Nearby city niceties

By Sarah Motteler     8/27/24 11:11pm

Do you have a time in your calendar that needs filling, but don’t want to spend thirty minutes walking in the August heat or $30 on admission? Consider checking out one or more of these activities within  one mile of Rice — all free or discounted with a Rice ID.

See five levels of exhibits at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (0.4 miles)

The Houston Museum of Natural Science displays 16 permanent exhibits over four floors and a lower level, ranging from minerals and matter to fossils and Fabergé eggs. Rice students can receive a free membership card by showing a Rice undergraduate ID at the ticket counter. Membership privileges include free admission to the permanent exhibits and reduced rates for the planetarium, butterfly center and limited-time exhibits.

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Hear complimentary music performances at the Miller Outdoor Theatre (0.5 miles)

The Miller Outdoor Theatre hosts free bands, choirs and other performing group shows for eight months of the year (between mid-March and mid-November). Tickets for the amphitheater’s covered seats can be booked online at milleroutdoortheatre.com starting the day prior to the performance, with any remaining unclaimed seats offered to the public 10 minutes prior to the performance’s start time. The large lawn outside of the amphitheater is also open for seating with no reservations required.

Taste Middle Eastern-inspired pastries at Badolina Bakery & Cafe (0.5 miles)

Badolina Bakery & Cafe offers sweet and savory pastries, as well as a variety of hot and iced drinks, from its Rice Village location across from Hopdoddy Burger Bar and Mendocino Farms. Open from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, Badolina’s delicious pastries and calming ambiance make it an ideal location for off-campus studying. Rice students receive a 15% discount with a school ID, and baked goods are half-off from 4 p.m. till closing.

Smell the animals (whether you want to or not) at the Houston Zoo (0.6 miles)

The Houston Zoo is home to more than six thousand animals and six hundred species. The exhibits group animals by area of origin, family or, in the case of the Children’s Zoo, expected visitor demographic. Rice students can reserve free tickets via the zoo’s website (houstonzoo.org) under the “discount tickets” tab, then show their Rice ID at the ticket window to enter.

Feel carefree at the Japanese Garden (0.2 miles)

Located within Hermann Park, the Japanese Garden was designed in the early 1990s by acclaimed Japanese landscape architect Ken Nakajima. The scenic garden contains a traditional teahouse surrounded by winding gravel paths, flowing water and lush plants. The garden is beautiful throughout all four seasons and is a great place to visit for a peaceful walk in nature. Admission is free and the garden is open from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. March through October and from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. November through February.

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