Are you staying in Houston for these Holidays?
Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or simply indulging in festive treats starting with Thanksgiving, staying committed to your fitness goals doesn’t mean skipping workouts. The winter holidays also bring plenty of fun activities to enjoy in and around Houston, including near our studio in Bellaire, TX. For easy tips on staying active and healthy during the season, check out our blog, “Healthy Holidays: Strategies to Stay Fit.“ If you’re looking for more focused support, explore our effective weight loss training programs designed to help you stay fit through the holidays and into the New Year.
We compiled some of the team’s favorite places to take visiting friends and family to have a great WALKING workout. We know that not every family member enjoys burpees or planks but will enjoy a walk in the variety of family-friendly events or stroll and view H-Town’s best light displays.
Why Walking
Walking together helps make memories with conversations, especially with our less-fit family members and friends. You may be the example that inspires them to better fitness. With fantastic health benefits, walking more than 4,000 steps a day positively affected memory in older adults. A brisk nature walk is low-impact, simple, and free.
Our Pledge To Fitness Team® put together this list of places to take your family members of all ages for holiday walks—or to visit any time of the year in Bellaire and Houston. And for days when a walk isn’t possible, you can always stay active with our online training options.
Bellaire Walking Destinations
Bellaire recently celebrated its centennial anniversary. Download the city’s Centennial History Walk map to explore its 100-year history. Near our Pledge To Fitness® studio, you’ll also find 14 Bellaire parks— great for holiday picnics, family walks, and a visit to the dog park.
Bellaire recently celebrated its centennial anniversary. Download the city’s and tour its 100-year history. Also, near our Pledge To Fitness® studio, there are 14 parks to enjoy a holiday leftover picnic with all your family and friends including a dog park!
Visit Houston Downtown Light & Holiday Spectacles:
Our team recommends strolling through Houston’s best holiday attractions:
- City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic – Eleven sparkling destinations that offer merry moments across downtown Houston
- Lights of Old Town Spring– Discover the magic of Old Spring’s holiday lights, shining with nostalgia and community warmth.
- TXU Energy presents Zoo Lights – One of Houston’s most magical holiday lights experiences, filled with color, wonder, and festive delight.
- Christmas Village at Bayou Bend – Experience Bayou Bend’s Christmas Village, where sparkling gardens and family traditions brighten every night.
- River Oaks Christmas Lights – Walk past magnificent mansions beautifully decorated with lights and holiday displays.
- Hilton Americas-Houston Chocolate Sculptures – Stop by the hotel lobby November 14–December 30 to catch a chef-crafted chocolate installation showcasing the Fab Five™ characters of Mickey Mouse®, Minnie Mouse®, Donald Duck®, Goofy®, and Pluto®.
- Shopping + Indoor Ice Skating at The Galleria – Shop luxury brands or enjoy indoor skating while others browse.
Parks to Visit in Bellaire & Houston
Evelyn’s Park
Are you looking for a Bellaire park with fantastic views of the Houston skyline, plenty of walking and biking trails, a skatepark, and a play area for children? Nestled on five acres, Evelyn’s Park is a place to relax, reset, and rekindle connections with the outdoors and each other.
Discovery Green Park
Discovery Green (1500 McKinney St.) is a Houston Holidays must-visit—perfect for outdoor fitness and seasonal fun. Enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, and free yoga classes year-round, and check discoverygreen.com for daily wellness events.
During the holidays, the park shines with its outdoor ice skating rink, festive movies, and live concerts. This year brings a brand-new highlight: a Houston-themed light show by H-Town Frankie of Space City Light Shows, transforming the Brown Promenade with synchronized music and dazzling displays.
Note: Flashing lights may affect sensitive viewers.
Hermann Park
This park spans 55 acres and is a top attraction in Houston and is home to the Houston Zoo. Here is a quick list of attractions open year-round to visit with your family:
- Miller Outdoor Theater – check out the calendar for music concerts, orchestra, theater, and film screenings
- McGovern Lake – visit the tranquil waters for paddling, boat rentals, bird watching, and catch-release fishing for kids.
- Train Ride — A Great Break for Everyone – When little walkers need a break, the Hermann Park train ride offers a relaxing loop around the park. Adults can take a moment to unwind or stay active nearby before meeting up again to continue the day.
- Japanese Garden is amazing with a reflecting pool, tea house, rock garden, pretty elements like waterfalls and bridges, and sculptures while looking at the koi fish in the streams and ponds, bonsai trees, and winding paths.
- McGovern Centennial Gardens – Walk past the busts of influential historical figures and the beautifully landscaped gardens including a rose garden, woodland garden, and herb garden.
Houston Zoo
Our Houston zoo is a must-see within Hermann Park in Houston. We have lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebras, gorillas, monkeys, bears, sea lions, otters, birds, a reptile house, and an aquarium. The Pledge To Fitness Team® highly recommends Zoo Lights for an unforgettable after-dark experience—one of Houston’s top holiday displays. The whimsical walk-through is open from Nov. 18 to Jan. 8. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance.
Gerald D. Hines Houston Waterwall
Do you have a family member who always takes selfies? The Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park is a popular photography spot with Houston locals. Its water cascade is over the 64 ft tall semicircular and has a horseshoe-shaped walls. Over 40000 liters of water flow per minute over the structure of the inner and outer walls.
Buffalo Bayou Park
We recommend the amazing Buffalo Bayou Urban Park for miles and miles of running, walking, and biking trails as well as the beautiful twilight kayaking tour.
Market Square Park
The Pledge Team loves people-watching during the holiday season in Houston’s historic Market Square Park. With public art, live music, games, a lively dog park, and plenty of big shady trees, it’s one of our favorite places for a relaxing walk any time of year.
Memorial Park
Memorial Park remains Houston’s go-to place for running and walking, thanks to its 2.8-mile loop, forested trails, water stations, rest areas, and newly redesigned public spaces. Whether you want a holiday jog or an easy family walk, the park has everything you need.
Stay Active With Pledge To Fitness®
Our personal trainers meet you at your fitness level and guide you forward with support, expertise, and encouragement. They challenge you, motivate you, and help you stay accountable—especially through the busy holiday season. We’ll design a program that keeps you progressing while making your workouts fun and effective.
Want support staying active this season?
Book a session with your Pledge To Fitness® trainer and keep your routine strong through the holidays.
