The Neches River and surrounding bayous play an important part in the life of the Coonie Triangle…read more It's odd that so few businesses and public spaces take advantage of this. Maybe it's because of the occasional hurricanes, I don't know. Riverfront Park tries to rectify this situation, and does so splendidly. This is a typical city park, with a large lawn area, many picnic tables, playground, lots of oak trees. Many houses close by, so I'm sure that it's used quite a bit by residents who walk there to relax. The hunny and I visited during the annual Riverfest. Most of the large lawn area was taken up by food booths and carnival rides. At the eastern edge was a portable stage where several hundred sat to hear Tauren Wells sing. And now for the five-star rating: It's on the river. Yes, this is a true waterfront park. There is a large parking lot with boat ramp, and a classic Southern riverfront restaurant on the other side of that parking lot. It was a treat to see the barges go by during the Tauren Wells concert. Riverfront Park took advantage of its setting with a boat show on Sunday. I'm going to go back there. One of my favorite dates with the Hunny was when we drove into the California Delta south of Sacramento, stopped at a choke-and-puke deli and got some food, then crossed over the levee road to sit on a dock and eat. No improvisation is necessary here, although if you don't go to the nearby restaurant, you'll need to bring your own grub. She'll love the setting. And you will too. Parting thought: it's not an easy drive from the freeway, and FM 365 does not lead directly to the park.

The coolest park! It's a giant wooden park with lots of spaces for kids to play in. Across the…read morelittle street is a newer playground but we spent so much time at the wooden one. It is right by the lake. Super clean, it is our new spot.

The lady in the front was so nice. We are not from here, we are actually on vacations... she gave…read moreus some history on the place and alot of information. She also told us about a place were we could go while there to possibly see a gator. This was really a beautiful place both at the conservatory and in the area she pointed us too. We did not see a gator (we did see turtles, snakes and all kinds of birds) but, we absolutely loved the view.

Tropical plants and flowers surround a large waterfall, complete with koi pond. There are plenty…read moreof benches to sit on and relax as you look around at all the different species of plants and trees. A row of potted orchids sits along the back wall. Take the kids and see if they can find all the different statues (the dinosaur shouldn't be too hard) - just make sure you keep them from trying to grab the fish! Remember, you are in basically a giant greenhouse, so it's going to get a bit warm in there during the summer. Restrooms and offices are inside the lobby. It is free to get in, but donations are always welcome and help keep the plants alive. Be sure to check out the birdcage and the artwork on the walls.

We made a trip over to see what all the talk was about this place - and it was AMAZING! It is an…read moreincredibly beautiful place - full of so many gorgeous plants and trees! We were able to see the scarecrows and pumpkins out for the season which were used so well through out the entire garden. We were shocked at the beauty of this place! We had no idea! They have great evening and weekend activities planned - great for the family! Definitely make a visit!

A small, but mighty botanical garden with everything free at your fingertips. This attraction did…read morenot disappoint. Upon walking into the garden, my friend and I were immediately greeted by one of the volunteers. She gladly gave us a map of the garden and asked if were interested in seeing a free movie to learn about the history of the garden and asked if we were wanting to go on the free boat tour as well. We gladly said, yes and was shocked that they so many payless amenities. I thought to myself out of all the botanical gardens I've visited over the years, this was by far the less expensive. The movie was fascinating. It was held in this big modernized auditorium. We were the only ones in there. Once the movie started, the room got really dark. Mr. Stark, a native and local of Orange, TX was inspired by the 1933 movie, The Lost Horizon (which can be found on Tubi), but Shangri La translates into utopia and paradise, so he sought out to make an impression in the small city by creating a place people can enjoy nature on 252 acres. The selection of plants are natives, annuals, perennials, some tropical plants (located in the greenhouses). The boat tour was a real treat! We were given instructions to remain safe on the water vehicle and put on life jackets. The tour was held on Adams Bayou where we saw ospreys, Christmas lichen on the trees, houses off the bayou, cypress trees with their huge roots, moss hanging from the branches, and even the bayou was filled with debris and trash. It definitely felt like we in a swamp. The boat ride was peaceful as the tour guides gave explanation of what we viewed. After the tour, my friend and I walked around the park observing all the beauties around. There wasn't a lot of plants in bloom yet, but nevertheless, the air was crisp and fresh. Great outing. They even have a restaurant/cafe on site. Shangri La exceeded my expectations!

Great park lots of sun and shade and plenty of room to run or play on equipment (all in good safe…read moreworking order) plus the splash pad and water fountain all next to a library?! It's a win! :)

Best family park in Beaumont- offers a large playground and water feature for the kids, lots of…read morepicnic tables, tennis courts, a basketball court, a community center building, a walking/jogging trail, large green space, baseball backstop and restrooms. Plenty of trees for shade and located right next to the RC Miller library. This is the park where you see families having parties and people playing with rc cars and kicking the soccer ball around. LOVE this park!

The preserve itself is fascinating enough...but my destination inside the preserve is supposedly…read morethe most haunted road in Texas! The preserve is seriously huge. I only visited a small part in particular but spent about 30-40 minutes driving THROUGH the preserve to get to the part I visited lol! But it's a gorgeous drive regardless! The preserve is really a fascinating phenomenon in and of itself...biologists have identified at least 8-10 different ecosystems existing all within the preserve....harmoniously! Of particular interest to me was the Ghost Road Scenic Drive (AKA Bragg Rd). It's an 8 mile stretch of dirt road that falls between Hwy 787 in Saratoga, Tx and Hwy 1293 in Bragg, Tx. It's famous for the haunting Saratoga Mystery Lights, among other ghostly and mysterious sightings and is reportedly the most haunted road in Texas! It's actually a "public park" in Hardin County...but this is no "park"...it's a surreal dirt road that's like driving through a creepy, never-ending tunnel surrounded by swamps and clearings. I saw an abandoned wheelchair and flashes of lights that made my stomach swim with butterflies! But they all turned out to be cars haha! So I didn't end up seeing any spirits or ghosties...but it was an interesting experience! I highly recommend you have a decent set of tires for it though bc there are lots of potholes and mud...Tropical Storm Hanna had just been through and it was nasty weather!

Big Thicket National Preserve is an American treasure. It is a beautifully serene area of the…read morecountry located in East Texas that fully deserves all the attention it's due. The many ecosystems that this park encompasses is a geological mystery that starts millions of years ago with the movement of glaciers. We only had a short 2 hour time window to enjoy the exhibits at the visitors center, the short film in the theatre, and a quick hike close to the visitors center. The film is the same one you can view on their website, so if you are short on time, skip it and watch it at home. The gift shop is stocked with amazing items, so definitely save 5 minutes to browse around. My kids enjoyed speaking to Ranger Scott about his favorite animal in the preserve, the American alligator, and completing the Junior Ranger booklet for the badges. This program is targeted for 14 and under but adults can participate as well.

We went to this park while on a road trip and it was fantastic! Enclosed space that has ample…read morerunning room, shade and benches, and a little lake to walk around next to it!

This playground is my favorite! It is gated for the safety of the kiddos, and located next to the…read moreevent centre pond, which means you can bring old bread, cereal, popcorn, etc to feed the duckies!! there is a walking path around the pond for exercise or casual stroll, in the playground itself is adapted for special needs kiddos as well! They have large seat & "tire style" swings with bottoms for handicapped kiddos, a wheelchair accessible ship that rocks, and tons of sensory equipment! There are a few picnic tables for the kiddos to have snacks or eat lunch, and right around the corner is the community skate park that is open to the public & FREE.99! It's mine & my son's favorite by far!

This is a beautiful place. It's not very big and will probably only take about an hour to an hour…read moreand 1/2 to walk through, but It's very peaceful and there's lots to see. Take time to look at the beauty. The conservatory has beautiful greenery and water fountains. I thought it was really cool. There is a 911 memorial that is very moving. It's a great place to take a walk if you're looking for some peace and quiet.

I thought there would be more to this. I understand the dry weather is a bit prohibitive, but even…read morethe indoor tropical lacked care and upkeep. Gentleman inside was nice. He was a nice change from the frowning snooty ladies. The foyer is nice so I was surprised that restroom was in rough shape as well as the plants inside. A little more care this could be a nice oasis.

Very small state park, but I somehow like it a lot better than Galveston Island SP because it is…read moreless crowded. I read on everywhere to beware of the mosquitoes. I surprisingly didn't have to deal with any mosquitoes. What was very annoying was the plethora of flies. I sprayed myself and my dog, Sneakers in deet spray because they were relentless landing on us. Park staff was nice and pretty much hands off. I checked in and bought a magnet all from the comfort of my vehicle. I don't think you can walk inside the park HQ. There's only one trail which is under a mile long. It's a boardwalk that goes over marsh swamp with blue crabs walking below. Sneakers had a blast looking at the crabs. I had to stop him a few times from jumping down below to eat them. The parking is plentiful. I brought a picnic blanket, an inflatable dog bed, a small camping table, and my 2015 Yelp towel so Sneakers and I could eat snacks while watching the waves come in. It was very relaxing and peaceful. We both fell asleep on the shore until we were abruptly woken up by a family feeding the birds. It clearly states in the park map not to feed in the birds, but people are always out to break the rules. The water wasn't cold, but lukewarm. I saw several needles buried in the sand in various areas of the beach. Park rangers could do a better job at cleaning it up, but I'm sure they're more busy handling their day to day. I think Sneakers had a great time at Sea Rim with me. He got in the water and was swimming a bit until he got too scared to go into deeper water. Entry was free with the TX Parks Pass otherwise it would have been $3 which my friend thought that was too much money. It's not, but to each their own opinions. I had fun and will be back!!

Amazing quiet beach. A great place to sit and chill. I…read morelove that you can take your car on the beach.

The Neches River tour through Neches River Adventures is another gem in the area. It departs from…read moreColliers Ferry Park. It's educational, family friendly and goes at a leisurely pace for a really lovely Saturday outing. Our family enjoyed it so much.

This is one of the hidden gems of the Beaumont park system - if you don't have a boat, you may…read morenever know it's there. Stuck way back at the end of Pine street, near the country club, there is a park with covered picnic areas, multiple picnic tables, a playground, restrooms, a couple of docks and a boat ramp. Plenty of trailer parking as well as normal sized car/truck spots available. It's quiet here, and relaxing near the river. You can see people fishing from the dock on some days.

Visited this hike & bike trail for the first time this afternoon. It's really nice! The trail is…read more1.4 miles long, so if you turn around at the end of the trail to walk back to the parking lot, you've walked almost 3 miles! There is one water fountain at the beginning of the trail (next to the parking lot) & no restrooms. There are several benches along the way. This trail is right off busy Dowlen road, but it feels so distant from there (in a good way). You'll find that you don't even hear road noise along the path. The people we encountered were friendly & would acknowledge you as you passed. There are mostly walkers, but we saw people biking, rollerblading, running, walking dogs, & flying kites. Check this place out! Glad Beaumont is adding more recreational green spaces for it's citizens!

So you want to get in shape. This is one place to do that…read more What can you find at the Folsom Hike & Bike Trail? * Paved trail? Yes. * Unpaved trail? Only one short spur. * Hills? Kinda sorta; a mesa that appears to be manmade, and the only hill in Jefferson County. * Trees? Nope. * Views? Nope. Unless you consider looking at Folsom Drive to be a view. * Appropriate for a road bike? Maybe; it's only 1.4 miles one-way to a dead end. * Appropriate for a mountain bike? Maybe; I didn't see any signs prohibiting mountain bikes on the mesa. It's quite boring, though. * Streams or lakes? Nope. * Dogs? Yes. * Dairy Queen? Dollar Tree? Waffle House? Nope on all three. * Parking? On the small side, but adequate for the amount of use it gets. The Folsom Hike & Bike Trail is convenient for people on the West Side. And it works for my attempts to rebuild my cardio. And that's about it. If you want scenic diversions, or a course longer than 2.8 miles, go to Tyrell Park.