Picnic Houston
It’s almost always picnic season in Houston. Fortunately, there is no shortage of spots to spend an awesome time with family in glorious sunshine! Our favorites include Discovery Green, Fleming Park, Market Square Park, and Buffalo Bayou Park.
From great green spaces to parks with playgrounds to spots with rich history, the parks in Houston for picnics has it all!
So, pack those yummy snacks, wear something comfortable, and drag your loved ones out for a nice day outside. Don’t forget to bring some entertainment. A soccer ball, perhaps?
Also, check out our post on the Best Parks in Houston and Things to do in Houston with Kids and Toddlers if you are still on the lookout for more fun activities with your loved ones!
Best Picnic Houston Spots For You!
Open Greenness
Plenty of Activities
Dog-Friendly Spots
Quick Hit Summary on the Best Picnic Spots in Houston
Whether you’re looking for a spot to enjoy a relaxing snack or a spot where kids can let their energy out, you’ll find the best picnic spots in Houston.
At Terry Hershey Park, you can eat your packed food amongst the trees, taking in the lovely breeze. Then after getting your fuel up, you can explore the trails. Evelyn’s Park has five acres of space where you can picnic and run around in.
If you’re looking for picnic places in Houston where there’s plenty to do, Menil Park allows you to enjoy eating and check out a variety of art. They even have a cafe on-site.
Exploration Park is among the best picnic spots in Houston. On top of places to eat, it features a sensory garden, swings, a musical bridge, a raindrop berm lawn, and a slide tower and bridge connecting to a hill slide.
The picnic areas Houston holds are truly incredible. You can read more about picnic places in Houston in the list below.
Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.
Check out our articles on Playgrounds in Houston,and Restaurants with Playgrounds in Houston!
Picnic Areas Houston has with Open Greenness
Terry Hershey Park
If you want to feel like you’ve escaped the big city for a dose of Mother Nature, Terry Hershey Park is the picnic spot for you.
Bikers and joggers love the sidewalk trails that meander through this park. But for a picnic, you’ll love the tree cover to keep you shaded on a hot day. After you eat, you have plenty of opportunities for a nice scenic walk.
Location: 15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079
Hours: Daily 7 am – 10 pm
Hermann Park
Home to the Houston Zoo and a reflective pool, Hermann Park is one of Houston’s top parks for picnics. The amount of open space is incredible.
And after you’re done picnicking, you have the option to rent a boat and pedal around McGovern Lake. Better yet, bring some lawn sports with you — like corn hole — to enjoy the countless acres of open space at your disposal. If you’re driving here, beware that zoo parking can be tricky.
Location: 6001 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030
Hours: Daily 6 am – 11 pm
Discovery Green
Image credit: Discovery Green Facebook
This tiny park is surrounded by plenty of restaurants and food trucks, so don’t bother bringing your picnic with you. Go support local restaurants and order out!
There are no picnic tables here, so bring a nice blanket to relax on while you enjoy your meal. If you’re driving here, there’s a nearby parking garage with reasonably priced parking spots.
Location: 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77002
Hours: Monday – Saturday 6 am – 11 pm; Sunday 6 am – 12 am
Fleming Park
It’s not uncommon to see multiple birthday parties taking place in Fleming Park. That’s because it’s a nicely shaded park with great, old school playground equipment for your kiddos. Because of that — and because the museum is only a few blocks away — this is the ultimate spot for a family picnic.
Location: 1901 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX 77005
Hours: Daily 6 am – 11 pm
Evelyn’s Park
Image credit: Evelyn’s Park Conservancy Facebook
What: Nestled on five acres of green space in Bellaire, Texas, this playground Houston features offers our community a place to relax, reset, and rekindle connections with the outdoors and each other.
With its beautifully designed spaces and engaging programming, the new park appeals to audiences of all ages and interests—it is at once a quiet refuge and a flourishing place for community, a fresh destination, and a perennial part of our city’s history.
Today, Evelyn’s Park is grounds for new memories—a safe and charming place to enrich your every day, whether trying a family fitness class, savoring brunch at our new café, or getting lost in a book or a butterfly garden.
The park is also a popular event space, with room to accommodate a diverse array of groups and gatherings.
Location: 4400 Bellaire Boulevard Bellaire, Texas 77401
Hours: Sunday – Thursday 7 am – 11 pm; Friday & Saturday 7 am – Midnight
Market Square Park
Nestled in Houston’s Theater District is Market Square Park, a quaint little park that’s perfect for an afternoon date. If things are going well, you’ll want to stay a little longer and enjoy a free moving screening outdoors.
You could also take in a show at one of the nearby theaters in the neighborhood. Those are just three reasons to love Market Square Park.
Location: 301 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002
Hours: Daily 6 am – 11 pm
Parks in Houston for Picnics with Plenty of Activities
Menil Park
Image credit: menil.org
Located on the campus of Houston’s largest collection of free, public art that rotates throughout the year, Menil Park is the ultimate picnic spot. Take in the incredible, large-scale art before unfolding your blanket and enjoying your meal for the day.
Don’t want to prepare anything to eat? The Menil Collection museum has a cafe on its property where you could take food to go to enjoy outside.
Location: 1423 Branard St, Houston, TX 77006
Hours: Daily 7 am – 7 pm
Exploration Park
What: Exploration Park is an immersive children’s park in Houston. It’s located alongside the north side of Willow Fork Drainage District’s Diversion Channel, just south of Creech Elementary.
Opened in 2015, the park appeals to a wide range of ages and is unlike any other in the area.
The design of Exploration Park is rooted in children’s play, environmental stewardship, educational principles, and an overall theme inspired by water. It offers visitors a multipurpose play area, an open lawn for unstructured play, and a covered pavilion with picnic tables.
Play features include a sensory garden, swings, a musical bridge, a raindrop berm lawn, and a slide tower and bridge connecting to a hill slide. An interactive water cycle wall creates a hands-on experience that demonstrates the water cycle and educational signage encourages water conservation.
Exploration Park is open during daylight hours, with the pavilion available on a first-come, first served basis. Reservations are not accepted for private use of the park or pavilion.
With that said, Exploration Park is the ideal place to hold a picnic with your little ones.
Location: 15020 Cinco Park Rd, Katy, TX 77450
Hours: Daily 8 am – 8 pm
If you are up for it, you can also join The Best of Houston Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour which also includes taking you to stunning parks in Houston!
Dog-Friendly Spots – Picnic Houston
Buffalo Bayou Park
Best Picnic Spots in Houston | Image credit: Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Stretched along the Buffalo Bayou, this park is great for exercise and taking in public art, but it’s also our favorite picnic spot — especially if you want to bring your dog with you. Buffalo Bayou Park may have one of the best dog parks in the city.
So, take your dog to the dog park first to get him or her nice and tired, then head for the picnic pavilion where you can enjoy your lunch at a comfortable table. Oh, did we mention you can take in incredible skyline views of Houston? It’s the perfect backdrop to your picnic.
Location: Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street between Allen Parkway and, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX
Hours: Daily 6 am – 11 pm (lighted areas) | Dawn to dusk (other areas)
Levy Park
What: Levy Park is a vibrant urban space located in the heart of the Upper Kirby District of Houston.
The park’s thoughtful design features activity areas, a dog park, a community garden, the Children’s Park, and beautiful landscaping. Accenting the grounds are free, year-round passive and active programming in wellness, the arts, education, and recreation.
The park has more than ample space for a lovely picnic with friends, family, and furbabies.
Location: 3801 Eastside St, Houston, TX 77098
Hours: Monday – Saturday 8 am – 10 pm; Sunday 8 am – 5 am
There are always lots of fun events going on in Houston. Check out our weekly updates to Things to Do in Houston this Weekend, and Things to Do in Houston this Weekend with Kids to stay up to date!
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