What was once a weedy parking lot is now a 12-acre (4.8 hectares) space with playgrounds, dog runs, bike paths and more. Discovery Green hosts all kinds of fun activities for families, couples, groups of friends, and the solitary traveler. Complete with an amphitheater, children's theater and open 'sky gazing' areas, Discovery Green invites you to see, touch, hear, taste and explore your way through the park. For the more technologically inclined, the park is a Wi-Fi hot spot, perfect for study sessions.

Buffalo Bayou Park is a lush 160-acre park (64 hectares), where everyone can come to soothe the senses. Eleanor Tinsley Park, located within the park is host to many of Houston's festivals and a variety of activities. Experience a canoe trip or take a serene walk with a loved one through the beauty of this park. The park also has a play area for children, a dog park, unique art installations, sculptures and fountains throughout, and also includes bike trails.

Eleanor Tinsley Park, designated in April 1998, is bordered by Buffalo Bayou, Taft Street, Sabine Street and Allen Parkway. It has a small pool where you can see fish, turtles, and aquatic animals swimming. The sloping hills, trees, picnic tables and the swing sets make this an excellent place to relax. Every year on the 4th of July, grand celebrations with fireworks take place here. This is a regular venue for festivals. It also features a host of sculptures and other art pieces.

Within walking distance of the METRORail between the Wheeler and Hermann Hospital/Houston Zoo stops lies the highest concentration of galleries, museums, and art spaces in Houston. Besides the usual suspects - the Zoo, Fine Arts, Natural Science, Contemporary Arts, and Children's Museum - there is also the fascinating Health, Holocaust, Buffalo Soldiers National, and John C. Weather Museums to explore. Don’t miss Lawndale Art Center, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft or the Jung Center. A little farther off the beaten path (just up Montrose Boulevard on the other side of US59), are the famed Menil Collection, Rothko and Byzantine Fresco Chapels, and Houston Center for Photography. Stop for a meal at any of the fine eateries along Montrose Boulevard. Check the site for events and free times.

In his midnight millennium speech, Pope John Paul said the most defining elements of the 20th century were the rise and fall of two oppressive ideologies that victimized millions of people, Communism and Nazism. This museum is a tribute to the victims of the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Through changing exhibits, films and lectures, it seeks to inform future generations of the racism of the holocaust and the horrifying results of hatred. In addition to exhibits, there is a library, theater and document archives.

Memorial Park is a popular Houston attraction complete with a beautiful three-mile (4.8 kilometers) playground. There are walking paths, picnic sites, baseball fields, pine trees, gardens, and ponds in the sprawling park. Here, you can appreciate nature's beauty and make the most of the sunny weather. The locals love to jog here, but you can also rent a bike and hit the trail. There is also a public golf course with a clubhouse and restaurant, a tennis club, and a workout facility nestled on the grounds.

Standing stoically among sprawling, mature blankets of oak trees, the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park (formerly known as Williams Water Wall) has amazed visitors since its 1985 opening. The Waterwall sends 78,500 gallons of water down its face every three hours and two minutes, utilizing a recycling mechanism that continues the torrent until the lights are turned off at the end of the day. Visible from many of downtown Houston's buildings, this attraction has become something of an icon with locals. Perfect for a romantic stroll, picnic, or reflective moment, Williams Water Wall is a great stop in the area.