Houston Zoo parking (garage, park, driving)

[mkwensky]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

I've had the great opportunity to experience trying to find parking in the major cities... try finding a spot in Paris, Rome, or Barcelona! 'Makes Houston seem like a cake walk.

You know, you can also park in the Museum of Natural Science. The weather is good for walking, but we also did that in the summer too, not too bad. But yes, I never understood why they did not build a parking garage near the entrance. They need to take the parking areas they have now, and build a multi level parking garage. But then you'd have to pay. Choose your poison I guess.

Not sure what you're doing driving in those other cities. They have excellent public transportation.

The problem with parking at the museum is that their parking garage is often full, is not cheap and it is about a 20 minute walk for an adult. Not really an option for families with strollers.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

Not sure what you're doing driving in those other cities. They have excellent public transportation.

The problem with parking at the museum is that their parking garage is often full, is not cheap and it is about a 20 minute walk for an adult. Not really an option for families with strollers.

HMNS is a surface lot.

Isn't there also a surface lot by the McGovern Centennial Gardens?

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

Not sure what you're doing driving in those other cities. They have excellent public transportation.

Road trip! My wife is from Barcelona, so we traveled to Europe often, but when the children came along, flying from city to city was more of a hassle, so on at least three trips, we rented a vehicle and drove. We would only drive to the hotels in the city centers and park the vehicle for the duration of our stay. You are right about local transportation, excellent everywhere. Trains were better than flying, but when schlepping luggage for a family, not so much fun.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

HMNS is a surface lot.

Actually, it has a garage, I've parked in it many times. It is part of the building, its connected to the museum. There is also a very limited parking lot though.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7220...7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7222,-95.3886499,19.5z

[sonic0boom]

The key is usually getting there when they open and parking across the street from that main lot. If you aren't in a big hurry, we also like to park at the HCC/Ensemble stop and take the rail. There's always parking on the side streets. I forget offhand if there are meters, but be aware of that.

There is the HMNS parking garage, but parking can get tight in there. And also mind going during the summer when it's really busy. It can take over 30 minutes to exit the garage because of the queue of cars leaving after the summer camps.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by sonic0boom

The key is usually getting there when they open and parking across the street from that main lot. If you aren't in a big hurry, we also like to park at the HCC/Ensemble stop and take the rail. There's always parking on the side streets. I forget offhand if there are meters, but be aware of that.

There is the HMNS parking garage, but parking can get tight in there. And also mind going during the summer when it's really busy. It can take over 30 minutes to exit the garage because of the queue of cars leaving after the summer camps.

How early do you need to get there to park in the main lot near the zoo entrance on a Saturday? I'm an HMNS member, so that garage is an option, but it's a bit of a hike.

I used to park in the med center garage and use the back entrance, but closing the back entrance unnecessarily makes a bad problem worse!

[mkwensky]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

HMNS is a surface lot.

Isn't there also a surface lot by the McGovern Centennial Gardens?

There's an adjacent parking garage that's $20 for nonmembers. You must be talking about the lot across the street from it.
McGovern is an option if you can find it, but chances are if the zoo's parking lot is full then it's full too.

[mkwensky]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

Road trip! My wife is from Barcelona, so we traveled to Europe often, but when the children came along, flying from city to city was more of a hassle, so on at least three trips, we rented a vehicle and drove. We would only drive to the hotels in the city centers and park the vehicle for the duration of our stay. You are right about local transportation, excellent everywhere. Trains were better than flying, but when schlepping luggage for a family, not so much fun.

Understood. I used to like taking the subway everywhere in NYC but with young kids I prefer to pay to taxi everywhere.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

You could also just park in the parking lot by the Astrodome, or even any parking in downtown and take rail to the Zoo, but it drops you off at Memorial Hermann... it used to be okay when the back entrance of the zoo by Memorial Herman was open, but you then need to hike it back to the main entrance.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

You could also just park in the parking lot by the Astrodome, or even any parking in downtown and take rail to the Zoo, but it drops you off at Memorial Hermann... it used to be okay when the back entrance of the zoo by Memorial Herman was open, but you then need to hike it back to the main entrance.

Why did they close the back entrance? Will they plan to reopen it? That back entrance was MUCH more convenient to actual parking and had much shorter lines.