"The vibrancy of Hermann Park, which celebrated its centennial in 2014, comes from the six million visitors who come every year, all entering past a giant statue of Sam Houston. You can spend an entire day here; Hermann Park is home to the Houston Zoo, situated in the middle of the 445-acre spread, the Miller Outdoor Theatre (a free performing-arts venue), a Japanese Zen garden, an 18-hole golf course, bird-watching, and the scenic McGovern Centennial Gardens. For fishing enthusiasts, there's a lake filled with bass and catfish." - Marcy de Luna
Getty