Getting Around the District

Houston’s scenic Museum District is nestled along oak-lined boulevards just south of downtown. The blocks of the district run both north and south of Hwy. 59, with Main, Caroline and W. Alabama streets the key thoroughfares.

There are numerous ways to experience the fascinating destinations of the Museum District. You can walk, bike, drive or hop on a train or bus – or any combination of those. Cyclists can ride their own bikes or check out share bikes at one of the area B-cycle stations. On a pleasant day, drivers may want to park once and walk to multiple museums to take in the scenery.

METRORail is a handy option for most of the 20 museums in the Museum District. Fourteen museums are within just four blocks of a rail stop. “METRO makes it easier for residents and visitors to experience Houston’s art and the amenities surrounding our Museum District,” says Margaret O’Brien Molina, Sr. Media Specialist at METRO. “The pressure of trying to drive and find parking is something our riders are happy to forego. METRORail stations are conveniently located near the most popular areas and link with bus service, if you want to extend your trip. So, it’s a win-win situation — trains arrive on-schedule at predictable locations, and you still have the option to venture out by bus.”

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With several B-Cycle stations located within close proximity the Museum District, area visitors can check out share bikes to pedal from museum to museum. “We have four stations from the Menil to Hermann Park, with a total of 48 bikes,” says Baker Goldsmith, Houston B-cycle’s marketing and events manager. “All of the other stations are a short ride away.”

If you’ve never tried B-Cycle, getting started is fast and easy. “You can walk right up to any of our 29 kiosks and check out a bike immediately,” says Goldsmith. “All you need is a credit card to purchase your daily pass.” Regular users may prefer to purchase an annual or weekly pass, via the Houston B-Cycle website. Note that riders are strongly encouraged to bring their own helmets, which are not provided at kiosks.

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“What makes B-cycle so convenient is that it’s there when you need it, but once you dock the bike, you walk away and forget about it,” says Goldsmith. “Unlike a bus, a train or a cab, you don’t have to wait or depend on a schedule. What makes it so fun is being able to see and enjoy the city with flexibility and freedom. On the way from point A to point B, you can easily stop to grab a coffee, check out a cool shop you see on the way, or pause to enjoy the scenery. Especially in the Museum District, with so much to see and explore, you can always find some unexpected fun.”

Whether you have your own bike or opt for a B-Cycle, you and your bike can hop on a train or bus, to cover more ground. “We now have a great bike option in Houston with bike racks on all our local buses,” says METRO’s Margaret O’Brien Molina. “This lets the rider get to some of those areas, like along the bayou, where they can enjoy the outdoors and then maybe board their bike on a train or a bus and head for the museums or vice versa. We’ve got a new B-Cycle bike share stand at METRO’s Downtown Transit Center headquarters where you can rent a bike for the day – and get a train or a bus. That opens up new possibilities.” Learn more about METRO’s services by visiting the Rider Tools section of their site, www.ridemetro.org.

 

Written by Sandra Cook