All the places in Houston where you can take your workout outdoors

From outdoor fitness classes to running trails and park workouts, fall is the perfect time to discover Houston’s best spots for exercising al fresco.

It’s around this time every year when Houstonians emerge from their air-conditioned gyms, look for their shadows, and, much like Punxsutawney Phil, determine how much time is left in summer before workouts can resume outside.

And while we sometimes marvel at 90-degree temperatures still holding on in October, this is usually the month when morning and evenings cool off, the oppressive humidity lifts, mosquitoes thin out, and we seek every opportunity to spend time outdoors again.

Parks fill up, plenty of fleet feet trod trails, and basketball teams practice layups under the setting sun. In this urban landscape, you’ll find sports, nature, and camaraderie that will get you off the couch and practicing all sorts of wellness, from hardcore cardio to meditation.

Here’s where you can get fit across the city of Houston while also getting fresh air, sunshine, and a much-needed break from screens, technology, and equipment.

Outdoor fitness classes in Houston

1. Fitness in the Park, Discovery Green

The 12-acre urban park in downtown Houston always seems to be hosting something, which is why Discovery Green is such a popular hangout in H-Town for everything from food festivals to working off those calories.

Fitness in the Park is part of the regular programming that brings residents and travelers to the Green seven days a week. Weeknights, hour-long classes ranging from gentle yoga flow to hip hop yoga keep patrons ohm-ing and namaste-ing from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Or start your weekend on the right foot with Saturday sessions from 9-10 a.m.

Classes like these—supplemented by sound and group meditation—are offered by UT Health Houston, so you can take comfort that the instruction is delivered by medical practitioners who have your best health interests at heart.

All classes are free and appropriate for every fitness level, and no pre-registration is required. Just sign in when you arrive, and be sure to bring your own mat and asana aids.

2. Sugar Land Town Square Zumba and fitness

For well over 10 years now, Sugar Land has hosted a year-round, weekly Friday fitness event in Town Square, just in front of Town Hall. People from every walk of life show up from 9:30-10:30 a.m. to Zumba or salsa their way to a healthier heart.

The only thing that can rival a free fitness class is free parking, and Sugar Land offers both. Get some extra steps in by parking in one of the garages and strolling the cute town, then listen for the music. You’ll find a crowd gathering to learn dance moves and get fit the fun way—boogying, sashaying, and getting to know their neighbors.

3. Camp Gladiator

Camp Gladiator holds classes in various outdoor locations across Houston, including the Woodlands. Accessible, all-level, encouraging classes are meant to get you outside and change up your workout routine, helping you to avoid the all-too-common rut you may fall into as a gym rat.

Just sign up for your membership online. You can choose from different memberships, like one that gives you unlimited classes—both in person and online—starting at $85 a month. You’ll have access to locations across the US, so if you travel, you can join workouts in most big cities.

Each class is led by a certified trainer, and days and times vary, so take note of the specifics when you register. And don’t forget that you must bring your own equipment to class.

Hiking, running, and biking trails in Houston

1. Buffalo Bayou Park

Need a great cardio fix? At Buffalo Bayou Park, you’ll run out of steam before you run out of trails.

Whether you’re walking, jogging, biking, or rollerblading, you’ll have 160 acres of trails, so you can change your course every day. The 5-mile loop is lighted at night for after-work hours, and if you like to spread out a bit, the Sandy Reed Memorial Trail is 10 feet wide, perfect for dog walking or riding bikes with the family.

If nature is part of your wellness routine, follow the Kinder Footpath, a winding trail that follows the bayou and is filled with birdsong. Note that bikes are not allowed on the footpath, so this is your quieter alternative. As a bonus, there are some calisthenic bars along the way to add some upper body workout to your walk.

2. Memorial Park

Serious runners love Memorial Park almost as much as the tourists—so much, in fact, that it’s not uncommon to see Houston’s pro athletes utilizing all that this park has to offer. That includes golf, tennis, running, and biking paths, workout stations, and a playground for the kids.

Memorial Park also plays host to special fitness programming like Futbolito in the City, which currently provides free soccer clinics and play to youth in the greater Houston area. They don’t skimp on their offerings—athletes with the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash (link) coach kids ages 6-14 in a series of weekly 90-minute sessions.

A new set of programming began in November, so check the website to see how you can get the entire family to turn fitness into fun.

3. Rice Loop

At 2.92 miles, the Rice Loop is just across the street from Hermann Park. It surrounds the Rice University campus, which attracts students from all over the world and contributes to Houston’s diversity, so in addition to running along with student athletes, you’ll also get to absorb the university vibe.

That includes a path shaded by towering trees, impressive campus buildings, and outdoor artwork commissioned by the university. Park at Hermann Park or on Main Street and use the restroom in advance. Water stations are available along the route.

4. Hermann Park

Many fitness fanatics love to combine the Rice Loop with Hermann Park, which gives you every option under the sun for workout activities.

Not only does this park have excellent running and biking paths, but it also holds special events like 5Ks and group bike rides for a cause. If you’re on your own, take a jog on the 2-mile Marvin Taylor Trail, one of the many shaded trails in Houston thanks to gorgeous, historic live oaks. It is a former carriage trail and now features a decomposed granite surface. Along the way, you’ll find eco-friendly TimberForm exercise equipment for a workout bonus.

The beauty of this park (aside from what nature created) is that you can also check out a bike here. The BCycle Station is located near Lake Plaza. Rent your bike, don your helmet, ride over the Bill Coats Bridge, and enjoy the scenery of the bayou park land. You can return the bike at any of the four BCycle stations.

5. Spotts Park

Offering a plethora of outdoor options like basketball and sand volleyball courts, a children’s playground, walking trails, and a picnic area, Spotts Park is a favorite among Houstonians.

The locals will tell you that the best time for a workout, a bike ride, or a run is just before sunset. Then you can walk to Waugh Bridge to see a completely free event and one of Houston’s spookiest after-dark phenomena—the Waugh Bridge bat colony, where thousands of bats come to life and beat their wings toward the Houston skyline. And why not? They’re entitled to outdoor exercise too.

Calisthenics parks in Houston

In addition to the parks above—Memorial, Buffalo Bayou, and Hermann Park—that incorporate workout stations into their trails, you can also find parks that offer calisthenics equipment as a primary focus. This is for fitness fans who really want to up their game with a full-body workout.

One favorite is Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth Park off of West Road in Cypress. Warm up with some cardio on the 2-mile track, and add intervals, toning, and strength at impressive stations that include pull-up bars, a variety of calisthenics props, and playground equipment that doubles as the ideal base for body weight workouts.

Note: A huge dog park accompanies this park, so feel free to bring Fido to your workout.

If you don’t live near Cypress and are looking for fitness parks near you, this directory of calisthenics parks makes it easy to find one. Just enter your zip code and you’ll get a listing of parks near you that offer equipment for fitness.