In our Park Spotlight series, we take a closer look at Houston’s vast array of public recreational areas to shine a light on hidden and not so hidden gems. This week we’ll be spotlighting Bagby Park. Join us as we take a trip through Houston, park by park.
Located in Midtown at the intersection of Gray and Bagby Street, this 30,000-square foot hub of activity has become a popular destination for both residents and visitors looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, while still in the heart of it.
Built in the early 2000s, and renovated in 2014, the park makes the most of a relatively modest space with amenities, including a lush green area perfect for lawn games, a food kiosk open daily/nightly, a shaded dog park surrounded by tranquil water sculptures, and a calendar chock-full of monthly events and performances year-round.
Park Amenities & Special Events
In addition to the ample green space for adults, children, and pups, guests can put their competitive edge to the test with popular lawn games like cornhole, giant beer pong and bocce ball or take a more traditional approach to their gamesmanship with ping pong and even an oversized Jenga game.
If games aren’t your thing, check out one of the park’s many monthly events like the Midtown Wine Down happy hour series every first Friday from 6pm to 9pm, enjoy a matinee performance during Live at Lunch every second Saturday from 12:30pm to 2pm or be good to your body and enjoy an intense workout coupled with a yoga class at Midtown in Motion every second and fourth Saturday starting at 9:30am.
Both entertainment events feature delicious food/drink specials from Rico’s Morning + Noon + Night, conveniently located within the park at the corner of Gray and Bagby Street.
Click here for a complete list of monthly’s and special events.
Park Rules
Though the park is generally lax and open daily to the public from 8am to 10pm, guests should note that outside alcohol, loud music, and climbing on the letters of the Midtown sculpture or water sculpture is strictly prohibited.
It would also be easy to make the mistake so it’s worth it to mention that animals are not allowed to be unleashed outside of the designated dog park and they are definitely not supposed to be on the lawn.
Click here for a complete list of park rules or frequently asked questions.
Rico’s Morning + Noon + Night
We all know that hunger knows no hour. Luckily, as their name suggests, Rico’s Morning + Noon + Night has you covered –no matter the time of day, with hours as late as 3am on the weekends.
Dine on a delicious chef-crafted menu of burgers, hot dogs, fries, breakfast tacos, late night snacks, custards and milkshakes, all prepared to be eaten easily at the park or on-the-go.
If you’re in the mood for a cold one to fight off the heat, guests 21 and older can enjoy libations-a-plenty such as craft beer, wine, frozen sake, frosé, and margaritas.
Click here for a complete menu and list of hours.
Bagby Bark & Yappy Hour
While dogs are not permitted on the main lawn, they are welcome in the Bagby Park Dog run. Four-legged friends can run and play off leash with you or other dogs in the enclosed and shaded area while enjoying plenty to drink from the water fountain.
If that weren’t enough, every fourth Friday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm visitors are encouraged to meet the neighbors and their pets for a special “Yappy Hour” in the dog park, complete with complimentary treats from park sponsors.
Pet owners will find plenty available themselves, with food and drink specials offered at the Rico’s just across the park.
The park does ask that owners clean up after their pets with the supplied waste bags and adhere to all posted rules in the dog park.
“Give Advice & Aspire to” Wall
It sounds strange, but make sure to grab some sidewalk chalk before you head to the park.
Located directly to the left of the letter “M” in the giant Midtown sculpture, visitors will find a double-sided black chalkboard that invites you to write in the “best advice I would give” on one side and “Aspire to…” on the other.
Even if you don’t fill-in-the-blanks yourself, it’s worth it to take a look at past participant’s sincere answers and other jokester’s…more comical approach to the wall.
Whether you choose to take a heartfelt approach or more of an “off-the-wall” approach in answering, is entirely up to you.
Bagby Park
- Location: 415 Gray St, Houston, TX 77002
- Hours: 8am to 10pm daily. Hours are subject to change seasonally.
- Parking: Metered street parking is available along Bagby, Gray, and Pierce on weekdays until 6pm. Additionally, there are parking garages at 1910 Bagby and 302 Gray Street (enter via Bagby or Baldwin Street). Always read the posted signs to ensure you are legally parked. For bike riders, there are bike racks along Bagby Street next to the park. There is also a Bcycle location at 2089 Baldwin Street. For METRO riders, there are various bus and METRORail stops throughout Midtown Houston. Click here to plan your route. Free street parking is available after 6pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. Click here for a map of the entire park.
