The Memorial Park Golf Course, located at 1001 Memorial Loop Drive East, is considered to be among the best municipal courses in the country. It was originally a 9-hole sand course, but it was expanded under the direction of famed golf architect John Bredemus into a 250-acre, 18-hole masterpiece. In 1994, a campaign to restore the course was undertaken, and in 1995 it reopened with a lighted driving range and a new clubhouse facility. Today it hosts more than 60,000 of Houston’s best golfers annually.

The Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail (Larger Map Graphic), with its 2.93-mile crushed granite and packed-earth jogging trail, attracts droves of Houstonians intent on getting in their daily run. Exercise stations can be found along the trail with a workout station located close to the tennis center. The trail is lighted and has restrooms and water fountains along the way.

A .25-mile asphalt timing track allows runners to work on speed and develop their running skills. It is located across from the tennis center.

Additional multi-use trails located on the south side of Memorial Drive give hikers, bikers, skaters and equestrians a choice of trails to choose from.

The Memorial Park Picnic Loop gives riders a smooth surface for their daily ride. This multi-use trail is open for use by road bikers, in-line skaters, traditional roller skate enthusiasts, and hikers during regular park hours. Automobile traffic is allowed Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and weekends and holidays only. Picnic facilities and restroom facilities are available along the loop.

Mountain bikers will find some of the best trails in the area for off-road biking at Memorial Park. Numerous ravines and slopes along Buffalo Bayou relieve Houston’s relentless flatness and provide the adventurous with challenging terrain. And those out for a leisurely ride will not be disappointed.

Please remember that these trails are two-way multi-use trails so be mindful of others, including hikers. Be sure to call "RIDER!" when rounding a blind turn so people will know you are coming. Likewise, be sure to yield when you hear another biker yell.

Mountain Bikers are especially fond of trails located in the southwest section of Memorial Park. These trails are color coded with maps at the trailhead signs. Park in the lot west of the baseball fields near the rugby/soccer field and follow the double track along the soccer field back to the single track.

Infantry Woods provides an advanced trail for those with greater bike handling skills and strong legs. The entrance is located near the entrance to the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. Here you drop-in off the sidewalk, take the tunnel under Woodway Drive, and wind your way east. Exit at the train tracks, turn around, and ride back to the entrance.

All runners, bikers and trail users are advised to keep health and safety in mind whenever you run. Dehydration is possible in our climate, so always keep a water supply and a friend with you! Happy trails!

The Memorial Park Tennis Center is located inside of Memorial Park at 1500 Memorial Loop, right off the Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail. Amenities include 18 hard-surface courts, a practice wall, a pro shop with lockers, and shower facilities available for a nominal fee. Lessons, tournaments, leagues, corporate outings and other events may be scheduled through the Center Staff.

The Memorial Park Fitness Center is a great place to get fit right in the middle of Memorial Park.

Located at 6402 Arnott, the center is open year-round and provides Houstonians with a variety of free-weight and resistance equipment as well as lockers and shower facilities.

Daily or monthly memberships are available for a small fee.

The Memorial Park Swimming Pool is a 33-meter rectangular outdoor pool. Located adjacent to the Fitness Center, the pool is open throughout the summer months from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with no fee charged. See Aquatics for pool hours.

Other sports facilities include baseball diamonds, a croquet field, sand volleyball courts and the Vale-Asche Foundation Playground without Limits.

The Memorial Park Conservancy is a citizen’s organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of Memorial Park.

The Conservancy’s 30 member volunteer board of directors works in cooperation with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department to preserve the park’s native habitat while ensuring the enjoyment of the park by the public, and we thank them for their efforts.

The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center (HANC) is located at 4501 Woodway Drive, on the western edge of Memorial Park. The Arboretum is one of the state’s first nature education facilities for children, and provides services to nearly 200,000 visitors annually. This 156-acre non-profit urban nature sanctuary’s mission is to provide education about the natural environment to people of all ages and to protect and enhance the Arboretum as a haven for native plants and animals. This idyllic nature preserve provides over 5 miles of nature trails, through forest, pond, wetland, and meadow habitats. The grounds are open daily 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. In addition to the outdoor environment, the Arboretum’s Visitor Center provides a gift shop and educational opportunities. The Center’s Discovery Room is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m..

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens stands near the park as a further tribute to the Hogg family. Built in 1927, the lovely mansion was turned over to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston by Miss Ima Hogg, whose brothers were largely responsible for the establishment of Memorial Park. The home is filled with one of the finest collections of period American furnishings and craftsmanship in the world, with room settings ranging from 1620 through 1870. The grounds of the estate are as beautiful as the house, with breathtaking gardens and sculpture nestled lovingly into the native forest. Bayou Bend has been an artistic and cultural must-see for the Memorial Park area since MFAH opened it to the public in 1966.

The Hogg Bird Sanctuary is adjacent to Bayou Bend and shares its parking facility at 1 Westcott Street. While technically a part of Memorial Park, it is separated from it by an intervening neighborhood. The Houston Audubon Society has assessed the site’s suitability as a bird sanctuary and has found that it fits their criteria well. Its wild setting is ideal for bird watching, and local birders continually tally impressive lists from their visits there. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department hopes to plan more trails through it in the future for the enjoyment of bird lovers.

Other links of interest:

HARRA • GHORBA • Houston Golf Association • South Texas PGA • Houston Tennis Association • Houston Ladies Tennis Association • Houston Wranglers • United States Tennis Association • USTA Texas Section