Things to Do in Bellaire, TX: Parks, Trolley and Town Events

At a glance

• Where: Bellaire, TX 77401 — an independent city of ~3.5 sq mi inside Loop 610, surrounded by Houston
• Getting there: US-59 South to Bellaire Blvd exit (~7 miles from downtown), or Loop 610 South to S. Rice Ave exit
• Cost: Most parks, trails, and concerts are free; rec center $10/day non-resident; aquatic center fees vary seasonally
• Parking: Free at all city parks; street parking throughout; no on-street parking on Bellaire Blvd itself
• Time needed: 2–3 hours for the main parks; half-day with a first-Friday evening concert

Bellaire, TX has one park with a 150-element Alice in Wonderland sculpture, another with an actual 1920s streetcar on display, and a free outdoor concert series that runs on the first Friday of select months. The city is entirely surrounded by Houston — about 3.5 square miles, ZIP code 77401 — and it runs its parks and events calendar like a much larger place.

This guide covers confirmed, currently open venues and events within Bellaire city limits. Boundaries: West Bellfort on the south, Bissonnet on the north, South Rice Ave and Chimney Rock Road on the east, and just west of Loop 610/Renwick Drive on the west. The Asian restaurant corridor that many people call "Bellaire Chinatown" (Bellaire Blvd beyond Stella Link) is technically in Houston, not Bellaire — there's a separate section on dining nearby.

The quick list

• Best park: Evelyn's Park — splash pad, playground, café, community art
• Best for birding and nature: Russ Pitman Park and Nature Discovery Center (live animals, 120+ bird species, free)
• Most surprising sight: Paseo Park — a vintage streetcar tribute in the median of Bellaire Blvd
• Best free night out: Party at the Pavilion, first Friday of select months, no ticket required
• Best seasonal market: Bellaire Open Air HTX Market at Evelyn's Park

How we chose

We verified each venue and event against official city or venue websites (bellairetx.gov and evelynspark.org) as of October 2026, and confirmed every address is within the 77401 ZIP code. Each city park below has listed hours on the city's parks page. Events come from the official Bellaire special events calendar.

Parks

Evelyn's Park

4400 Bellaire Blvd · open daily 5 AM–11 PM (midnight on Fri–Sat)

Evelyn's Park sits on the former Teas Nursery site — the first commercial operation in Bellaire, founded in 1910. According to the Evelyn's Park Conservancy, the nursery planted more than a million trees across Houston over its century in business, including much of the original Rice University campus, before closing in 2009. The Rubenstein family purchased the five-acre property and donated it to become a park named for their mother, Evelyn.

Today the park has a natural playground built around the original tree stumps (including a 10-foot slide), a free splash pad, a Great Lawn, a solar pavilion, and a Butterfly Wall art installation. The "Move One Place On" sculpture hides 150-plus references to Alice in Wonderland throughout the grounds — worth hunting for with kids. Betsy's at Evelyn's Park, the on-site café, serves coffee and light food.

Best for: families, morning walks, and coffee.

Russ Pitman Park and the Nature Discovery Center

7112 Newcastle St · trails daily 5 AM–9:30 PM · Nature Discovery Center Tue–Sun 1–5:30 PM (Sept–May), Sat only June–mid-Aug · free

Russ Pitman's 2.1-mile trail system runs through four habitat zones, and it's an established eBird Hotspot with more than 120 recorded species — birders make special trips here from across Houston. The Henshaw House on the grounds holds the Nature Discovery Center, with live snakes, turtles, and rabbits for hands-on encounters and a rotating schedule of educational programs. No dogs are allowed, per city ordinance.

Best for: birding, nature walks, and kids who want to hold a snake.

Paseo Park and the 1920s Trolley

4800–5000 Bellaire Blvd (center median) · no curfew

Almost no one outside Bellaire knows this exists: Paseo Park sits in the wide center median of Bellaire Blvd near South Rice Ave and displays a yellow-and-green vintage streetcar on actual track under a covered pavilion — a tribute to the "Toonerville Trolley," the electric streetcar line that connected Bellaire to downtown Houston over a century ago before automobiles made it obsolete. The park is a pedestrian walkway open at any hour. Park at Evelyn's Park a short walk east, or a side street — there is no parking on Bellaire Blvd itself.

Best for: a quick photo stop and a piece of Houston transit history most locals have never seen.

Bellaire-Zindler Park

7008 S. Rice Ave · open during daylight hours

The city's main sports complex, adjacent to City Hall. It has a baseball field, tennis and pickleball courts, a pavilion, and access to the aquatic center next door. This is where Bellaire's youth leagues play.

Ware Family Park

6200 Jacquet St · open during daylight hours

A neighborhood park with open lawn, picnic tables, and a playground. Quiet and uncrowded — good for young children who need room to move.

Recreation

Bellaire Town Square Family Aquatic Center

7001 Fifth St · non-resident fees apply · check bellairetx.gov/720 for current hours

Two pools operate in the same complex. The outdoor recreational pool opens seasonally each summer (hours posted on the city site each spring). Lap lanes at the main pool run year-round — typically weekday mornings and some evenings during the off-season. The adjacent Evergreen Pool at 4500 Evergreen St adds a therapy pool with off-season hours. Confirm the current schedule at bellairetx.gov before you go.

Bellaire Recreation Center

7008 Fifth St · Mon–Thu 7 AM–9 PM · Fri 7 AM–7 PM · Sat 8 AM–2 PM · Sun noon–6 PM · $10/day for non-residents

A cardio and free-weight fitness room, a half-court open gym for basketball, and three indoor pickleball courts. Annual resident membership is $30. Tennis is played at three outdoor lighted locations: behind the rec center, at Mulberry Park (700 Mulberry Lane), and at Feld Park (6406 Avenue B) — all open daily 6 AM–10:30 PM at $11/hr for non-residents.

Events and markets

Party at the Pavilion — monthly free concerts

Bellaire Town Square · first Friday of every month · 7–9 PM · free

The most reliable recurring event in Bellaire: a free outdoor concert on the first Friday of select months at Bellaire Town Square (typically September through May). Genres rotate across blues, jazz, country, and rock bands. No ticket required. Bring a folding chair and arrive by 6:30 for a good spot. Recent confirmed dates include November 6 and December 11, 2026.

Bellaire Open Air HTX Market at Evelyn's Park

4400 Bellaire Blvd · 5–6 times per year · noon–4 PM · free to enter

A curated artisan and small-business market hosted by HTX Markets at Evelyn's Park. This is not a produce market — think local makers, jewelry, ceramics, and apparel. Confirmed 2026 dates from evelynspark.org: February 1 (Valentine), February 22 (Rodeo), April 26 (Spring), May 31 (Summer), with fall editions to follow. Check evelynspark.org/events for current listings before you go.

Bellaire Arts and Crafts Festival

Bellaire Town Square area · twice yearly · free to attend

A juried arts and crafts festival at the Town Square, held spring and fall. Spring 2026 ran April 25; fall 2026 is November 14. Local artists, afternoon shopping, and a community crowd.

Tents in Town

Bellaire Town Square Great Lawn · annually in November

Families pitch tents on the Town Square Great Lawn and spend a night outdoors together. The 17th annual Tents in Town is November 7, 2026. It is a low-stakes introduction to camping for kids, and it is completely a Bellaire thing — you will not find it anywhere else. Check bellairetx.gov/715 for registration.

Holiday in the Park

Bellaire Town Square · annually in early December · free

The city's holiday gathering: live music, food, lights, and family activities. December 3, 2026, 6–8:30 PM. The annual Selfies with Santa event follows on December 2. Check bellairetx.gov/715 for updates.

The Great Pumpkin Hunt

Bellaire parks · annually in late October · free

An annual Halloween tradition with pumpkins hidden across city parks for families to find. The 2026 edition is October 29. Details on bellairetx.gov/715.

Dining nearby

Bellaire's own restaurant scene runs along Bellaire Blvd within the 77401 ZIP code. The major Asian food corridor that most visitors think of as "Bellaire Chinatown" begins about two miles east on Bellaire Blvd — it is technically Houston (ZIP 77036 and 77072), not the city of Bellaire. Our Bellaire and Asiatown restaurant guide covers it in full, including dim sum halls and boba shops worth the short drive.

For adjacent Houston neighborhoods, the Meyerland restaurant guide is just south, and Rice Village and West U is a few minutes east.

Save this: a half-day Bellaire route

This fits in a morning or a long afternoon and covers the three highlights most people miss.

1. Start at Russ Pitman Park (7112 Newcastle St) — walk the 2.1-mile trail system and check whether the Nature Discovery Center is open.
2. Drive or walk two minutes to Paseo Park on Bellaire Blvd — find the 1920s streetcar in the median.
3. End at Evelyn's Park (4400 Bellaire Blvd) — splash pad with kids, coffee at Betsy's either way.

First-Friday add-on: Party at the Pavilion starts at 7 PM at Bellaire Town Square, no ticket needed. Market-day add-on: Check evelynspark.org/events for the next Bellaire Open Air HTX Market date.

Getting there and parking

Bellaire sits inside Loop 610 on the southwest side of Houston. From downtown, take US-59 South to the Bellaire Blvd exit (about 7 miles), or the 610 South Loop to the South Rice Ave exit. All city parks have free parking lots. METRO bus routes serve the Bellaire Transit Center at 5100 Bellaire Blvd. For more on the neighborhood, see our Bellaire area guide.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bellaire, TX part of Houston?

No. Bellaire is an independent city of about 3.5 square miles, completely surrounded by Houston but with its own mayor, city council, police department, and parks system. Its ZIP code is 77401.

What is Bellaire, TX known for?

Bellaire is known for its residential streets inside the Loop 610, its 14 city parks including Evelyn's Park and Russ Pitman Park, a free seasonal outdoor concert series (Party at the Pavilion on the first Friday of select months), and the vintage streetcar tribute at Paseo Park honoring the historic Toonerville Trolley line.

Where is the Chinatown or Asian food strip near Bellaire, TX?

The major Asian restaurant and shopping corridor — often called Bellaire Chinatown or Asiatown — is on Bellaire Boulevard starting around Gessner Road and running west, in Houston (ZIP 77036 and 77072), not within Bellaire city limits. From downtown Bellaire it is about two miles east on Bellaire Blvd.

What is Evelyn's Park in Bellaire?

Evelyn's Park is a five-acre public park at 4400 Bellaire Blvd built on the former Teas Nursery site, Bellaire's first business (founded 1910). It has a natural playground, free splash pad, solar pavilion, an on-site café called Betsy's, and a sculpture with 150-plus hidden Alice in Wonderland references. Open daily from 5 AM.

Are Bellaire, TX parks free?

Yes. All 14 Bellaire city parks are free to enter, including Evelyn's Park (splash pad, playground) and Russ Pitman Park (nature trail, live-animal discovery center). The aquatic center and recreation center charge fees for non-residents.

What free things can I do in Bellaire, TX?

Walk Evelyn's Park (splash pad, sculpture, playground), hike Russ Pitman Park's 2.1-mile trail, see the vintage streetcar tribute at Paseo Park, and attend the Party at the Pavilion free outdoor concert on the first Friday of select months at Bellaire Town Square (7–9 PM, typically September–May). The Bellaire Open Air HTX Market at Evelyn's Park is also free to browse.