Things to do with kids in Downtown Houston
Downtown plus the Museum District is the densest stretch of kid outings in Houston: on foot and one light-rail ride you can string together a park, a fountain, an aquarium, a library, a zoo, a train and three museums. A $3 METRORail day pass is the best money of the day.
Burn energy in the morning at the Discovery Green fountain and playground or the nature play area at Buffalo Bayou Park, then cool off at the Downtown Aquarium or the Central Library. Ride the Red Line to the Museum District, pick one of the Children's Museum, HMNS and The Health Museum, then ride the Hermann Park Railroad, climb the mount at McGovern Centennial Gardens and finish at the Houston Zoo. In December, the outdoor rink downtown and Zoo Lights turn the area into winter.
- 16 places
- 8 free
- 16 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
16 places
Drive times from Downtown Houston
Discovery Green
5.0Houston · 5 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Paid underground garage (about $10–15); street parking free on Sundays
Downtown Aquarium
5.0Houston · 5 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Paid on-site lot and garage (about $10); street meters free on Sundays
Buffalo Bayou Park
4.0Houston · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Small free lots at Lost Lake and Sabine, busy after 10am on weekends; street parking along Allen Pkwy too
Houston Central Library Children's Library
4.0Houston · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Downtown street meters (free on Sundays) or nearby paid garages; METRORail to Central Station, 5-minute walk
Hermann Park
5.0Houston · 10 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Several lots in the park, hard to find a spot after 10am on weekends; paid garage by the zoo, or take METRORail to Hermann Park/Rice U
Hermann Park Railroad
5.0Houston · 10 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Hermann Park lots (tough on weekend mornings), or METRORail to Hermann Park/Rice U, right by Kinder Station
METRORail Red Line Ride
5.0Houston · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Lots near Museum District or Fannin South stations (paid garage at Fannin South), then ride a few stops downtown
McGovern Centennial Gardens & Japanese Garden
5.0Houston · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Garden lot off Hermann Dr (full after 10am on weekends), or a 5-minute walk from METRORail Museum District station
Houston Zoo
5.0Houston · 10 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free Hermann Park lots are mostly full after 9am on weekends; paid garage by the zoo, or METRORail to Hermann Park/Rice U
Children's Museum Houston
5.0Houston · 10 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Museum lot (about $10) and street meters around Binz St; 10-minute walk from METRORail Museum District station
Bayou Bend Gardens
4.0Houston · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot at the Westcott St visitor center; walk across the suspension bridge to the gardens
Houston Museum of Natural Science
4.0Houston · 10 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Museum garage (about $25, member discount); free Hermann Park lots are hard on weekends; 5-minute walk from METRORail Hermann Park/Rice U
The Health Museum
4.0Houston · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Small free lot behind the museum; street meters on Hermann Dr
Donovan Park
4.0Houston · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free street parking on Heights Blvd
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center
5.0Houston · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Lot at the Woodway Dr entrance; there may be a parking fee on weekends (check the website)
Memorial Park Eastern Glades
5.0Houston · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free Eastern Glades lot (Memorial Dr entrance), tight after 9am on weekends
💡 Good to know
- Downtown meters are free on Sundays; Discovery Green and Museum District garages run $10–25. The easiest weekend plan is parking at Fannin South and riding the train in.