One of the best things about being a student at Rice is how easy it is to find a fun and easy activity to do near campus. Whether it’s exploring the museums in the Museum District, taking a walk through Hermann Park or grabbing food at one of the many great restaurants nearby, there’s always something to do. But one of my personal favorite activities is visiting the Houston Zoo.

Located right across the street from Rice in Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo is a short walk from campus, making it one of the easiest places to visit when you want a study break. Even better, Rice students get in for free with a student ID!

I’ve been going to the Houston Zoo every year since I started at Rice, and it has become a personal tradition. In fact, visiting the zoo with some new friends was one of the first things I did after Orientation Week. That first trip was filled with moments of awe — watching the elephants, laughing at the playful otters, and taking way too many photos of the giraffes.

One of the things I love most about the Houston Zoo is that there’s always something new to discover. No matter how many times I visit, I always find an animal or exhibit I hadn’t fully appreciated before! During my sophomore year, the zoo brought penguins to Houston for the first time with the Galápagos Islands exhibit. Seeing them up close was a really amazing experience! But no trip to the zoo is complete without stopping by the reptile exhibit. Right outside the entrance is a large frog sculpture, and I’ve made it a tradition to take a picture with it every year. It started as a simple joke — pose with the frog — but over time, it has become a marker of each year I’ve spent at Rice. Looking back at those photos, I can see how much has changed — my friendships, my ambitions and especially my hair color — but the frog remains the same.

Beyond seeing the animals, the Houston Zoo is a great place to slow down and enjoy a peaceful afternoon. The layout makes it easy to wander at your own pace, whether you want to dive into each exhibit or just stroll around and take in the scenery. If you haven’t visited the zoo yet, I highly recommend it. It’s close, free and a fun way to spend time with friends. Whether it’s your first time or your fifth, there’s always something new to see — and who knows? Maybe you’ll even start a tradition of your own

-Lara, Duncan ‘25  (Published on 07/22/2025)