If you're looking for something truly unique in Houston, this is it! The bat emergence at sunset is hands‑down one of the coolest natural shows I've ever seen in the city. Hundreds of thousands of Mexican free‑tailed bats come streaming out from under the bridge as dusk hits -- it's mesmerizing watching them swirl up over the bayou and head out to hunt insects. Reminded me of Austin which has a similar spot. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

Watching more than 300,000 Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from under the bridge is an awesome sight. This is one of my favorite places to take friends and family visiting from out of town--it's such a cool experience! The best time to see them is about 30 minutes before sunset. You may have a wait a while, but be patient- it's worth it! As the bats get ready for their nightly flight, you can hear them becoming more active. They will begin dropping from the crevices under the bridge and sometimes gather in small groups. Sometimes they leave in small groups and sometimes en masse. My favorite is when they emerge as a giant swirling bat tornado! You can bring a blanket to sit on the steep hill, stand on the pathway below, or watch from the bridge above. Just watch out for cyclists--they don't always slow down for pedestrians and can be a bit hazardous. Frown. The guano smell is strong, but hey, it's all part of the experience. Parking is tricky. Do NOT park in the shopping center across the street where Subway is, even if the lot is empty. They tow cars--I found out the hard way. $350! If you can't snag one of the limited parking spots nearby, I'd suggest taking an Uber or Lyft instead. This is such a unique and fun experience, and I can't recommend it enough! read more

Pretty nice and interesting bridge area where bats gather in Houston, and also next to the Buffalo Bayou Park. Just make sure to come earlier to get parking. I believe groups gather at times during the night as well, they may have schedules online. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

Go on a Friday night, if you can, to catch the educational team of biologists for their weekly "Bat Chat." They will answer all your dorky questions about bats (YES!) and recommend how to view their habitat safely, without disturbing them. The program on Fridays is family friendly, a good date night, and you'll learn lots from the researchers at Rice and Lone Star State who generously share their knowledge with the public. read more

Fun experience. It was recommended to come 30 minutes before sunset, but at least for us the bats didn't start flying until after sunset. There's a few viewing spots, the platform, grass on the slope, other side across the bayou, or directly on the bridge, which will probably offer you the best view. The walkway is pretty wide, but you are still close to traffic speeding past, and many of them honking (not sure why). Also, if you pay attention, you might notice a few hawks flying high above waiting to snatch up unsuspecting bats once they come out. We were able to find street parking nearby, and just a few minutes walk from the viewing platform. There were still a few spots left, so not a bad idea to arrive early anyways. read more

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This probably would have been better to check out at dusk time, but we were only able to make it there during the day. It's pretty cool that there is a whole back colony underneath the bridge, however, we didn't see any bats. We did hear them, smell them, and saw evidence of their droppings on the ground, but didn't actually see any bats. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Lived near here for years. The colony is strong and will not disappoint if you want to see the tornado emergence. The bat urine smell is strong, careful walking under the bridge before the bats leave as the have droppings. There is a viewing area nearby. read more

A natural phenomenon in Houston, Texas... This is a cool, free activity for residents and tourists alike! Come to the end of Buffalo Bayou Park and watch the bats fly out from under the bridge! The closest free parking is past the dandelion fountain... go early for a good space! The first time, I waited on the grassy slope, but maybe the trees blocked my view? For my second viewing attempt, I stood on the deck. I still couldn't see them! Next time, I want to stand on the bridge with the other audience members... Haha! That must be an awesome angle! read more

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Through Houston Zoo's Family Nature Experiences we got to enjoy all the Waugh Bridge had to offer with some extra educational guidance. After a short walk around Buffalo Bayou we came upon the Waugh Bridge prior to sunset (8:25PM). While its not required to have a guide it was an added addition to this fun gem located here in Houston. We first encountered the bridge during the last bit of daylight; getting to visually see the small crevices where more than 200,000 Mexican free-tailed bats reside, we also got to experience the pungent smell that comes from such a large gathering of bats (essentially the public walking area under the bridge is their large public restroom). My kids were not to fond of the smell, but it was a neat pre visual to what the landscape looks like prior to the bat emergence. There are small grassy areas on both sides of the bridge that both provide a great view; find a spot to prep for the show. There is also an observation deck that has several education installments. As dusk draws near you will see a few scout bats emerge checking surroundings before giving the all call for the bat vortex to commence. I have to say the before and after views are amazing. Predators start to arrive the closer we get to emergence time, various types of birds post up in different locations trying to find the perfect spot to snag a "fast" bat meal. Make sure to look up as there is usually a hawk providing ample entertainment trying to snag those bats brave enough to take to the higher areas of the sky. Parking can be a pain as the parking lot nearest is shared with a restaurant. This is by far a great family and or date night experience (that is 100% free) I highly recommend. read more

It's a cool spot to visit if you want to see nature happening. You might get lucky and see the bats fly out when it's still pretty bright out or, if you're unlucky, the bats won't start flying out until it's dark out and you don't really get to see anything. There's a platform with some cool info about the bat colony and to watch the bats fly out if you want to stand and wait there. Most people would just sit on the hill next to the platform, or they wait on the bridge and look down. Parking can be found along the park but you probably want to come early because otherwise you'd be parking pretty far from the site and walk here. If you live in Houston and you haven't checked out the bat colony yet, you should. If you're from out of town, make sure you come here if you have the time. read more

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One of Houston's local treasures, the Waugh bridge bat colony is a must visit for locals and tourists alike. Here you can view one of the largest populations of Mexican free-tailed in Texas that reside year round, unlike the Congress St. bats in Austin. The destination is easy to locate at the corner of Allen Parkway and Waugh along the Buffalo Bayou trail. Find a spot on the grass, chill on the bridge, or bring your own lawn chair. A rather sizeable crowd can gather, especially on the weekends. I recommend bringing along some water in the summer. At the site, there's several information boards with bat viewing tips, information about the bats' diets and how they've make their home under the bridge. You will probably hear and smell them long before you see them, and when they finally appear, they do not disappoint. At dusk, a dark steady funnel of over 200,000 bodies quickly emerge and zoom their way towards the towers, dissipating into the distance. The eager hawks have waited for this moment, and you may witness them dive bombing the poor bats from above. Ah, the circle of life is something to witness... During Harvey, there were efforts to save the trapped bat colony from the rising flood waters. They ended up taking quite a hit, as the bridge was eventually submerge. Harvey water level markers remain here, serving as a reminder of that disaster. However, much of the colony did end up escaping and returning and has been recovering nicely since. Park along Allen Parkway if possible as the nearby lots have posted no parking signs for bat viewers. Happy viewing! read more

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A majestic (and stinky) Houston staple. Years ago during my first visit to Houston, my mother in law took me to the Waugh Drove Bat Colony and the experience has stuck with me ever since. Any time we walk or drive by I recall that first visit. What makes the colony so special? "The Waugh Bridge Bat Colony consists of Mexican free-tailed bats that emerge nightly to stretch their wings and feed on area insects. Unlike many other Texas bat colonies that migrate south during the winter months, the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony remains in Houston throughout the year." Basically, it's a beautiful nightly show you can count on like clockwork. The first few emerge and then a black cloud descends as they flock out from under the bridge. If passing by this time of night, you'll not only see the bats but a large group of spectators soaking it in. As far as the "stinky" part - well, that's what happens when you have thousands of bats living in one spot. Happy spectating! read more

Who thought bats are so cool???!!! In early April, the bats start to fly out in groups at 8pm. They continue flying for a shockingly long time--till 9pm. The best view is from under the side of the Waugh bridge (not on the bridge itself), so that you could see the tiny, dark creatures against the darkening sky. read more

If you're ever in Houston definitely stop by Buffalo Bayou Park and check out the Bat Colony! Thousands emerge from under the bridge every day at dusk. Sometimes you can even see local hawks/birds swooping down on them for a meal. I've been here twice over the years and we always park across the street at the shopping center and walk over to the bridge. Many people sit on the lawn, but I like standing on the bridge and watching them fly right out from under you. :) It can be a little smelly from all the guano, but what do you expect, they live there. This is a fun experience and it awesome to see the colony swarming and flying off into the city skyline. Try and get there a little before sundown to make sure you don't miss them! read more

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A magical experience to see nature in its natural awe inspiring form; watching a once empty looking bridge burst to life as the sunsets with more bats then I could count( watching them hunted down by hawks also) head out to feed for the night was amazing and a highlight of my time in Houston. Definitely a must visit attraction:) read more

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finally saw the bats yesterday. it was pretty cool, to read about bats and see them flying away as a large group. the bats came out right about 8pm ish and lasted for about 5-10min. i think if you are coming here for bats, you might as well checkout the bayou. i didn't have to worry about parking but parking can be crazy during both weekends or weekdays. below photo isn't the best, i recommend you taking a video. i took a video as well but it wont let me post here?.. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you're visiting Houston this is definitely worth checking out. Super cool. Be there and sitting by at least 730-745 (during summer) to witness the bats come out at once. Great experience for all ages. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

Absolutely breathtaking if you're a lover of nature. It's even more amazing to see this adaptive creature living in a huge colony in the middle of the 4th largest U.S. city! They are resilient creatures and I'm happy to see they are thriving after the major flooding from Harvey. This place can get packed at dusk so I recommend getting to the area an hour before dusk. The best place to watch and see their majestic path through the sky is from the side of Waugh Bridge. Be careful though as drivers are usually self-centered and speeding on by like it's the Katy Freeway. read more

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Such an incredible experience! A free gift of nature. Stay on the side where they have the viewing platform, the bats actually funnel through that side of the bridge. read more

It's definitely not the same as it used to be before Harvey destroyed their home, but they're still here. They seem to come out later than they used to though and not the big swarm that used to be. I'm really not sure if it's because it's still cold and some have migrated or that many of them died or relocated but time will tell. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Waugh bat colony before Tropical Storm Harvey destroyed their home. - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

Definitely check this place out if you haven't already. I'm sure most people when they think of Texas and bats, they think of the South Congress bridge in Austin. Houston has something similar! Located right on Waugh and Allen Parkway. For parking, you can parallel park about .3 miles from the bridge and it's a nice walk. We went yesterday expecting them to come out at sunset at 6:41 and they came at about 7 or a little after. It's a nice area to walk/run and when you're finishing up, you can chill in the grass or observation deck and wait for the bats to come out. :) read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

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My family & I have visited the Colony twice, during the past few weeks, & we've loved it. The colony is comprised of ~250,000 Mexican free-tailed bat who live in the crevices in the underside of Waugh Drive bridge, which spans Buffalo Bayou. Bats are visible throughout the day, & emerge en-mass just around sunset to hunt. The times of nightly emergences vary greatly. The Houston Parks & Recreation Department recommends coming 15-30 minutes before sunset, if you want to watch this, but on our most recent visit, yesterday, we arrived half an hour early, & the bats were already emerging as we were running frantically over the Jackson Hill pedestrian bridge. A volunteer speculated that the bats may have been especially hungry that night, b/c their last hunt had been cut short by rain. So come early, especially if it was rainy or cold the night before. The bats return to Waugh Drive bridge around 5:30 AM, so be on the lookout for them, if you jog in Buffalo Bayou Park in the early morning. Emergences are spectacular. The bats usually come from the eastern end of Waugh Drive bridge, skimming the bayou in a long train, before rising high into the sky in wave upon wave. Bat-enthusiasts watch from (1) the bridge, itself, for pics of the stream of bats following the bayou, (2) the Observation Deck, on the northeast corner of Waugh Drive & Allen Parkway to see the bats congregating, & warming-up for their long flight together, by flying in circles beneath the bridge, (3) the dandelion-shaped Gus S. Wortham Memorial Fountain in Buffalo Bayou Park, along Allen Parkway, just east of Waugh Drive. According to our volunteer, the bats often fly low, overhead, along the sidewalk near the bayou tree line, turning sharply upward to avoid the fountain. Bat pups are born in May-June, & begin to hunt for insects, just 4 weeks later. Because of this, the most impressive emergences are usually in August & September, just after the little ones have been weaned & have joined the hunt. Bat Chats are held on the first & third Friday of the month on the Observation Deck, & are worth attending. Volunteers are experienced & knowledgeable. Our volunteers had been giving talks here for over 7 years. Even after the emergence, they stuck around to answer questions; showed us a taxidermy bat, entombed in a clear plastic case; & shined a high-powered flashlight covered with pink-tinted cellophane into a few of the crevices, revealing the roosting mother- & baby bats who had remained behind. While there, we saw a hawk & a night heron catch & eat fallen juvenile bats. According to our volunteer, even large fish prey on fallen juveniles. So stick around after the emergence. There's no need to leave, like a bat out of hell. When we stopped by the colony, yesterday, there were still many hundreds of bats gearing-up for flight, long after the main group had left. We watched their progress for nearly an hour, from the path that passes under the bridge. Our group included adults & kids aged 2-8, & all loved it. The 8 year old declared she wants to have her next birthday party here. I was hoping she'd then proclaim, "Tonight, I'm Batgirl!", but no joy...Meanwhile, all of the older kids were all actively engaged & asked the volunteers lots of questions, while the adults fidgeted, & tried to stifle their own to give the kids plenty of time with the volunteers. We all went, well, batty for the Waugh Drive Bat Colony (tee-hee). Sunset bat emergences are fun for most everyone. Inherently cool. Quintessentially Houstonian. Highly recommended, especially on the first or third Friday of the month, during the summer & fall. UPDATE: Returned to the Colony (http://www.yelp.com/biz/bats-n-bites-uye-houston, http://www.yelp.com/events/houston-bats-n-bites-uye), and the rep from the Houston Zoo scheduled to give the Bat Chat didn't show. Boo hiss! Minus one star to you, Waugh Drive Bat Colony. read more

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People always rave about the bat colony in Austin. Yeah it's pretty cool being able to sit on a boat and looking up at them flying away, but Houston is no chump. We have our own bat colony and it's pretty gosh darn big. If you go during the evening around sunset you might get a chance to see the bats depart from under bridge. It's an amazing sight. Before making it up here I thought it was one of those blink and you miss it moments, nope, they keep coming out for minutes with no end in sight. You can get pretty close as you can jog below, which I do not suggest or stand above on the street or on the hill where everyone else is. It's a cool little spot that most Houstonians miss. Take a minute, check it out, it's free!!! read more

I thought this was better than in Austin. Yeah, I said it. I sat on the green grasses next to the bayou, had a pleasant picnic, and watched as the bats swarmed out from under the bridge. They put on a nice show for at least a good 5 - 10 minutes. The stragglers toward the end have a little less direction and might veer closer to you, which is extremely neat. Apparently, the bats permanently reside under Waugh Bridge so you can come on any evening around dusk for a nice spectacle. This is certainly a must-see in Houston! read more

This was one of our favorite things we did in Houston and so random! You will have to park on the street about 8 minutes away and walk over the bridge (follow the google maps pin). The bats took off in waves about twenty minutes after sunset in July (8:40). read more

This is definitely a worthwhile thing to do if you're around the area at dusk on a nice evening. We got up nice and close to the bridge on a path below (but not actually under - you might get pooped on!), which was certainly an interesting vantage point. You could hear the bats going nuts and chirping for at least 10 minutes before they started, which was fun and built the excitement. Once the vortex started, they kept flying out for at least 5 minutes. The bats left around 10 minutes after sunset (official time). I'm not sure how precise they are though, so it's probably best to get there a bit early just in case. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place delivers on its promise, there are always bats here. It's pretty here along the bayou too, a great stop on a long walk if you're out to explore. I probably wouldn't drive from far to see them, but if you're nearby it's a fun stop. I think the greatest danger here is not the bats, it's the crazy bikers, racing bikers, who drag through here. They will yell at you if you just stop and watch the bats on 'their path'. More than one biker yelled at us too, even though it was me, my wife and a baby! They said not to stop on the path, which is rather wide I might point out, plenty of room to go around. Just remember to ignore their rudeness as they must yield to you! There wasn't that much guano btw, it was pretty clean under the bridge surprisingly. Will return! read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Nice place to... - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This is something else to do on beautiful Houston. The Bayou park is currently going through renovations but the bats still come out so stop by after going for a walk along the Buffalo Bayou. There is a place for you to stand like a little balcony or you can stand by the bridge any place is cool. The bats come out around 8 pm and the whole thing lasts about 40 minutes. FREE FUN!!!! read more

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This is one of Houston's many hidden treasures. People don't realize that Houston has a bat colony just like Austin. Spread the word Houstonians. There's plenty to do in this city if you know where to look. This is a fun free thing to do on an evening. Enjoy a walk through a park and see some natural animals in their element. I recommend standing on the bridge instead of sitting at the lookout areaa like most people do. You will get a better view of the bats flight up into the sky and off into the distance. Just know that there is a strong stench of guano on the bridge. The bat flight when I went (June) happened earlier than expected at 8:20PM. It was still very light out. The entire flight lasts about 5 minutes and some of the bats remain active under the bridge. If you're late to the show and miss the actual flight, check under the bridge. We parked in the nearby spotts park and walked the ~5 minutes over. It was difficult to find parking, even on a weekday evening. read more

This was an absolute amazing experience and I am so glad me and my other half made it in time to see these little majestic creatures. It smelled pretty bad if you were under the bridge or hanging over it but there was a nice grassy knoll to take a seat and have a spectacular view. read more

National batman day, September 26th! seemed like the perfect opp to checkout the waugh drive bat bridge. We arrived, and had a difficult time finding parking. There was a run on Allen parkway that night, so some of the streets were blocked off. Alas we parked on some sketch side street and hope we wouldnt be towed. We walked over to the bridge, surprised at how many people were gathered. The air smelled of fresh bat droppings, and we could definitely hear them. And see them flying around under the bridge. Sunset came and no there was no epic bat flight to be see. Stage fright maybe. They tricked out in very small groups, which was barely visible because of the trees. There was a tour boat out onthe bayou, maybe they had a better view. I would say pass on this bat colony and checkout the SoCo Austin one. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - They're being shy.. - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

My Brother suggested that we go check out the Waugh Bat Colony. I told him, he was crazy. I have to say I actually really enjoyed watching the Bat's fly out from under the bridge like they do every night when the sunsets. The bats started to stir around 8:30ish and were taking flight by 843ish. Will definitely visit again. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This experience is rather unique to Houston. Thousands of bats live under the Waugh Bridge and leave their shelter at dusk year round. A viewing platform is available on the east side of the bridge, and it is the best location to view the bats. The platform has facts about bats and their reproductive, hunting, and living patterns. They exit the bridge from the east side. It is best to arrive 30 minutes before sunset in order to get settled in for the show. On a windy day, the smell of bat poo lingers in the air during the show. Great for the whole family, and from start to finish the bats exit the bridge in waves for 15-20 minutes. read more

Waugh Drive Bat Colony - Bats going out for their evening hunt. - Local Flavor Near Me - Houston, Texas

THIS PLACE WAS SO AWESOME!!! Compared to Austin's Congress Bridge bat colony, Waugh Drive's colony puts it to shame. I went around 8pm mid-June and swarms of bats filled the night sky. If you walk the path under the bridge, there will be lots of bats flying in and out of the bridge's crevices and there'll be a lot of bat chirps in the background. This place isn't particularly well-known as of the day of me writing this review, so there's plenty of space to get a great view of the spectacle! I'm definitely going to take visitors here and recommend my friends to see this! (But be prepared for the possibility of bat poop dropping on you) read more

This was pretty cool to check out. I parked on Allen pkwy going toward Waugh. There's a lookout platform with some informational signs about the bats but the best place to actually view the bats flying out is on the bridge facing downtown. There were so many, my kid loved it. Probably took about 5 minutes for all the bats to fly out. Definitely worth the trip to get some quality time in with the kids and do something different. read more

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This bat colony is definitely smaller than the one in Austin, but this one is fun to watch as well. When I went sunset was at 8:30, and the bats started to fly out around 8:40. The best place to watch them from is the South East side of the bridge. If you are anywhere else it is difficult to see them. For the half hour before they fly it is fun to walk down almost underneath the bridge where you can see them swarm and watch the waiting hawks. I saw at at least 4 hawks, and one had a straggler in his mouth. You should definitely wear BUG SPRAY!! You will get eaten alive by the mosquitoes if not. read more

Had a fun night exploring around the park. The bats were easily found under the bridge. Nice to take Husband and a picnic wine and cheese and enjoy the sunset and see the bats take off at dusk it was really quite interesting. A gem of a place tucked away down town Recommend as a must see place to go read more

Absolutely amazing. I would definitely take the time to watch these little babies come to life!

I have to say I was incredibly impressed when I made the trek along Buffalo Bayou to check out these little critters. Some source I found said that there were 250,000 bats living under this bridge, based on my experience that seems a little low. We got to the bridge right at sunset and the bats started swirling around in a frenzy before large groups started shooting off into the sky in long swirling clouds in hunting (?) parties. This continued for at least ten minutes as they set off in different directions all over Houston. In a city that feels like it's currently halfway under construction, this was a perfect experience with nature. If you (understandably) never go outside in the summer in Houston, make this an exception. I've been to the Congress Street bridge in Austin, and for me Waugh beats it handily. You're not just relegated to the top of the bridge but can view it easily from several different vantage points in the park. And Houston hasn't yet figured out how cool this is - there were only like 20 or so people. read more

Went with my kids, ages 10 to 17, and m-i-l on a Tuesday earlier this month (April). We all had a lot of fun, but you do need to be prepared to wait. Some people brought a picnic. I thought that was a good idea until the bats came out....that SMELL! Wow, it was rank! One poor young woman start gagging. Just be aware!I think it's pretty amazing the bats that came out. We parked on the street by Montrose on Allen Pkwy and walked back. There is a platform to stand on and the grassy hill to sit on, and some information about bats posted. This is a great free activity for nature and animal lovers. I am glad I finally went. read more