Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Review

Easy walk with good views including turtles and water fowl.

Amazing place to visit! Dog walks, alone time, perfect for dates etc. Small history museum and shop to purchase souvenirs. Texas is super hot! So it helps that there are tons of trees !

Parking was n$1.35 per hr. Now $5.00 for all day. Does anyone stay all day?

My favorite sanctuary in the middle of the city. The recent renovation yielded gorgeous trails and abundant parking.

No 1 place for me in Houston, pretty quiet. Take a good book and read it, walk some times , may take a nap.

Nice place to hang out with friends or families in nature. Even the longest trail is not that long to walk, which may take around or less than two hours. Just need to pay attention on locating the entrance of the parking lot correctly.

This is my favorite birdwatching location in Houston. Love it.

Great event with live animals! Love the trails. The mosquitos were pretty bad but otherwise it's a great place.

Pretty cool place for a mini in town adventure! Also good to being your pet pal! My doggy seemed to enjoy herself with nature, just make sure to check the weather! Lol

Very nice place to stroll and enjoy the flora. Not much wildlife seen in the middle of the day, but that's not unusual, especially in the middle of the city. Birds and armadillos might be seen.

There are areas currently (Feb 2019) under construction for improvements. There may be machinery making noise or materials lying on the side of the path. There is also noise from the railroad tracks and the interstate on certain paths.

The flora is lovely, and there is a lot of variety. There are walkways through and next to some water features. Benches appear on the paths regularly.

Parking is no longer free. Apparently, the day we went was the first day they charged to park. It's $1/hour.

Very enjoyable experience!

A wonderful little forest hidden within the hustle and bustle of The Galleria. Trails and small bridges over streams wind their way through the Arboretum. I would recommend to bring some bug repellant, especially during the summer, because mosquitos could make your experience less pleasant. There are weekly events that offer learning experiences for all ages and also some alcohol infused events for adults only. The arboretum was founded in 1967 and is one of the oldest nature education facilities in Texas. The offer guided tours and you can even rent out areas for weddings. Pretty cool place to visit or for a change of scenery. Make sure you dress appropriately though - there are some bugs and possibly snakes.

Great place to visit. It was a bit crowded but if you go early that should not be a problem. Lots of trails to do and see. We saw large snapping turtle, redeared turtle, a cardinal, picked wild blackberries.

This place use to be more scenic, I'll go to Brazos bend state park instead

Very nice everything, you learn something new and a bit of everything

The idea of the whole place in general is to have facilities to the minimum and keep it in its natural state as much as possible. I mean after all it's in the downtown middle of the city with busy roads all around it. And to have a nature reserve accessible like this surrounded by concrete is a blessing. I'm not a tree hugger but I always admire the efforts no matter great or minimal that protect the nature from constant urbanisation and thoughtless deforestation.

And most importantly, the purpose is educational so you can connect with nature while learning the science how the system works so ignorant people walking in with their picnic baskets, only looking for a spot to chill, without knowing the purpose/value of the place should seek amusement in a park next door because they'll always find it grubby, muddy and full of bushes.

Hidden around the corner from Memorial Park is this gem. The best part is how relaxing this area is! Several trails, all clearly marked make up this park. You would never think you are in the city. Along the trails are benches to stop and relax, read, or just to catch a break. There is also a very nice gift shop and information center up front. New trails are consistently being added all while keeping the same vibe. Parking can be a bit tight, but usually a spot can be found with some patience

Great place for exercise and exploring, at the same time.

Recent renovations are a success. A must-see in Houston when the weather is warm.

A free location and well worth a visit. You will have to pay for parking. There around 40 goats in the middle of the garden "mowing the lawn". I power walked around the walkway and it took me 1.5 hours

So there is no question section, I have not been here going today and I was wondering is there any fee of any kind? Do we have to bring anything special? And is this place safe during the Pandemic?

I love exploring, I don't love being in danger. I love it because you can get safely lost in nature. Very well maintained and free parking on Thursdays.

It's a super awesome place, if you enjoy beautiful scenery, cute animals and light exercise. I do not like 2-3 so I generously give 3

A great place to start off the weekend and get away in the loop.

Incredible midtown arboretum with nature trails and a learning center. You must visit at least once , I am a huge fan of nicely preserved outdoor spaces such as this .

Stopped by for the plant sale. Visited the nature center, kids loved it! Ages 8&9.

Loved the nature walks. Great day spent with the kids.

Perfect place to walk alone, with others, even dogs. Parking is easy (now at a cost.) It's well-maintained, overall nice place to be.

Walked on a wooden path over a pond. It was a beautiful walk! The parking is accessible through a physical machine or an app on your phone which is very convenient. On both sides of the trail there were convenient shaded benches. It was really a great place to bring our pup for a short walk.

Lots of new walkways. Lots of renovations looking good for multiple ponds and improved birding.

Such a beautiful and serene pocket of nature in the heart of a bustling city. A great place to unplug and enjoy the scenery, run, or even just rest and watch nature on any of the many benches they have around the area. Be prepared to see numerous wildlife and Texas native plants. A great place to spend time!

Gorgeous. They even have little blackberries on some paths!! So cool

Amazing place. Like it a lot with renovation and new trails. Can't wait to see the final results which is 1-2 years from now.

Beautiful country woods atmosphere in the middle of the city. My wife and I and our six kids walked the outer loop with a pediatric wheelchair and double stroller with no issues. Here on a Saturday, so the trails were a little busy, but no issues. Dogs on a leash are welcomed and parking is currently free (although there are signs stating "Paid parking coming soon"). Great for a family fun picnic/walk day.

Absolutely beautiful place to go out for a stroll! As of 8/6/18, they're still in the midst of making changes so there will be some construction eyesores. However, it doesn't detract from how serene the place is. I definitely recommend a visit for anyone who enjoys flora.

Cool shop, very cute stuff.. trails were also very nice. Serene and soothing.

Great. Except for men's room. If you go #2, you cannot secure either of the stall doors.

Nice walking trails in the middle of Houston. A good place to get away without having to go far

Love the hikes. Went for a wedding- absolutely beautiful! Great for all ages

I love the arboretum but wish there were separate trails for dogs. A woman walking in front of me today let her dog poop without scooping.

It s a great place to get outdoors and enjoy nature without needing a long drive. Leave the office early, stop by, walk around and regain a bit of your inner peace. See a bird, feed a turtle or a squirrel, and let the rats win the race for a change.

My stuff got stolen out of my car and the lady in the visitor center was totally rude about it and had idea what the word compassion means. The hikes were easy and nice to look at though.

Beautiful place to take a short walk or a long hike

There are a significant amount of recent improvements. Great place to have a slow, quiet walk and enjoy nature. Even though it was in the heat of summer, a lot of flowers were blooming.

Make sure you spray the bug spray ... You're in Texas and mesquitos are rampid !!!!! Nice natural walking,jogging trails for solos, families and dogs on a leash))

Great walking trails and they're building new nature centers, a nice visit on a cooler day.

Great place to take kids and escape away from hustle and bustle and be with (and teach kids about) nature inside Houston.

This is my second post in the Houston Arboretum. I've been hitting the trails going on two decades now and park management has always done a good job of keeping the Arboretum open and user friendly to the thousands who use it weekly. Even during droughts, hurricanes, and power outages the facility has been up and running in record time. This is a great benefit for Houstonians who look to the Arboretum for all manner of outdoor activities. Recently management completed a set of enhancements that greatly expand the appeal of the Arboretum.
Two entry and exit points with new paved roadways from the 610 and Woodway sides are now operational, compared to just one previously. Parking spaces have been massively expanded at the Arboretum, and paid parking options will soon be abailable as well. A new, large, aquatic pond, complete with new plants, a beautiful serpentine bridge, and indigenous animal life for the habitat are now operational too. The pond looks to contain at least a two or three acre-feet of water so it's quite substantial. Ongoing wildflower plantings on new ground, upgraded pedestrian bridges and benches, and quality trail maintainence round out the upgrade picture. The Arboretum and Nature Center are now even more accessible, accommodating, and user friendly than before. More people will undoubtedly show up to enjoy the enhancements, and the people taking care of the park can earn some well derserved kudos for their hard work on behalf of Houstonians physical health, social benefits, and enjoyment of the great outdoors.

Gorgeous and well maintained. Perfectly captures the beauty of the Houston ecosystem. Great day trip for the whole family, especially if you go on the free parking day.

Great place to walk and see nature right in the middle of houston. They have some quiet walking trails that run through some wetlands. We saw a few snakes and lots of frogs and turtles. we usually go at least twice a year especially when they have big events like earthday. The new parking lot makes everything more accessible and since it's on the 610 side, the park actually now seems quieter.

This place is so neat! You would never believe you are in Houston! Go!

The kids and I love this place plenty to walk and see.

Paradise for nature lover that too in the center of the city.

Blissful and serene.

Nice trails.

Worth visiting to surrender in the calmness of mother nature.

awesome place... don't leave out mother nature... beautiful sections and some quiet amidst all the chaos

Beautiful place to take a stroll with kids and fur babies

Fun break from the city located inside of the City. Great place for a day date walk.

The best calm natural spot for a walk in Houston. The evening and weekend programs are fun and it's just a great space to learn a little about the native flora and fauna on the bayou.

Such a calm and relaxing area to take in nature's wonders. Really positive vibes

Well kept trails and a true escape from the city without ever leaving it

Great place to visit. Be prepared for construction.

Beautiful place lots of amazing information in central building. A must visit if you are resident of Houston of even just visiting and a great place for kids to learn. I love what they are doing here and hope it continues and grows for enternity.

We went on a Sunday afternoon. Please dress in shorts and sneakers. Lol...it was so hot. We enjoyed the trails but they definitely need signs. We got lost. Thank God we found our way out. You definitely get your steps in.

I went to check it out and the place is so nice. Its really peaceful if you like taking walks in nature. You wouldn't even know it was in the middle of the city unless you were hanging around the edges of the property. There are a couple different trails. Some people go running around the outer trail. I really like the area around the pond. On the way there and all around it seems like you are really walking in a forest. There are benches spaced out around the trails. I saw them mainly near the pond though. Different people had them dedicated to their loved ones. I heard you can have weddings and special events at the arboretum. It would be beautiful. They even do yoga classes on certain days. Definitely a hidden gem.

Very calm and serene. Typically, it's not super busy. Nice trails to hike. Good chance to see different wildlife like birds, turtles, and armadillos. Decent amount of parking. Good for kids and adults. Great variety of trees and plants.

Wonderful place. Loved the quietness. Drawbacks... place is under construction... lots and lots of mosquitoes (meaning, dawn or dusk is not your best time to visit).

Lots of "wild", native vegetation with numerous walking trails. Great place for families. Parking requires payment; $5 for all day. Entry and use of facilities are free. Lots of construction for improvements and expansion in progress, but are avoidable for the most part. Take a camera for photy of flowers, critters, and birds. Lots of strategicly located benches to sit down on. Great helpful and welcoming staff. Wave to the snakes.

Parking is $1 an hour or $5 a day.
Parking is free on Thursday s.

There are 13 different trails to hike.

The #2 rule on their website is that "Trails are designed for hiking only".
They enforce this rule because they want to remove the intensity associated with other activities like jogging and bike riding and put more emphasis on relaxing and enjoying nature.

I highly recommend you download a free digital copy of the trails map from their website or pick up a free paper copy from the Nature Center.

Enjoy

Great nature get away in middle of Houston. Hope they can keep it up and maybe ban smoking so there's no danger of fire here.

It's nice but my main concern is that I was walking my dogs (leashed) and decided to sit on a bench by the pond area with the painted turtles to give them some water in their bowls and a couple with bird watching binoculars spotted a small Alligator (was definitely an alligator lol). There are NO SIGNS by the water that say anything about Alligator warnings. Also overheard an employee guarantee a woman and her child that they have no venomous snakes here. (OK. Sure ya don't.) Even though there was a sign that guarantees you may find a copperhead LOL

This and the woods around it are a great easy escape from city life and to get your nature, "fix."

Great trails that are nice and long with gorgeous sights. Fun place to take the dogs to.

Arguably the most beautiful place in Houston. Some places are straight out of a Miyazaki movie.

One of Houston's hidden gems!
Their summer camp is kick-ass! My child learns a lot, had fun, enjoys the hikes & always asks to come back!