Family-Friendly Activities in Houston, Texas
The large city of Houston, Texas, offers plenty of things for families to do. The best places to take the family in Houston include museums, outdoor spaces and the zoo.
The Children’s Museum Houston
The Children’s Museum Houston has interactive exhibits that teach children about math and science. Children can solve puzzles in the Think Tank and exercise in The Ropes Challenge Course.
Houston Museum of Natural Science
A trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science gives families another opportunity to see science exhibits. The museum also has exhibits on Texas wildlife and dinosaurs. Visitors can learn about space in the museum’s planetarium and see living butterflies in the Cockrell Butterfly Center.
Discovery Green
There are also living butterflies in the butterfly garden at Discovery Green. Other gardens in this downtown Houston park have native plants and plants from around the world. The park also has a playground and picnic areas. It has jogging trails for active visitors and reading rooms for those who prefer sedentary activities. Visitors who want to cool off during a hot Houston summer can splash in jets of water at the Gateway Fountain or paddle a kayak on Kinder Lake.
Hurricane Harbor Splashtown
A visit to Hurricane Harbor Splashtown is a great way to spend a summer day in Houston. The whole family can float on a tube on Paradise River or splash in the waves in the large Hurricane Bay pool. The park has a tree house with water slides for children. There are also thrilling water slides for older park visitors.
Buffalo Bayou Park
Families who spend a day at Buffalo Bayou Park can go hiking or kayaking. The park also has a play area, a picnic area and gardens.
Hermann Park
Visitors to Hermann Park can view the park by taking a trip on the Hermann Park Railroad or by riding pedal boats around the park’s lake. Children will appreciate the water area at the playground during the summer. Places to take leisurely strolls in the park include the Japanese Garden and the McGovern Centennial Gardens. Visitors can eat in the picnic area or at the Pinewood Cafe.
Houston Zoo
The Houston Zoo is located in Hermann Park. Children can pet goats and watch otters play in the John P. McGovern Children’s Zoo. A water play park is open during the summer.
