—————————————————— Houston Arboretum To Start Charging For Parking | Houston Press

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Houston Arboretum to Start Charging For Parking in 2019

Starting in January it'll cost you to park at the Houston Arboretum.
Starting in January it'll cost you to park at the Houston Arboretum. Photo by Manuel Reuter

Once all the signs are up sometime in early 2019, visitors to the Houston Arboretum can expect to pay for their parking at the nature facility — except on Thursdays when parking will continue to be free.

The park and its trails are still free, but for anyone other than arboretum members, it will cost $1 per hour for a maximum of $5 a day to bring your car along. Parking entrances are off Woodway or I-610. Payment will be by meters or the ParkMobile app and there are 282 parking spaces to be had.

Houston City Council decided on the change in December 2015 — no word why it took so long to implement — in an effort to provide some financial support for the restoration efforts and programming at the arboretum.

Should you be a frequent visitor to the park, consider becoming a member.  "Individual memberships are $40, family memberships are $75, and seniors and military personnel can join for $30," the arboretum's press release states which means given enough visits, you could work off that parking charge. Membership also gets discounts and priority registration for children's events.
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