RODEOHOUSTON 2019

RodeoHouston parking and transportation guide

ABC 13 Staff
Feb 25, 2019, 12:16 pm
Rodeo brass expects 2.5 million visitors this year. Plan accordingly. Courtesy photo

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.

Houstonians heading to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo should be sure to map out a parking or transportation plan. Whether it's the concerts, the competition, the rides, or the barbecue — expect to see a big crowd.

"So we expect 2.5 million friends to visit us this year," says Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president Joel Cowley. That means a stampede when it comes to parking and transportation — but this year, there are some new options, and upgrades to make getting around a little easier.

New for 2019
The HLSR is now selling parking in the North Stadium lot which is one block north of NRG Park, by the day or the season. The cost is $25 a day or $525 for the season with a free continuous shuttle service.

If you're traveling from The Woodlands on a weekend, The Woodlands Express is offering $25 roundtrip tickets. The Woodlands Express regular tickets are not valid and you must have a reservation. Make one here.

Your favorite options from past rodeo seasons are still available.

Public parking on-site is available for $20. You can park in the Yellow lot, which you can enter off of Main Street, the 610 lot (where Astroworld used to be), and the Miller Lite teal lot off Murworth. Handicapped parking and drop off/pickup is available in the yellow and blue lots.

Public passenger drop-off
Drop off guests at Gate 9 off Kirby Drive.

Lyft & ride sharing
Drop-offs and pick-ups are in the Green Lot.

Park and ride
For a cheaper way to park without the stress of fighting for a close parking space, use the Rodeo Express Shuttles in remote lots or METRO Park and Ride. There are locations all over town. Parking is free at all of the lots, except in the OST lot which is $20. The shuttle costs range from $4 to $7 per person.

Don't forget about METRORail. You can park at the Fannin South Station for $20 per car and the round trip to NRG is free.

Continue reading on CultureMap to learn about a shuttle option from the Woodlands to the rodeo.

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LASSO IT UP

3 small-town Texas rodeos just a gallop from Houston

West of the Pecos Rodeo. West of the Pecos Rodeo/Facebook

This article originally appeared on CultureMap and was written by Cindy Brzostowski.

Football may seem like the lifeblood of Texas, but it's surprisingly not actually the official state sport. In fact, that honor goes to rodeo. When spring rolls around, over 2 million people head to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

While that big-time event has come and gone for 2019, but small towns around the state are lassoing up their own rodeos for the summer season. Break out those boots and take a road trip to one of these lesser-known rodeos.

Mesquite Championship Rodeo — 3.5 hours from Houston
What better place to enjoy the fun of rodeo than in the Rodeo Capital of Texas itself? That would be Mesquite, Texas, just 20 minutes east of Dallas. The Mesquite Championship Rodeo at the Mesquite Arena runs June 1-August 24 and kicks off opening day with musical guest Mark Chesnutt. Every Saturday there's an interactive fan experience from 6-7 pm and then a different event at 7:30 pm. Spectators will get the chance to see competitors from around the country compete in bull riding, steer wrestling, bareback bronc riding, saddleback bronc riding, barrel racing, tie-down roping, and team roping. Then, the whole rodeo wraps up with a close-out concert by Clay Walker.

Nearby attractions: While you're enjoying the state's rodeo capital, consider embracing another one of Mesquite's titles as a designated Tree City USA by the National Arbor Foundation with a trip to Trinity Forest Adventure Park. The park is less than 15 minutes from the rodeo and gives visitors the chance to tackle high ropes courses and obstacles of varying difficulty levels amid the treetops.

Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo — 7 hours from Houston
Located between Midland and Abilene is the city of Big Spring, which holds its annual rodeo June 20-22 this year. The events include bareback bronc riding, barrels, bull riding, calf roping, mutton bustin', saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and team roping. On top of the rodeo sport festivities, you can catch Jason Boland & the Stragglers perform on Friday evening and Wade Bowen on Saturday night.

Nearby attractions: Big Spring has two local museums: Heritage Museum of Big Spring and Hangar 25 Air Museum. The former is all about the local history of the city, as well as West Texas. The latter is in a restored World War II hangar and showcases the history of the Big Spring Army Air Force Bombardier School and Webb Air Force Base, where thousands of pilots were trained.

Continue reading on CultureMap to learn about the West of the Pecos Rodeo.

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