Houston Trip 2024

Having visited Houston annually for the last 3 years I would recommend the Natural Science Museum, Houston Zoo, and Moody Gardens. Moody Gardens was an interesting one for me as I was unsure if I would like it, but went anyways. I ended up spending 4 hours there and my entire group loved it. The exhibits are very high quality and it has a nice lineup of species in the rainforest. The aquarium is also very nice with some of the deepest tanks I have ever seen, although the signage is lacking in here.

Besides zoos I would recommend visiting the art museum which is next to the zoo, and is one of the largest in the United States. As well Memorial Park is one of the best urban parks in the country and if in the area I would recommend stopping by.
 
nczoofan said:
Having visited Houston annually for the last 3 years I would recommend the Natural Science Museum, Houston Zoo, and Moody Gardens. Moody Gardens was an interesting one for me as I was unsure if I would like it, but went anyways. I ended up spending 4 hours there and my entire group loved it. The exhibits are very high quality and it has a nice lineup of species in the rainforest. The aquarium is also very nice with some of the deepest tanks I have ever seen, although the signage is lacking in here.

Besides zoos I would recommend visiting the art museum which is next to the zoo, and is one of the largest in the United States. As well Memorial Park is one of the best urban parks in the country and if in the area I would recommend stopping by.
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Thank you! Any good restaurants you would recommend?
 
The Houston Zoo doesn't have their own designated parking lot (except the new employee parking garage), it's shared with people at Hermann Park so it gets filled up quickly. The zoo opens at 9am so I'll recommend getting there right at opening or sometime before to get a spot.
 
Batto said:
Hi,

I'm going to be in Houston during the last week of May this year. Any nearby wildlife-related as well as must-see general recommendations other than the zoo, the HMNS and the Waugh Drive Bat colony?

Moody Gardens = worth a visit?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
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Houston native here,
I’m a member at the Houston Zoo, and have been to Moody Gardens a plethora of times. The zoo is wonderful in the animal aspect, but parking is a nightmare on busy days. It shares parking lots with Herman Park and HMNS, so I’d suggest getting there early.
As for Moody Gardens, it’s a cool place, but comes with a steep price tag. I can’t remember the exact price, but I want to say $50 per person to do the rainforest & aquarium pyramid. The exhibits are high quality and look nice, as they re did it a few years back. The aquarium pyramid is better than the rainforest IMO.
If you’re looking at other places, the downtown aquarium is alright, but I’ve always been a little disappointed that this huge city has just a meh aquarium, but the restaurant (Landrys company) is alright food, but a very cool experience. The best tanks are upstairs in the restaurant IMO. The HMNS is also a neat visit, and can be cheap if you get a Groupon (9 bucks I think). Crocodile Encounter is in Angleton, and has the Houston Zoos old Albino Alligator Blanco. It’s very po dunk, but not a bad visit. Aggieland Safari in College Station is also a very cool drive thru safari, with a walk thru collection that surprised the heck out of me!
I know it’s a lot of words, but that’s my run down as someone born and raised in H-Town. Hope you enjoy your trip!
 
TexasZooMan said:
Houston native here,
I’m a member at the Houston Zoo, and have been to Moody Gardens a plethora of times. The zoo is wonderful in the animal aspect, but parking is a nightmare on busy days. It shares parking lots with Herman Park and HMNS, so I’d suggest getting there early.
As for Moody Gardens, it’s a cool place, but comes with a steep price tag. I can’t remember the exact price, but I want to say $50 per person to do the rainforest & aquarium pyramid. The exhibits are high quality and look nice, as they re did it a few years back. The aquarium pyramid is better than the rainforest IMO.
If you’re looking at other places, the downtown aquarium is alright, but I’ve always been a little disappointed that this huge city has just a meh aquarium, but the restaurant (Landrys company) is alright food, but a very cool experience. The best tanks are upstairs in the restaurant IMO. The HMNS is also a neat visit, and can be cheap if you get a Groupon (9 bucks I think). Crocodile Encounter is in Angleton, and has the Houston Zoos old Albino Alligator Blanco. It’s very po dunk, but not a bad visit. Aggieland Safari in College Station is also a very cool drive thru safari, with a walk thru collection that surprised the heck out of me!
I know it’s a lot of words, but that’s my run down as someone born and raised in H-Town. Hope you enjoy your trip!
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Coming from a local, "a lot of words" (it's not that much - you should have seen my past word battles at ZC ;) ) are highly appreciated. Also thanks for both your and @LadyA91 's warning regarding the parking situation.
 
Batto said:
Coming from a local, "a lot of words" (it's not that much - you should have seen my past word battles at ZC ;) ) are highly appreciated. Also thanks for both your and @LadyA91 's warning regarding the parking situation.
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If you have anymore questions about the zoo/ any of the other things to do, feel free to quote this, as I’m sure others have the same questions!
 
BBQ - Pinkertons
Mexican - Gringos or Chuys
Seafood - Not too big of a seafood guy but the downtown aquarium food is solid but the experience definitely makes it.
Snow Cones - I like Bahama bucks but it’s a chain so not really a Houston speciality
 
It is impossible to give you precise information if I don't know how experienced and interested are you in the field. If you are interested in birds, I suggest simply using ebird.org. For mammals, put a question on mammalwatching.com.

During my visit, Galveston Island, especially Galveston Island State Park, was full of waterbirds. The nearby Port Aransas area had wintering whooping cranes literally in peoples back gardens.
WG Jones State forest had red-cockaded woodpecker.
Attwater Praire Chicken NWR had a nice prairie, but most people don't succeed in seeing the eponymous prairie chicken. There was some information that some special tours inside the reserve take place and the chicken are visible during them, but I don't have any precise info.
East End Park near Atascocita had alligators, great horned owls and some birds more associated with the eastern U.S., but maybe not exceptional - I seen both also in several other places in Texas.
 
Having returned from Houston, I would like to thank y'all for the suggestions, especially by the ones who have actually been there.
- I enjoyed Houston Zoo, both before and bts. The Galapagos tortoise exhibit is one of the best I have seen so far for the species in a zoo.
- Moody Gardens was a pleasant surprise, especially given the bushmaster and bats (including what I think was Glossophaga soricina).
- Crocodile Encounter was just as worth my while, and seeing the leucisitic gator brought back good NOLA memories.
- Visiting the Armand Bayou Nature Center was a rather meh experience. They could do better, not just in regard to animal husbandry, but also hiking trail maintainance and signature.
- The Museum of Natural Sciences has a great paleontology, malacology and mineralogy section and knows how to display this superbly. We went there on a Tuesday evening (free admission after 5 pm).

As for culinary recommendations: I had
- Good BBQ at Dave's Smoke House Restaurant
- Great gumbo at Bo-bops
- Good seafood at Cajun Greek in Galveston
- Delicious fresh beignets at Damn Fine Coffee and Fried Pies
- Great American breakfast at Pelican Breakfast & Lunch
- Lovely Mexican food at Playa Maya by Habanero’s
- Good Snowcones at Seabrook Snow Sweets and Treats
- Yummy Mexican ice cream options at Michoacán A Pedir De Boca Ice Cream Shop
- Meh food at the Hobbit Cafe. I conquered the Morgoth Burger for the free T-shirt, but wouldn't do it again.
 
Batto said:
- Moody Gardens was a pleasant surprise, especially given the bushmaster and bats (including what I think was Glossophaga soricina).
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I've seen Pallas bats in a couple zoos in the last decade (California Science Center, Las Vegas Springs Preserve), so it is possible that is what you saw. I assume that they are difficult to maintain in the long term, because neither zoo still has them.
 
Batto said:
Having returned from Houston, I would like to thank y'all for the suggestions, especially by the ones who have actually been there.
- I enjoyed Houston Zoo, both before and bts. The Galapagos tortoise exhibit is one of the best I have seen so far for the species in a zoo.
- Moody Gardens was a pleasant surprise, especially given the bushmaster and bats (including what I think was Glossophaga soricina).
- Crocodile Encounter was just as worth my while, and seeing the leucisitic gator brought back good NOLA memories.
- Visiting the Armand Bayou Nature Center was a rather meh experience. They could do better, not just in regard to animal husbandry, but also hiking trail maintainance and signature.
- The Museum of Natural Sciences has a great paleontology, malacology and mineralogy section and knows how to display this superbly. We went there on a Tuesday evening (free admission after 5 pm).

As for culinary recommendations: I had
- Good BBQ at Dave's Smoke House Restaurant
- Great gumbo at Bo-bops
- Good seafood at Cajun Greek in Galveston
- Delicious fresh beignets at Damn Fine Coffee and Fried Pies
- Great American breakfast at Pelican Breakfast & Lunch
- Lovely Mexican food at Playa Maya by Habanero’s
- Good Snowcones at Seabrook Snow Sweets and Treats
- Yummy Mexican ice cream options at Michoacán A Pedir De Boca Ice Cream Shop
- Meh food at the Hobbit Cafe. I conquered the Morgoth Burger for the free T-shirt, but wouldn't do it again.
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Glad you enjoyed your trip! I haven’t been out to moody gardens in years, have they finally finished the giant river otter exhibit?
 
DavidBrown said:
I've seen Pallas bats in a couple zoos in the last decade (California Science Center, Las Vegas Springs Preserve), so it is possible that is what you saw. I assume that they are difficult to maintain in the long term, because neither zoo still has them.
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The species is kept in several European institutions. Unlike Moody Gardens, however, not together with Egyptian fruit bats.
 
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