HOUSTON – Each year, acres and acres of bluebonnets bloom, blanketing Texas highways, pastures and parks in vibrant, Instagrammable color. This year, we’re in for another spectacular Spring showing.
Once you’re photo-ready, grab your camera, hop in the car and flock to these spots before the bluebonnets go to seed around mid-May.
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Here’s a list of locales historically good for bluebonnet photo ops. Bonus: They’re all public spaces and each offers parking. There’s no need to pull up along roadsides or ignore property laws to snap a glorious bluebonnet pic.
Buffalo Bayou Park
Stretching from Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive, Buffalo Bayou Park is a massive green space in the middle of the city. The park’s got a hike and bike trail system, a skate park, a play area, a dog park, ponds and several pedestrian bridges. Visitors can rent bicycles, kayaks and canoes from Buffalo Bayou Park, weather permitting.
1800 Allen Pkwy &, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 752-0314
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 6 a.m.-11 p.m.
Spotts Park
Located west of Downtown near Buffalo Bayou, near the intersection of Waugh and Memorial, the 16-acre Spotts Park features skyline views, trails, a playground, and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts.
401 S Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007
(832) 394-8805
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
Memorial Park
Spanning nearly 1,466 acres, Memorial Park is one of the largest urban parks in the nation. The park includes multi-use trails, the Houston Arboretum, the 18-hole Memorial Park Golf Course, and facilities for tennis, softball, swimming, track, croquet, volleyball, and skating.
6501 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 863-8403
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 6 a.m.-11 p.m.
Hermann Park
The 445-acre park, up against Brays Bayou and between the Texas Medical Center and the Museum District is home to the Houston Zoo, several walking trails, Miller Outdoor theater, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Hermann Park Golf Course, McGovern Centennial Gardens, several ponds and, in the Spring, bluebonnets. Take a walk through McGovern Centennial Garden any you may spot some budding bonnets among the other foliage. Brays Bayou Trail along Hermann Park is also a historically good spot to search for bluebonnets.
6001 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030
(713)524-5876
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Terry Hershey Park
The 496-acre Terry Hershey Park runs parallel to a roughly 6-mile stretch of the Buffalo Bayou in western Houston. The park offers play spaces, trails, a fishing area and a picnic area.
15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079
(281) 496-2177
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Mercer Botanic Gardens
Mercer Botanic Gardens spans over 400 acres in Humble. Aldine Westfield Road divides the property into the east side botanic gardens and the west side arboretum. The botanic gardens consists of over 60 acres of maintained gardens. The east side also boasts a walking trail system, ponds and a visitor’s center. The west side features two playgrounds, a picnic area nestled in a woodland setting with two barbecue pavilions, plenty of picnic tables, a hickory bog and boardwalk, cypress swamp, maple collection and several miles of walking trails
22306 Aldine Westfield Rd, Humble, TX 77338
(713) 274-4160
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Willow Waterhole Greenspace
This green space in Houston features a series of ponds, walking trails and gazebos, and come Spring, fields of wildflowers.
5201 S Willow Dr, Houston, TX 77035
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Rob Fleming Park
This Woodlands-area park features bbq pits, a dog park, fishing areas, multiple gazebos and play equipment. In summary, there’s tons to do once your done admiring the bluish beauties sure to dot the fields throughout the park.
6055 Creekside Forest Dr, Spring, TX 77389
(281) 210-3900
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 7 a.m.-7 p.m.