The 10 Best Photo Spots in Houston

The largest city in Texas has no shortage of options for incredible photos. Whether you are looking for a new family photo to show off after your Houston vacation or you’re looking to take some social media-worthy images, Houston has plenty of photogenic locations.

Below, we detail the 10 best photo spots in Houston to help you plan your ideal vacation:

Houston First Corporation / Lance Childers

Sam Houston Park was the first park to be established in the city of Houston and today, it continues to be one of the most beloved recreational spaces in the community. Throughout this park, you will find historic buildings and monuments that share the story of the city's past, but those who are looking for a perfect Houston photo opportunity will love the iconic views of City Hall.

Take the walking path that winds throughout the park and along the way, the path will open to reveal the beauty and grandeur of the City Hall building. This is one of the best photo spots in Houston for tourists, as it gives an uninterrupted view of one of the most famous spots in the city. It's also the perfect spot for a group picture, as there are usually other people meandering through the park who would be willing to stop and snap a photo of your travel party.

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At Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park, you will discover one of the most iconic sights in Houston — The Waterwall. The Waterwall is a water feature that defies the imagination. With cascading water falling more than 65 feet down this wall, it's one of the most majestic and breathtaking sights in the city.

Both business and leisure travelers find themselves heading straight to this post to document their time in Houston, as it is one of the most well-known sculptures in a city that places an incredible value on public art. In addition to the Waterwall itself, you will find more than 100 Texas oak trees, which make for a great natural frame to any Houston snapshot.

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Across the country, each city seems to have its own tiny hidden treasures — the kind that are so unique and memorable that nearly anyone who stumbles upon them feels the need to document them. In Houston, it's the Synchronicity of Color installation.

Synchronicity of Color is a famous piece of public art that is located in Discovery Green in Houston. Designed to be both a sculpture as well as a cultural icon, this piece of art has become the popular backdrop for many photos on social media. The bold and vibrant colors that pop out of this cube-like installation offer the perfect background for any photo, yet the installation itself is a worthy focal point.

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Situated next to the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, Smither Park is considered by both locals and visitors to be one of the best photo spots in Houston. This park features a collection of mosaic-tiled pieces, some of which are designed for contemplation and reflection, while others are more functional. Popular photo opportunities include:

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Connecting the Eleanor Tinsley Park to Buffalo Bayou Park, the Rosemont Pedestrian Bridge is an incredibly functional piece of infrastructure. For visitors who are looking to capture the sights and soak up the atmosphere of the city, it also acts as one of the top places for photos in Houston.

Designed for those who are walking on foot throughout the city, the Rosemont Pedestrian Bridge is the perfect place to stroll quietly and search for the perfect vantage point. From this bridge, you can capture landscape images that include the green spaces that Houston is so well-known for, as well as its glittering skyline.

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Couples who are enjoying a romantic getaway in Houston simply cannot pass up the opportunity to visit the Love Lock Bridge. It is also located near Eleanor Tinsley Park and Buffalo Bayou Park, making it an easy spot to get to if you are exploring two of the city's most famous parks.

This narrow, caged bridge has become an iconic landmark, largely because couples have recently started to come to the bridge and declare their love for one another by leaving a lock in their place. With hundreds of locks dangling from the bridge, it feels as if you are walking through time and enjoying the stories of those who have loved one another in this city.

From detail shots that highlight the most unique locks on the bridge, to skyline images framed by these eclectic locks, you are sure to find endless opportunities to be creative with your lens at this Houston photo spot.

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Hermann Park is one of the largest green spaces in Houston, which means that you will find no shortage of opportunities for photos here. However, if you are looking to create artistic and compelling images, then you will want to focus on the reflection pools that stretch along the walkways in this park. On a sunshine-filled day, you can capture incredible images of the reflections of the skyline in these pools, giving you an opportunity to share the lasting impact that Houston has had on you.

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As you explore Buffalo Bayou Park, you may stumble upon the Dandelion Fountain, which has become one of the most Instagram-worthy spots in Houston. During the day, the Dandelion Fountain gives off a refreshing spray and the mist makes this fountain appear like a dandelion blowing in the wind. At night, however, this beautiful water feature is illuminated by LED lights, making it an excellent spot for a nighttime shot in Houston. No matter when you visit this famed fountain, you will quickly see why it's considered one of the top places for photos in Houston.

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McGovern Centennial Gardens is located within Hermann Park and it deserves its own spot on this list for its incredible spiraling waterfall atop a gorgeous lawn hill. You can take a beautiful photo from the base of the waterfall or walk up along its winding path for great views of the park and surrounding buildings.

Other sights within the park include seasonal rose gardens, sculpture collections, plus rotating exhibits and more.

However, while free to enter, the park does close at 5pm. The best times to arrive for a perfect photo are at 9am when it opens for the morning glow, around noon for maximum brightness or closer to 5pm for the golden hour, depending on the season.

Katie Haugland Bowen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

Rice University has one of the most gorgeous campuses in Texas and its historical architecture dates back over 100 years.

The main sight is Lovett Hall, which is the general entrance and centerpiece of the campus. With decadently designed pillars and intricate brickwork, this classical building is beautiful at sunrise or sunset and any time in between.

However, for the best photo, arrive outside of ordinary school hours, closer to sunset to avoid the crowds and you’ll be able to casually take photos in the vast hallways for some stunning shots.

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