keep us entertained for a long time. First the kids have to find the button… then they have to decide if they should push it. And if they push it, where is the bubbling sound coming from? And what if a boat goes over the bubbles at the same time?

Read all about it HERE.

When you have had enough, stay at street level and head to Market Square Park on Preston Street.

 

Market Square Park Downtown Houston
4. Market Square Park – 301 Milam Street, Houston, TX 77002 – Free

Market Square Park is Downtown’s chillest park… with a dog park, Niko Nikos outdoor restaurant and room to run.

Houston is Inspired Mural by Market Square Park
Stop to play, to eat… or to find the awesome mural right across the street.

Afterwards, look up and find the tallest building in Downtown Houston. If you walk a couple blocks south(ish) from the park, you will be able to go to the observation deck.

 

View from JP Morgan Chase Tower Dowtown Houston
5. The Observation Deck is NOW CLOSED to the public.

JP Morgan Chase Tower – 600 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002 – Free – Open Weekdays During Working Hours

Inside the tower, ask the guards to point you the right way. Once in the elevators, you will quickly go up to the 60th floor sky lobby!

Here you can look out over the city, and over the bayou trail that brought you to Downtown!

Learn more about the tower HERE!

When you’ve had enough, head back down to street level… and walk back to the bayou.

 

Waterfall at Wortham Theater and Buffalo Bayou
6. Wortham Theater (Outside) – 501 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002 – Free

Walk a couple blocks to Wortham Theater… head back down to the bayou… and you will find the waterfall that my kids insist on walking across.

One of these days, I am certain they will get wet… but so far, so good.

Take pictures, walk across the water… or just head back down the bayou trail.

 

Housto Skyline from Buffalo Bayou Park and Sabine Street Bridge
6. Walk back to the Sabine-to-Bagby Promenade – Free

Take the trail back to where you started, at the Sabine Street Bridge!

This tour also takes you right by the Houston History Half Day Adventure and the Downtown Aquarium… and it includes many of the elements from the Train and Tunnel Adventure and the Buffalo Bayou Park Adventure, so add these to your itinerary if you are feeling extra adventurous!

 

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do December 29, 2015

Half Day in Houston: Feed 40 Police Horses for Free

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

In this adventure, feed nearly 40 Houston Police horses for free!  Visit the Houston Police Mounted Patrol Stables and then Keith-Wiess Park!

 

Park:

Find free parking in the parking lot at the Mounted Patrol Stables. Drive over to the park and find more free parking.

Explore:

Noah and Mom at Mounted Patrol Stables
1. Houston Police Mounted Patrol Stables – 5005 Little York Rd, Houston, TX 77016 – Free 

Visiting the Houston Police Departments Mounted Patrol Stables might just be the coolest free thing to do in Houston.

Bring your own carrots, quartered apples and peppermints, and you can stop in to visit the horses, during visiting hours.

There are nearly 40 horses, so bring a big bag of carrots… like the size they sell at Costco. Also, know that big carrots are a lot easier to feed to the horses than apples because you won’t get licked or bit!

After feeding all the horses, you can eat a picnic lunch on the lawn outside the stables… or you can head to a park.

Mounted Patrol Feeding Horses
2. Keith-Wiess Park – 12300 Aldine Westfield Road, Houston, TX 77039 – Free

Just a short drive from the stables is Keith-Wiess Park. This giant park has a trail, playground and lake. Learn more about it HERE!

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do December 23, 2015

Half Day in Houston: Go Shopping, then Eat at a Cafe that is Cute Like an Antique Store… and has a Playroom for Families!

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

Maryams Cafe front Room
In this adventure, shop in the cute little shops on 19th Street in the Heights… and eat lunch at a cafe that looks like an antique store… with a play room for kids!  Visit 19th Street in the Heights and Maryam’s Cafe!

Park:

Find a free parking spot on 19th street or around the block. There is diagonal parking and parallel parking. Just obey they parking signs.

Explore:

19th Street in Houston Heights
1. 19th Street Shopping

The old buildings on 19th Street have some of the cutest shops. The block before and a block after Maryam’s Cafe have gift shops, art shops, clothing stores, resale shops and more. You will find lots of gifts, including funny coasters and mugs, Houston shirts and lots of cards!

Window shop or go inside!

 

Maryams Cafe Playroom
2. Maryam’s Cafe – 315 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008

Maryam’s Cafe is like an old antique store where you can order coffee, juices, smoothies, ice cream, breakfast or lunch… and in the back there is a playroom for kids!

The only trouble with it is, how do you decide between playing in the back or sitting in the thrones (yes, king and queen thrones) in the front window?

Order lunch or just a drink and let the kids play!

If you are looking for more fun, this adventure is very very close to some other half-day adventures. Check out the wooden fortress, the bat colony and the farmers market!

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do December 16, 2015

Half Day in Houston (for Bigger Little Kids): Real Scientific Experiments & In Depth Paleontology Tour

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

In this adventure, perform real deal, hands-on scientific experiments and then learn things you never knew about paleontology.  Bigger little kids can visit the Houston Health Museum’s Cell Lab and then take a guided tour of the Paleontology Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science!

Park:

Hermann Park Centennial Garden Parking Lot
Find a parking spot in Hermann Park’s free lot by the Centennial Gardens (Lot C, accessible on Hermann Drive by the Health Museum)… or make the trip more fun by taking METRORail to the Hermann Park Stop.

 

Explore:

Cell Lab at Houston Health Museum
1. The Health Museum – 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004 – $7-9/person + $3 for Cell Lab for Non-Members – T-Sat 9-5, Th 9-7, Sun 12-5 – Free Thursdays 2-7 

The not-that-crowded Health Museum is full of interactive exhibits… but the newest and coolest is the DeBakey Cell Lab!

Kids (around 8 and older) can grab lab coats, gloves and goggles and visit real experiment stations. From check cells to antimicrobials to DNA, kids can learn about biology-based science in a very hands-on way.

The Cell Lab is free of museum members and $3 for non-members. Some experiments are for 8 and older and some are for 10 and older. (My 6 year old was able to help her older brother… and my 4 year old came in, dressed in the uniform and was the “button pusher”.)

 

Paleo Hall Houston Museum of Natural Science
2. Houston Museum of Natural Science – 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston,Texas 77030 – $20/adult, $15/kid, $5 for Tours| Free on Thursdays 2:00-5:00pm

After performing experiments at the Health Museum, walk over to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Here you can visit the many great permanent exhibits… but you can also take a private tour.

 

Families can take Discovery Tours of the Paleontology Hall. Even if you have seen this hall 100 times before, you are sure to see and learn new things. The tours are led by expert guides that are trained to teach! (See the schedules HERE.)

 

Arch at Centennial Garden Hermann Park
3.  McGovern Centennial Gardens – 6001 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030 – Free

After visiting the museums, head across the street to the beautiful Centennial Gardens! Loop around and around the mound, crossing the waterfall again and again. Walk under arches, find a bench enjoy. Read more about it HERE!

 

Eat:

You have four options for lunch or dinner on this adventure. You can pack a picnic and eat it at the beautiful Centennial Gardens, find the McDonald’s inside the Houston Museum of Natural Science (no museum admission required), walk the short block to Bodega’s Taco Shop or go casual at Park Grill.

Bodega’s can be seen from Caroline Street. Park Grill is inside a medical building, just across from the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

 

If you want to add on to your trip, find another Museum District adventure HERE!

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do December 9, 2015

Half Day in Houston: Watch 200,000 Bats Emerge in the Middle of Houston!

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

Waugh Bridge Bat Colony
In this adventure, see hundreds of thousands of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats emerge nightly, right in the middle of Houston! Grab a casual dinner at Whole Foods, walk along Buffalo Bayou and find a spot on the hill at the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony.

 

Park:  Park once at Whole Foods in the free lot. You could walk to the bayou, but there are signs saying parking is for shoppers only… so move your car up to Buffalo Bayou.

There is some very limited parking along Allen Parkway, but free parking lot just opened at Lost Lake… just .3 miles from the bats.

Explore:

Whole Foods

1. Whole Foods Market – 701 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX 77019

Start the adventure with a casual lunch at Whole Foods on Waugh. You can grab pizza, sandwiches, noodles and more from the store/cafe and eat in the restaurant area. You could even buy a quart of milk and easy-to-eat groceries and enjoy it on the patio. Whole Foods provides the napkins, plasticware and cups.

 

Lost Lake at Buffalo Bayou Park
2. Lost Lake & The Dunlavy – 3422 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019 – Free

Before dusk, make the very short drive up to Buffalo Bayou. Along Allen Parkway you can find parking at The Dunlavy. Make the short walk back to Waugh Drive, along the bayou!

 

Waugh Bridge at Dusk
3. Waugh Bridge Bat Colony – Allen Parkway & Waugh Drive, Houston, TX – Free

Once you are at the Waugh Street Bridge, find the viewing platform on the banks of the bayou. Here you can read about the bats and their home.

Get ready to watch from here or find a spot on the hill! Bring some bug spray… you might need it before the bats come out to eat the mosquitoes!

When the bats are ready, you will know. Hundreds of thousands will emerge together and fly out towards Downtown!

 

Fish Family Park Buffalo Bayou Park Tunnel and Skyline
If you are looking for more to do, add in a pre-dusk walk along Buffalo Bayou Park!

 

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do December 2, 2015

Half Day in Houston: Take a Port of Houston Boat Tour!

by Jill Jarvis Leave a Comment

Having fun with the family and exploring Houston can be easy! If you have a few hours, we have ideas on how to spend them with the kids.

In this Half Day in Houston series, find a place to park, play, explore and eat… all in one spot. Pick what you like or combine with another Half Day post!

Port of Houston Tour Boat
In this adventure, tour one of the busiest ship channels in the world! This adventure take some advance planning… but it it includes a free boat tour of the Port of Houston!

Park:

You will need to drive to each spot on this half day adventure. The Port of Houston requires photo ID and has a free parking lot. The restaurant also has free parking.

Explore:

Port of Houston Tour
1. Port of Houston Tour – 7300 Clinton Drive, Houston, Texas 77020 – Free – Reservations Required

Take a boat tour of the Port of Houston! This tour is free… you just need a reservation in advance.

This 90 minute tour takes you through one of the busiest ports in the world, where you will see international cargo vessels and operations at the port’s Turning Basin Terminal!

Spots are often booked months in advance, so look at the calendar and plan ahead to go on this tour!

Photo ID is required to drive on the property and no backpacks are allowed on the boat.

See our old review of the tour HERE!

Port of Houston View
2. The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation – 2704 Navigation Blvd., Houston Texas 77003

After your tour, make the short drive to The Original Ninfas! Sit on the patio (or inside) and enjoy the famous food!

Filed Under: All, Half Day in Houston, Things to do November 25, 2015

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jill-jarvis-bigkidsmallcity-circle-300 Welcome!  JillBJarvis.com is the go-to blog for things to do in Houston with kids!  It is upbeat and dedicated to making our big city feel small.   START HERE!    

On this website you will find a full list of Houston weekly events, things to do around the city, travel ideas and resources for parents.

I know just what it’s like to be overwhelmed by work, life and family. I spent a lot of years traveling for work, missing big milestones for my kids and feeling bad about everything.

I started this website to make a list of all the events happening around Houston and then pick one to enjoy with my kids. And instead of thinking of all the things I was missing, I started to enjoy the things we were doing together.

If you are a parent that is feeling overwhelmed by all the things you could be doing in Houston… please just use our weekly lists and daily posts as suggestions. Pick one thing to do with your family and intentionally ignore the rest!

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