Rodeo Houston is here!
If you are planning to take kids, here are our tips and tricks…. including how to get there, how to beat the crowds and how to save money.
See the video HERE or below… and get even more tips HERE!
Things to do in Houston!
Rodeo Houston is here!
If you are planning to take kids, here are our tips and tricks…. including how to get there, how to beat the crowds and how to save money.
See the video HERE or below… and get even more tips HERE!
(Post updated for 2017!)
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is reasonable to enter (especially on Wednesdays), there are lots of free things to do with kids… and there are A LOT of ways to spend money.
The carnival costs money, shopping is everywhere, the food smells delicious and then there are pony rides, bucking bronco pictures, old time photos and more!
Rodeo Houston is one of our very favorite Houston events of the year… so I try really hard to strike a balance between enjoying the once-a-year event and not spending a fortune. For us, we decide before we go what we will buy and what we will skip.
And we really like the food.
But then the question becomes, which is the very best food item to try? You could probably eat nonstop for 3 weeks and still not sample everything. So, we toured the restaurants, tried a whole lot of things and wrote down the highlights from all over the rodeo… (And for more Rodeo tips, go HERE.)
If you want a whole lot of information, here is what we found:
Find the NRG maps HERE. Food is EVERYWHERE, but most of it can be found in 3 huge tents in front of the Livestock Show in NRG Center. More restaurants are inside the lobby of NRG Center, along the outside of NRG Center and on the edge of Kids Country.
To give you an idea on food options and prices, here is a quick overview from 2016… just scan through and see if anything jumps out at you! This is by no means official or all-inclusive… and if you have a favorite spot to go, tell us! If you own a restaurant, tell me and I’m more than happy to eat more rodeo food!
In the small food tent by the METRO Rail (NRG Parkway East) Entrance:
In the big food tent in the middle:
In the big food tent, by NRG Stadium (and Championship Wine Garden):
These “RCS” Stands are where you can use your coupons from the half-price carnival booklets. The prices are not really cheaper than the restaurants… except the coupons can help.
Along the outside of NRG Center and the Livestock Show:
There are several restaurants, but the 1 below is the winner of 3 “Gold Buckles”.
At peak times, these restaurants will get very very crowded. The tents especially can be hard for kid-hauling parents. For tips on how we avoid the crowds at the rodeo, go HERE. And if you just want to eat at meal time… either look for a restaurant without a line, try one by the carnival (which has more empty space) or be ready for crowds!
If you have a favorite thing to eat at the rodeo, let us know! For more rodeo tips, go HERE.
1. Only one ticket is needed. If you buy a concert ticket, you do not need a general admission ticket. (And if you don’t want to go to the concert, you can buy a cheaper general admission ticket.)
2. The rodeo takes place before the concert. If the start time is 6:45pm, the rodeo will be first and the concert will be a couple hours later.
3. Strollers are allowed in the stadium, but no outside food. (Outside food is allowed in to the livestock show.)
4. It’s a little loud. If you are taking kids, consider some Ear Protection.
5. Wednesdays are Value Days… so concert tickets are $10 (and if you only want general admission, it’s $5!)
6. For Tips on Taking Kids to Rodeo, go HERE! Margaret is a Houston Mom that has volunteered at Rodeo for 13 years… and knows all the secrets!
7. Find (often discounted) tickets HERE. There is a new entertainer every night:
Tuesday, March 3 – Eric Church
Wednesday, March 4 – Hunter Hayes
Thursday, March 5 – Miranda Lambert
Friday, March 6 – John Legend
Saturday, March 7 – Alan Jackson
Sunday, March 8 – Fall Out Boy
Monday, March 9 – Justin Moore
Tuesday, March 10 – Tim McGraw
Wednesday, March 11 – Brantley Gilbert
Thursday, March 12 – Zac Brown Band
Friday, March 13 – Pitbull
Saturday, March 14 – Billy Currington
Sunday, March 15 – La Arrolladora Banda El Limon & La Maquinaria Nortena
Monday, March 16 – Dierks Bentley
Tuesday, March 17 – Ariana Grande
Wednesday, March 18 – Florida Georgia Line
Thursday, March 19 – Blake Shelton
Friday, March 20 – The Bandy Perry
Saturday, March 21 – Brad Paisley
Sunday, March 22 – Luke Bryan
For all the tips, go HERE. To see the video, go HERE or look below!
Photo Credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
Every February, the Houston Rodeo comes to town! Before the month-long celebration at at NRG Park, families can find floats, horses and marching bands in Downtown Houston. For 2015, the parade is on February 28.
The route is:
Find the map HERE.
Update: See the 2018 post HERE!
Margaret has been volunteering a a Gate Keeper for over 10 years and has a few tricks up her sleeve! She also lives walking distance from Reliant, and is a Texans season ticket holder, so she basically lives at NRG in the Fall/Winter/Spring!
(Update: See the 2018 post HERE!)
Here are her tips!
1. PARKING
If you are going to drive, especially if you are taking little ones and have strollers, juices, lunch bags, etc, I recommend parking in the Yellow Lot that is located off of S. Main between Murworth and Kirby (near Super Target).
There is a little traffic, but not as congested as Kirby/610. It’s $12 now $20 and the nice thing is that there is a tram that is in the Yellow Lot that takes you and drops you off at the McNee Street which is near the entrance of the Reliant Stadium and Reliant Center.
You can fold up umbrella strollers. If you take a heavy/large stroller or a Radio Flyer type wagon, no worries… there are locations on the tram for that. I’ve even seen people wheeling in coolers before.
2. ATTRACTIONS
There are shows starting as early as 8am. The kids area usually starts kicking off at 9am. If you go with little kids (and to avoid crowds and traffic) – early is the way to go; I like to get there when things open.
Keep in mind that the kiddie carnival opens an hour or 2 after the attractions open. The adult carnival opens even later than that. Check the schedule before you go since weekday/weekend schedules are different.
Since the carnival opens later, I like to do everything inside (petting zoo, pony ride, checking out livestock, looking at the chicks, etc) and then head outside.
A little tip: If the petting zoo and the pony rides (extra cost for pony ride) is busy, there is another petting zoo and another pony ride outside near the kiddie carnival rides.
3. CARNIVAL
As mentioned above, the kiddie carnival opens a little after the attractions. The adult carnival opens after the kiddie carnival opens. If you are lucky, you have pre-purchased half price tickets (available only before rodeo starts in March), but if not, there are little stations throughout the carnival that sells tickets.
If it’s busy and you don’t want to wait in long lines, you can purchase a fast pass which gets to basically the front of the line, but you still have to purchase ride tickets in addition to the fast pass.
The hours are extended during the 2 weeks of Spring Break, so again, check the schedule. Kiddie rides typically open at 11am on weekdays and 10am on weekends.
If you have purchased a 50% coupon book, be sure to look through your book. There are coupons for buy 1 get 1 free game, free ferris wheel ride, free refills, etc.
4. FOOD
This is Texas. Texans like to eat!
You can’t leave without trying the chicken fried bacon at Yoakum Meat Packing Company. They have a location outside the food tent and inside Reliant Center food court.
Another favorite of mine (and I’ve tried them all) are the fried Oreos. Imagine a beignet filled with chocolate. Uh-mazing. These can be found at the food trailers located throughout the carnival.
Corn in a cup is another favorite if you want to stay somewhat healthy. Under the food tent, you will see many familiar names like Pappasitos, Pappas Steak House, Saltgrass, Berry Hill, etc. Go for something unique and try the small independent vendors. There is a burrito there that can feed a family of 4.
For those Starbucks diehard, don’t worry, there is a “real” Starbucks located inside the Reliant Center near the food courts.
5. YOUR OWN FOOD
If you have little picky eaters, like mine, bring “emergency” snacks and food, just in case they don’t eat rodeo food. Know that they do sell pizza and chicken strips (staple in our home away from home).
The rodeo DOES allow you to bring in your own food, water, juices, etc.
6. OTHER THINGS TO DO
If you haven’t seen “Mutton Bustin'”, this is a must. This is located outside near the kiddie carnival area. Children between 5-6 years old ride bareback on a sheep. Yes, a sheep.
It is the funniest thing you’ve ever seen. If your child is between 5-6, and they are willing, it sure is something to experience. Make sure your camera/phone battery is super charged.
There are also pig races (also outside) that everyone enjoys. If your child is lucky, they may be picked to announce the start of the race. Check the schedule for times.
You don’t see a lot of camels in TX, but you can ride one at the rodeo!
7. SHOPPING
This is the best kept secret – a secret that women keep from men that is! If you can ditch your male counterpart (and the kids) for an hour – this is where you want to be.
There are high priced items and very affordable items. Many of the vendors are those that come to the Nutcracker market. There are also very unique items to buy as well. Every year, I make a girls only trip – and, if I can, I even make a trip by myself so I can have 1 focus. Shopping!
8. MONEY
Cash is golden, as some vendors (mostly the food) only takes cash. Most places, especially the shopping, take major credit cards. There are ATM machines everywhere.
9. HORSE ARENA
This gets forgotten a lot. The horse arena is located in a separate building all by itself. If you are a horse lover, there are shows that take place throughout the day, and lots of animals to see. There is also SHOPPING inside. Since this area doesn’t get as much foot traffic, bargain and good deals are meant to be made here.
10. RESTROOMS
NEW from 2016! Portable restrooms will be around the park…. replacing some of the portapotties!
Real restrooms (and baby changing stations) are located all over the inside of the Reliant Center. Another little secret, if you go up the escalators, there are restrooms upstairs as well. Less traffic and usually a lot cleaner!
The Rodeo office, committee offices, and Corral Clubs are located upstairs, so mostly committemen go into these facilities. If you need a quiet place to relax, you can do that upstairs too.
11. TICKETS
-Season Pass: $25 gets you on the grounds the entire Rodeo season (kids 2 and under are free)
-Regular grounds: $10 for adult; $5 for children ages 3-12
-Value Wednesdays: $5 for adults; seniors age 60+ and children 12 and under are free for grounds only. For $10, get a Rodeo/Concert ticket that includes NRG park admission. 11am-4pm, games and some special food items in Kids Country Carnival are $2
12. FOR THE GROWN-UPS
If you only have a grounds tickets, there is free entertainment throughout the park. There is entertainment at the Wine Garden and a daily lineup at the Hideout from 6pm to midnight. Look for the big white tent on the east side of NRG Astrodome. Open to 21 years and older
The 2014 Rodeo is March 4-23, 2014 at Reliant. Go HERE to get all the information! Go HERE to see the line up of entertainers! And go HERE for tips from a rodeo insider!
Our tips for visiting are below. Be sure to check the official website for new rules and last minute changes! My favorites are the STROLLERS ARE ALLOWED and you can by DISCOUNTED CARNIVAL TICKETS before rodeo starts (here).
(Photo Credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau)
**For the 2014 Rodeo Post, go HERE!**
There is one more week of Rodeo! Take advantage of the kids being home for Spring Break, and make your way to Reliant (through March 18). There will certainly be crowds but it’s a big place and is big enough for everyone.
The kids and I went in the pouring rain last night to see the rodeo and Reba. Here are our tips…
1. Take METRORail. For Spring Break, the city of Houston has added extra parking lots near the train stations. Check it out HERE. METRORail is only $1.25 and free for kids under 5. This is a lot cheaper than parking at Reliant, and, my favorite part is, it drops you off right at the front door of Reliant. If you park, you will pay a lot of money and then have a long walk or shuttle ride to the gates.
2. Strollers are allowed in Reliant Stadium for the rodeo and concert. You can take the elevators or push your strollers up the ramps. It’s a bit of a work out, but easier than carrying a tired toddler. Once near your seat, there are stroller checks. Or, if there is room, you can wheel the stroller to the wheelchair section and watch from there. You can also take strollers in the livestock show and carnival area. If you ride the carnival rides, you will need to park your stroller outside the gate. (This always makes me nervous… but our stuff was untouched.)
3. The rodeo takes a long time. It starts at 6:45 and Reba did not come on until almost 9:00.
4. The rodeo and concert are very loud. After 30 minutes, my big kids were ready to go see the livestock show.
5. The Verizon VIP tickets are probably worth the money. I usually buy the cheapest tickets available but last night a friend gave me tickets in the Verizon VIP area. The price said $36 each. The advantage is that outside of the stadium seating is a giant lounge with couches, food stands, bars and seats right next to the glass. The show was just too loud for baby, but we were able to sit outside the concert and watch it from behind the glass.
6. Kids under 3 get in to everything for free. There is no charge for the Livestock Show, Carnival or Rodeo and Concert. This saves my family a lot of money (for now).
7. We found a few kid rides for 4 tickets, but most are 6. If you buy a book of tickets, it will go pretty fast.
8. Most rides require the kids to be 36 inches. For many of them, they will let the parent ride with the smaller child.
9. Check out all the FREE things to do!
There is a lot to at the rodeo, and it does not cost anything (except general admission). Kids can check out the animals in the Livestock Show and the great kids area. Outside the petting zoo is free (but there is a charge if you want to buy food for the animals). Fun on the Farm is also a great place. Here the kids “work” on the farm and feed the chickens and pick the vegetables, sell the food at the farmers market and then get to use their money to buy a treat (like a rice crispy treat).
10. Get your drinks from Borden inside the Livestock Show. My kids remembered this from last year, and it was their special request. I didn’t mind, because I think the Borden booth, in the kids part of the Livestock Show, has the cheapest drinks in the entire rodeo. For $2.00, you can get a big milk or sweet tea and money goes a scholarship fund.
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