Buffalo Bayou Park
A riverside greenway linking the downtown skyline. You can paddle a kayak, visit the underground cistern and watch the bat colony emerge at dusk.
This linear park runs about 3.6 km along Buffalo Bayou, with walking and cycling paths connecting grassy slopes, sculptures and viewpoints. It is the best place to photograph the downtown skyline. The underground cistern, built in 1926, has 221 columns mirrored in the water like a mirror. It requires a reserved guided tour, about US$10. At dusk, you can see about 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats fly out to forage from beneath the Waugh Drive bridge. You can also rent kayaks or bicycles.
Opening hours
All day (cistern tours Wed–Sun, reservation required)
Nearby sights
- Sam Houston Park
- Downtown Aquarium, Houston
- Houston Theater District
- POST Houston
- Discovery Green
- Rothko Chapel
- The Menil Collection
- Daikin Park