Things to Do in Bellaire, Houston

Things to do in Bellaire, Houston cluster around three short drives: the city's own quiet parks and town square, the Asian-American culture corridor on Bellaire Boulevard west of Loop 610, and the Museum District and Hermann Park just five miles east. Bellaire is small — 3.6 square miles, about 17,000 residents — but it sits in the middle of Houston, which means a weekend can comfortably mix a neighborhood walk, a Chinatown lunch, and a museum visit without a long drive in between.

Here is the shortlist of what locals do, organized by how far you have to drive from Bellaire Town Square.

Inside Bellaire

Evergreen Park at Newcastle and Mapleridge is the city's largest green space, with a public pool, baseball fields, a playground, and the annual Fourth of July fireworks. The Nature Discovery Center inside Russ Pitman Park runs free naturalist-led walks, butterfly gardens, and a small live-animal room popular with younger kids. Bellaire Town Square at Newcastle and Jessamine hosts the spring farmers market on Saturday mornings.

Loftin Park, on the south side of the city, has tennis courts, a covered pavilion, and a quieter playground. The Bellaire Aquatics Center inside Evergreen runs swim lessons through the summer.

Chinatown, five minutes west

Bellaire Boulevard west of Loop 610 is the easiest day-trip from the city. Hong Kong City Mall on Beechnut at Bellaire is the largest Asian grocery in Texas and a fascinating walk through. Dun Huang Plaza and Welcome Food Center hold most of the bubble-tea cafes, snack bars, and Korean barbecue rooms. For specific dim sum, noodle, and Vietnamese picks, see our best Bellaire restaurants guide.

Asia Society Texas and Bayou Bend

Asia Society Texas Center, on Southmore in the Museum District about ten minutes east of Bellaire, runs rotating exhibitions of Asian and Asian-American art, a film series, and a quiet sculpture garden. Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens inside Memorial Park, about fifteen minutes north, holds the Hogg family's collection of American decorative arts inside the Hogg estate and is one of the prettiest gardens in the city in spring.

Museum District and Hermann Park

Five miles east of Bellaire sits one of the densest free-museum corridors in the country. The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Children's Museum, and the Holocaust Museum Houston are all within walking distance of Hermann Park. The Houston Zoo, the Japanese Garden, and the Miller Outdoor Theatre add another half day. Locals park once and walk between three or four stops.

Galleria and Uptown, ten minutes north

The Galleria mall — 400 stores, two ice rinks, and the original Tony's restaurant — is a quick straight shot north on Chimney Rock or West Loop. If you want a walking break, the Water Wall at Williams Tower is a half-mile north. For a wider Houston weekend, the two-day Houston itinerary pairs the Galleria, Chinatown, and the Museum District into one trip.

Outdoor afternoons

Brays Bayou's paved hike-and-bike trail runs along the southern edge of Bellaire and connects east toward MacGregor Park and Hermann Park. Buffalo Bayou Park, ten minutes north, is the larger destination if you have a couple of hours. Spring and late fall are the most comfortable months for either — our best time to visit Houston guide has the full season-by-season breakdown, and the Houston hurricane preparation guide covers what to watch for if you are planning a late-summer outdoor trip.

Sports, music, and events

Bellaire High School football and basketball games inside the campus stadium at Avenue B are a real part of the local social calendar. Toyota Center, Minute Maid Park, and NRG Stadium all sit fifteen to twenty minutes away. Theater Under the Stars and Houston Grand Opera run downtown. The annual Lunar New Year Festival held along Bellaire Boulevard in late January or early February draws tens of thousands and is the single biggest event of the year in the corridor.

Where to base yourself

If you are visiting and want to stay close, the Galleria and Uptown hotels are the practical choice. If you are thinking about moving to be near the schools and the boulevard, start with our Living in Bellaire guide.