16. Memorial Park Golf Course
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 559-2000
Address: 1001 E. Memorial Loop Dr.
Description: One of the best-rated municipal golf courses in Texas is located inside Memorial Park. Since opening in 1923, this 18-hole, 600-acre course has hosted the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. In 1995 the course was renovated to include a lighted driving course, putting and chipping greens, a golf museum, and a new clubhouse. A practice range and lessons are available for beginners and more experienced golfers looking to improve their game. The course is open in the evenings. Fees vary depending on the day, time, and the golfer’s age, but they range anywhere from $10 for youth to $38 for adults on weekends and holidays. Balls and carts can be rented for an additional fee. Call or visit the website to book your tee time.
17. Wildcat Golf Club
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 413-3400
Address: 12000 Almeda Rd.
Description: Located 10 minutes from downtown in southeast Houston, Wildcat Golf Club offers 36 holes of great golf. The club is home to two courses—the Highlands Course and the Lakes Course. Both offer picturesque views of the downtown skyline, big elevation changes, and fast greens, but the Lakes Course throws in some water to make things more challenging. Four putting greens give you a chance to practice before teeing off. Greens fees range from $39.90 to $63.75, depending on the time of day. Special rates are available for seniors and children. Call or visit the website to schedule your tee time.
18. World Houston Golf Course
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (281) 449-8381
Address: 4000 Greens Rd.
Description: This par-72, 6,700-yard course is one of the oldest courses in town. The 70.8-rated course offers challenges from 37 bunkers and water on 13 holes. It also has a 119-slope rating from the championship tees. On Wednesday through Saturday, the course’s Ranch Grill serves burgers and sandwiches. Greens fees include golf cart rentals and range from $16 to $34. Special rates are offered for students, golfers under 18, and seniors 60 and older. Visit the website to book your tee time.
19. Fonde Recreation Center
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 226-4466
Address: 110 Sabine
Description: Fonde Recreation Center is home to well-maintained basketball courts, where amateurs and pros alike team up for pickup games. Basketball isn’t your sport of choice? The center also offers a weight room, aerobics and tai-chi classes, pickle games for seniors, volleyball and badminton games, and plenty of free activities. The downtown location makes this a convenient place to work out during lunch or before or after work. Fonde Recreation Center is free to the public.
20. Judson Robinson, Jr., Fitness Center at Hermann Park
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 284-1997
Address: 2020 Hermann Dr.
Description: Work in the Medical Center or the Museum District? Or visiting someone at one of the Medical Center hospitals? Whatever the case, this Hermann Park-based fitness center is a great place to work out. There’s a full gym and weight room, as well as a racquetball court. Monthly membership costs just $20; one-time and infrequent guests can pay $1.50 per half hour or $3 per hour to use the racquetball court. The center is closed evenings and on Sun; it’s only open until 2 p.m. on Sat.
21. Macgregor Fitness Center
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 747-8650
Address: 5225 Calhoun
Description: Located just south of the University of Houston’s main campus in MacGregor Park, the MacGregor Fitness Center boasts a fully loaded weight room. A little cardio can be added to your workout with a pickup game in the covered, full-court basketball pavilion or a run on the 1.25-mile jogging trail located in the park. There are tennis courts available next door at the Homer Ford Tennis Center. Use of the fitness center is free; showers and lockers can be used at Homer Ford Tennis Center for 75 cents each. Closed on weekends.
22. Memorial Park Fitness Center
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 802-1662
Address: 6402 Arnot St.
Description: Memorial Park Fitness Center offers weights and aerobic machines, such as treadmills, stairmasters, and ellipticals, as well as opportunities to work with a personal trainer. You can even swim laps at the swim center in the morning during the summer and at select times throughout the year. Call to find out when the pool is open for lap swim. Memorial Park Fitness Center is open daily, but it closes at noon on Sun. Monthly membership costs $20; daily memberships cost $1.75.
23. The Downtown Club
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 654-0877
Address: 1100 Caroline St.
Description: The Downtown Club is the name for three different downtown facilities, two of which have extensive fitness facilities. The Downtown Club at the Met is home to a gym and weight room, group fitness classes, and courts for squash, basketball, tennis, and racquetball. The Downtown Club at the Houston Center offers a gym and weight room, basketball and racquetball courts, and group classes. Both also have a dining room and snack bar. Visit the website for a free trial membership.
24. Fit Athletic Club
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 782-9348
Address: 1532 W. Gray St. at Waugh St.
Description: Located between River Oaks and downtown, FIT Athletic Club is a popular place to socialize and work out. In addition to a state-of-the-art gym with great personal trainers, FIT offers yoga, Pilates, martial arts, cardio and conditioning, and cycling classes. Hungry after your workout? FIT’s cafe serves healthy meals, snacks, coffee, comfortable couches, and Wi-Fi access. Visit the website for a free one-day pass.
25. Memorial Athletic Club And Aquatic Center
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (281) 497-7570
Address: 14690 Memorial Dr.
Description: Workout possibilities are endless at the Memorial Athletic Club, where you’ll find racquetball and basketball courts, a weight room, and a cardiovascular center with treadmills, ellipticals, bicycles, and stairmasters galore. Yoga, Pilates, and spinning classes are offered in two aerobics studios; there’s a jogging trail outside and two heated pools—one indoor and one out. Memorial Athletic Club also offers ballet, tumbling, jazz, and other fitness and conditioning classes for kids. Membership doesn’t require a contract. Memorial Athletic Club’s sister club, MAC for Women, is just down the street at 14633 Memorial Dr. This location offers nursery care for babies so moms can work out and take Pilates classes. Call (281) 558-6691 for more information.
26. Timberline Fitness
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 523-7007
Address: 3939 Montrose Blvd.
Description: As one of Houston’s pricier gyms, Timberline Fitness is a popular place to get in shape with the help of a personal trainer. This Montrose-area gym also offers machines for solo workouts, as well as Pilates, yoga, martial arts, and boot camp classes. Several membership options are available.
27. Stone Moves Indoor Rock Climbing
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (281) 397-0830
Address: 6970 FM 1960 Rd. West, in northwest Hous
Description: Whether you’re a noncompetitive jogger or training for a marathon, Houston is a great place to run. All of the city’s parks include runner-friendly trails. Marathoners and distance runners tend to enjoy the long-running trails at Terry Hershey Park, and short-distance race runners will find the 0.25-mile concrete asphalt timing track at Memorial Park a good place to practice their speed. Throughout the year, several races, as well as one of the country’s best marathons, are held in Houston.
28. Running
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: Whether you’re a noncompetitive jogger or training for a marathon, Houston is a great place to run. All of the city’s parks include runner-friendly trails. Marathoners and distance runners tend to enjoy the long-running trails at Terry Hershey Park, and short-distance race runners will find the 0.25-mile concrete asphalt timing track at Memorial Park a good place to practice their speed. Throughout the year, several races, as well as one of the country’s best marathons, are held in Houston.
29. Homer Ford Tennis Center (16 Courts)
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 842-3460
Address: 5225 Calhoun
Description: Houston and the surrounding areas offer plenty of opportunities fishing, boating, waterskiing, surfing, Jet-Skiing, kayaking, and other water sports. While there aren’t many places to boat or enjoy other activities that require waves within the city limits, there are miles of water within an hour’s drive of Houston. Additional lakes and beach destinations are located within just a couple of hours of the city.
30. Lee Leclear (26 Courts)
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 272-3697
Address: 9506 S. Gessner Dr.
Description: Houston and the surrounding areas offer plenty of opportunities fishing, boating, waterskiing, surfing, Jet-Skiing, kayaking, and other water sports. While there aren’t many places to boat or enjoy other activities that require waves within the city limits, there are miles of water within an hour’s drive of Houston. Additional lakes and beach destinations are located within just a couple of hours of the city, though only the closest and most popular ones are listed here.