Top 5 Places to Play Pokémon Go in Houston

top-5-places-pokemon-go-houston-2016
Photo courtesy of Nintendo

Get outdoors and have a Pokéball with these five scenic Pokémon Go hotspots in Houston.

With our list being comprised of local green spaces, you are likely to stumble upon repeats of normal, grass, bug, and water type Pokémon, but if you’re lucky you may find some rare creatures too.

What we know for certain is that you are guaranteed a good time and sure to run into plenty of other Pokétrainers in these safe and beloved Houston mainstays.

Whether you’re out with friends, family or collecting solo, we wish you happy hunting and a fully-charged battery as you attempt to catch ’em all. Click here to download the Pokémon GO app.

top-5-pokemon-go-houston-2016
Photo courtesy of Nintendo

Top 5 Places to Play Pokémon Go in Houston

  • Houston Zoo – As funny a notion as it may seem, you’re liable to find more attendees with their phones in front of their faces searching for coveted Pokémon on the zoo grounds than taking notice of the wild animals IRL. This just goes to show how great of a Pokémon GO hotspot the Houston Zoo really is (and how much the craze is sweeping the city). Catch a Psyduck amongst real-life feathered friends at Duck Lake, flee from annoying Rattatas hanging with the Zoo’s mole-rats in the Natural Encounters exhibit, and of course, take the time to look over the zoo animals if you’re paying the price of admission. Membership is encouraged for repeat Pokéfreaks. 9am to 7pm daily; last entry at 6pm. Click here for directions.
  • Hermann Park | FREE – Get out your Pokédex and hit the beautiful Japanese Garden, roll Pokéballs down the hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre, take in the view of trainers with their faces buried in their phones atop the mound at McGovern Centennial Gardens and more at this Museum District mainstay. With more than five gyms where you can battle-it-out with Pokétrainers, and more landmarks turned Pokéstops than there are Pokémon, you’ll be leveling up to victory in no time fast. Pro-tip: if you are planning to be out collecting for extended periods bring your phone charger or invest in a battery pack as the Pokémon GO app quickly drains phones of their charge. 6am to 11pm daily. Click here for directions.
  • Memorial Park | FREE – More than four million people have access to Memorial Park each year. In 2016 almost every one of those attendees with a smartphone will be searching for 250 Pokemon in the area. That’s a lot of Pokédexes that are being filled. You do the math! Featuring a combination of amenities, nature, and recreation in the centrally located Memorial area, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to act like you aren’t collecting. Thirty miles of hiking trails means you’ve got plenty of ground to cover and even more stretching to do before you tackle the park’s daunting terrain. 6am to 11pm daily. Click here for directions.
  • The Menil Collection | FREE – Who knew that Pokémon could appreciate the finer things in life? Apparently, there have been numerous sitings of the pocket monsters hanging out on the landmark Museum District campus, and boy have fans begun to take notice. Tour the Menil’s renowned Surrealism selection before springing a Pokéball on an unsuspecting Squirtle, experience the solitude of Rothko Chapel before you search for an Eevee in Menil Park, and definitely take a break from collecting to experience the Dan Flavin Installation or Byzantine Fresco Chapel. Fair warning: no picture-taking is allowed inside of the Menil Collection, so be prepared for staff and docents to be wary of the collecting craze. Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 7pm for Menil Collection; dawn to dusk for Menil Park. Click here for directions. Click here for a map of the Menil campus.
  • Discovery Green | FREE – Flock to the 12-acre Downtown oasis where you’ll find a mixed bag of kids, adults, and young professionals taking in both park amenities and the latest smartphone craze. Discovery Green offers plenty of shade trees to combat the blistering weather so you can focus your battling attention on other trainers. This Downtown destination has quickly become one of the most popular spots in all of the city for Pokétrainers to congregate. Luckily for fans, the scenic locale has become just as popular amongst rare Pokémon as it has for their hopeful trainers. 6am to 11pm. Click here for directions.
top-5-places-pokemon-go-houston-2016
Photo: Cody Swann
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Cody Swann
Cody Swann is a writer and musician born and raised in Houston. When he isn't recording or touring the country with his band, Wild Moccasins, he can be found covering live music and arts events for 365 Things to Do in Houston.