Things to Do on Washington Avenue and in Rice Military, Houston

At a glance

• Where: Washington Avenue from the edge of downtown to Westcott Street, plus Rice Military (between Washington Avenue and Buffalo Bayou, Shepherd Drive to Westcott Street)
• Best for: Art studios, barbecue, patio bars, history walks and park mornings
• Cost: Free to wander; the Beer Can House, Glenwood Cemetery, Sawyer Yards studios and the parks are free to visit
• Parking: Sawyer Yards lots at 2101 Winter St. and 1824 Spring St.; free and paid lots in Memorial Park; tight residential street parking in Rice Military
• Time needed: Half a day for the sights; a full day and night with food and bars
• Don't miss: Second Saturday Open Studios at Sawyer Yards, typically noon to 5 p.m.; check the official site

Washington Avenue is the old road to Brenham. It was named for Washington County, because it was part of the original route from Houston to the county seat, and for decades it carried US 90 west out of town before the Katy Freeway took over. Today the same road takes you somewhere far more fun: brisket, art studios, patio bars and a house wrapped in roughly 50,000 flattened beer cans.

Here's the hook we'd put on a T-shirt: on Washington Avenue, Howard Hughes is buried a few minutes from a house made of beer cans, and both are free to visit.

This guide covers what makes Washington Avenue and Rice Military worth the trip, the things we'd actually send you to see, and how to park without losing your mind on a Saturday night.

Where Washington Avenue and Rice Military are

For this guide, "Washington Avenue" means the corridor along the avenue from the edge of downtown west to Westcott Street and the doorstep of Memorial Park, plus the First Ward blocks just north of it around Sawyer Yards. The full avenue runs about 4.5 miles, from Interstate 45 to Hempstead Road.

Rice Military is the neighborhood tucked south of the avenue. It's bordered by Washington Avenue on the north, Buffalo Bayou on the south, Shepherd Drive on the east and Westcott Street on the west. The name comes from two neighbors: Camp Logan, the World War I training camp that later became Memorial Park, and the Rice family, who owned the land. Yes, that Rice family.

What you'll find: blocks of townhomes, a long run of bars and restaurants, one of the city's oldest cemeteries, a giant arts campus, and two of Houston's biggest parks within walking or biking distance. The Heights sits just north, downtown is a few minutes east, and Memorial starts on the far side of the park.

Things to do on Washington Avenue and in Rice Military

1. Visit the Beer Can House

Start here, because nothing else in Houston looks like it. Beginning in 1968, retired railroad upholsterer John Milkovisch covered his yard in marbles, rocks and metal inlays so he wouldn't have to mow, then spent 18 years cladding the house itself in flattened beer cans. Ripley's Believe It or Not estimated more than 50,000 cans.

The insider detail: the garlands of cut cans hanging from the roofline weren't only decoration. They make music in the wind, and they helped lower the family's energy bills.

The Beer Can House is at 222 Malone Street in Rice Military and is run by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. Admission is free, and it's typically open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the site before you go, because holiday hours vary.

2. Walk Glenwood Cemetery

Glenwood Cemetery, at 2525 Washington Avenue, dates to 1871 and is a garden cemetery in the old style: rolling ground, big trees and statuary you rarely see in Texas. Howard Hughes and actress Gene Tierney are buried here, and the cemetery keeps more than 25,000 burial records.

Grounds are typically open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It's still an active cemetery, so keep your voice down and give funerals space. Glenwood requires permission from its executive director for photography and video, so ask first if you're planning more than a quick phone snap. Guided walking tours run with Preservation Houston.

3. Find Washington Cemetery next door

Right beside Glenwood is Washington Cemetery, founded in 1887 by Houston's German Society as the German Society Cemetery. It was renamed Washington Cemetery in 1918. Immigrants from at least 17 nations are buried here, with gravestones in English, German, Spanish and Polish. It's now cared for by Glenwood, and it's a quiet, thoughtful detour on the same visit.

4. Go to Second Saturday at Sawyer Yards

Sawyer Yards is a 55-acre creative campus in the First Ward, three minutes from downtown, with 27 buildings, 400-plus working artists and 15 murals. On the second Saturday of each month, its studio buildings open their doors from noon to 5 p.m. for Second Saturday Open Studios: you wander, meet the artists and buy straight from the people who made the work.

Participating buildings include Silver Street Studios, Winter Street Studios, Spring Street Studios, Sabine Street Studios, First Industrial Studios and The Silos at Sawyer Yards. Our tip: start at The Silos, then work your way through the rest. For more of the city's art scene, see our Houston art galleries guide.

5. Drop into the studios on any weekday

You don't have to wait for Second Saturday. Sawyer Yards has 11 public exhibition spaces and 15 murals, and the campus hosts more than 80 art exhibitions and opening receptions a year. Not every artist is in every day, so check building hours on the Sawyer Yards site before you go. Watch its events calendar too: Sawyer Yards also runs after-hours nights such as Art After Dark at The Warehouse at Silver Street.

6. Climb at Momentum Silver Street

Inside Silver Street Studios, Momentum Climbing runs a climbing gym at 1401 Silver Street. It's an easy way to turn an art afternoon into a workout, and a good rainy-day plan. Check the site for day-pass rates and hours.

7. Order a pint at Tejas Brewery

Tejas Brewery at 2101 Summer Street sits in the heart of Sawyer Yards with three stories of food, beer, cocktails and coffee. It's a natural landing spot after Second Saturday. Sawyer Yards counts four craft breweries on campus, so there's room for a short crawl. Pace yourself.

8. Eat brisket at Truth BBQ

Truth BBQ at 110 S. Heights Boulevard, just off Washington Avenue, does it the slow way: 18-hour cooks on wood-burning offset smokers, with sides and desserts made from scratch daily. Our advice: go early, especially on weekends. Curbside ordering is available through its website. For the rest of the city's smoke, see our best barbecue in Houston guide.

9. Book a steak at B&B Butchers

B&B Butchers & Restaurant, at 1814 Washington Avenue, pairs an upscale steakhouse with a butcher shop. It's a big-night-out pick on the east end of the avenue, and our B&B Butchers guide has more on what to order.

10. Grab a burger at Stanton's City Bites

Stanton's City Bites at 1420 Edwards Street is a family-run neighborhood burger counter that calls itself a Houston staple, and we'd agree. It's the cheap, cheerful counterweight to the steakhouse crowd. It's typically closed Mondays, so check hours first.

11. Run or walk Memorial Park

Memorial Park is 1,500 acres on the west edge of Rice Military. The Seymour Lieberman Trail loops roughly 3 miles and is for walkers and runners only (no bikes). The Kinder Land Bridge carries prairie and trails over Memorial Drive, reconnecting the park's north and south sides.

The history is worth knowing. This was Camp Logan, where about 70,000 soldiers trained during World War I, and the park was named to honor them. Our Memorial Park visitor guide covers parking, trails and the best entrances.

12. Take the bayou trails from Spotts Park

South of Rice Military, Buffalo Bayou Park stretches 160 acres from Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street. Spotts Park, near the western end off Memorial Drive, has paths along Memorial Drive and bridge connections to the Buffalo Bayou trail system. Along the way you'll pass the Houston Police Officers' Memorial, a pyramid-shaped sculpture by Jesús Bautista Moroles. Details are in our Buffalo Bayou Park guide and on the Buffalo Bayou Partnership site.

13. Catch a show at Rockefellers

Rockefellers, at 3620 Washington Avenue, hosts ticketed live music as well as weddings and private events. Check its calendar before you plan around it.

14. Do a Rice Military bar night

The blocks between Washington Avenue and Memorial Drive are full of patio bars, icehouses and sports bars built for groups, which is why the area fills up on weekend nights. Pick a home base, walk between spots and leave the car. For our favorite stops citywide, see the best bars in Houston.

15. Graze at Railway Heights Market

Just west of the stretch this guide covers, Railway Heights Market at 8200 Washington Avenue gathers local restaurants, a coffee roaster, a wine and cocktail bar and small shops under one roof. It's typically open Tuesday through Sunday and closed Mondays. It pairs well with a Memorial Park morning. For more, see our food halls guide.

Save this: a Washington Avenue day

1. Morning: walk or run the Seymour Lieberman Trail in Memorial Park.
2. Late morning: the Beer Can House on Malone Street (from Wednesday to Sunday).
3. Lunch: brisket at Truth BBQ or a burger at Stanton's City Bites.
4. Afternoon: Glenwood and Washington cemeteries, then the studios at Sawyer Yards (time it for a second Saturday if you can).
5. Golden hour: a pint at Tejas Brewery.
6. Dinner: steak at B&B Butchers.
7. Night: a Rice Military bar crawl, or a show at Rockefellers.

Tips for visiting

• Go on a second Saturday if art is the draw. Open studios run noon to 5 p.m., and the campus has its best energy then.
• Check days before you go. The Beer Can House is closed Monday and Tuesday, and Stanton's and Railway Heights are typically closed Mondays.
• Cemeteries close early. Glenwood's grounds typically close at 5:30 p.m., so do them in the afternoon, not after dinner.
• Weekend nights get busy. Restaurants and bars along the corridor fill up fast on Friday and Saturday. Book dinner, and plan your ride home.
• Beat the heat. Do the parks and outdoor sights in the morning from May through September.

Getting there and parking

Washington Avenue starts at the western edge of downtown, so it's a short drive or rideshare from most central hotels. METRO buses serve the corridor; use its trip planner for current routes.

Parking:

• Sawyer Yards has two lots: Main Yard at 2101 Winter Street and North Yard at 1824 Spring Street.
• Memorial Park has both free and paid parking throughout the park.
• Buffalo Bayou Park has City Lot H at 1643 Memorial Drive, plus metered spots along Allen Parkway.
• Rice Military streets are residential and tightly packed. Read the signs, don't block driveways, and use rideshare for bar nights.

Food nearby

The corridor has enough food for a full day, but the neighbors are good too. Head north for our best restaurants in the Heights, or west toward Memorial and the Energy Corridor.

Nearby attractions

• Things to do in the Heights: just north across I-10.
• Things to do in downtown Houston: a few minutes east.
• Memorial and the Energy Corridor: west, beyond Memorial Park.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Washington Avenue in Houston?

Washington Avenue runs about 4.5 miles from Interstate 45 at the edge of downtown west to Hempstead Road. The busy bar and restaurant stretch sits between downtown and Memorial Park, just south of I-10 and the Heights.

What are the boundaries of Rice Military?

Rice Military is bordered by Washington Avenue on the north, Buffalo Bayou on the south, Shepherd Drive on the east and Westcott Street on the west.

Is the Beer Can House free?

Yes. The Beer Can House at 222 Malone Street is free to visit and is typically open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art's site before you go.

When is Second Saturday at Sawyer Yards?

Second Saturday Open Studios happen on the second Saturday of each month, typically from noon to 5 p.m., across the Sawyer Yards studio buildings.

Is Howard Hughes buried in Houston?

Yes. Howard Hughes is buried at Glenwood Cemetery, 2525 Washington Avenue. The grounds are typically open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Where do you park on Washington Avenue?

Use the Sawyer Yards lots at 2101 Winter Street and 1824 Spring Street, park lots in Memorial Park, or City Lot H at 1643 Memorial Drive for Buffalo Bayou Park. Rice Military street parking is tight, so take a rideshare on weekend nights.