31. Memorial Park Tennis Center (18 Courts)
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 867-0440
Address: 1500 Memorial Loop, in Memorial Park
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.
32. Brazos Bend State Park
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (979) 553-5102
Address: 21901 FM 762
Description: Located about 30 miles southwest of Houston in Needville, Brazos Bend State Park offers plenty of fishing opportunities, though boats are prohibited. This 5,000-acre park runs along the Brazos River and has three lakes for fishing—Hale, New Horseshoe, and Forty Acre. There’s also a fishing pier at Hale Lake, and New Horseshoe offers shoreline fishing. Among the fish you’ll find: largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish, and carp. You don’t need a license to fish here, but you will be charged general admission, which costs $7 for visitors 13 and older. Kids 12 and under get in free.
33. Buffalo Bayou
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 752-0314
Description: Buffalo Bayou runs through Houston from Katy to the Houston Ship Channel. It’s is a fun place to kayak, canoe, or fish without leaving the city. Popular fishing spots along the bayou include Buffalo Bayou Park and George Bush Park. In addition to plenty of mosquito fish, you’ll find catfish and the occasional eel and bass in Buffalo Bayou. Two of the easiest spots to launch a canoe or kayak are located in Buffalo Bayou Park, near downtown. Haven’t gone canoeing or kayaking in the Bayou before? You might find it helpful to take a guided morning kayak tour through the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Call (713) 752-0314 or visit buffalobayou.org to learn more or sign up.
34. Clear Lake/Bay Area
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: Nicknamed the “Boating Capital of Texas,” Clear Lake is the shining star of the Bay Area, which sits just south of Houston along Galveston Bay. This breezy inlet spans 2,000 acres and includes more than 9,000 marina slips, making it the country’s third-largest basin for recreational boating. The Bay Area is also a popular spot for rowing, Jet-Skiing, waterskiing, and fishing. Among the most popular fish here are fingerling channel catfish and largemouth bass.
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
36. Lake Conroe
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: This human-made reservoir was completed in 1973. Today, thanks to its 157 miles of shoreline, Lake Conroe is one of Texas’s most popular boating destinations—and a great place to go Jet-Skiing, waterskiing, sailing, and windsurfing. The best spots for sailing and windsurfing tend to be near the southern portion of Lake Conroe—the side closest to Houston—since winds are usually heavier here. Lake Conroe is also a popular place to go fishing. Channel catfish and bluegill are particularly abundant.
37. Lake Houston
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 25 miles northeast of downtown
Description: Lake Houston sits on the San Jacinto River, about 25 miles northeast of downtown. Impounded in 1954, this human-made lake spans nearly 12,000 acres. Many people come here to go boating and fishing. The lake is stocked with fish common to the area—mainly largemouth bass, white bass, white crappie, blue catfish, and bluegill. You can also kayak, canoe, camp, and hike on the north side of the lake in Lake Houston Wilderness Park, a city-owned and operated park. Boaters, take note: Unfortunately, it’s not currently possible to enter the lake with your boat from the park.
38. Bikram Yoga College Of India—Houston
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 664-5333
Address: 2438 South Blvd. (Rice Village/West Univ
Description: Texas’ first Bikram-certified studio offers hot yoga classes at two central locations.
39. Define Body & Mind
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (281) 496-4404
Address: 1560 Eldridge Pkwy. (West Houston/Energy
Description: This popular studio combines Pilates, yoga, core strengthening, and ballet exercises. DEFINEbody classes focus on improving strength and flexibility by targeting all of the major muscle groups. DEFINEmind classes focus on refreshing the body and calming the mind by helping students relieve tightness and reduce stress.
40. Jennyoga
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 839-9642
Address: 3641 Westheimer (River Oaks)
Description: JennYoga offers an array of vinyasa classes, ranging from power vinyasa flow to a vinyasa class devoted to strengthening students’ hips and backs. A few Zumba and Forrest yoga classes are also available. The studio offers donation-based classes several times a week.
41. Joy Yoga Center
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 868-9642
Address: 4500 Washington Ave. (Washington Corrido
Description: Joy Yoga Center primarily offers Vinyasa classes, but you can also take Pilates, yoga for runners, Zumba, and yoga sculpt with weight classes here.
42. Tejas Yoga
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 807-7018
Address: 3930 Kirby Dr. (Upper Kirby)
Description: Tejas Yoga teaches ashtanga classes primarily in the Mysore tradition. Beginners can also take basic ashtanga classes in the Led Primary Series.
43. Yoga Ananda
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 527-8280
Address: 1822 W. Alabama
Description: Busy? Maximize the benefits of yoga at Yoga Ananda, where you can choose from Power Hour classes and Power Vinyasa Flow classes taught in the Baptiste Power Flow style.
44. Yoga One Studios
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 239-2493 (Galleria/Uptow
Address: 5750 Woodway (Galleria/Uptown)
Insider Pick:
Description: Yoga One Studios offers daily hot, Forrest, and vinyasa flow classes. You can also sign up for special clinics and workshops including a hot yoga posture clinic, partner yoga, and immersion courses. Babysitting is available for certain classes.
45. Your Body Center
City: Houston, TX
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (713) 874-0800
Address: 3605 Katy Fwy. (Heights)
Description: Your Body Center offers classes in Pilates, beginner and intermediate yoga, pre- and postnatal yoga, hatha, hot yoga, and even hot belly dancing. Massages are also available.