In 2022, my 3 year old and I did the Rodeo for as cheaply as possible and as early as possible (she needed that 12:30pm nap!). I am so excited to do it again this year (although prices have gone up SIGNIFICANTLY)! Here’s our schedule, parking info, and more!
Safety note: All the visitor booths on the grounds have wrist bands you can put your cell number on to put on your kids in case they get lost. It’s extremely helpful and you’d be surprised at how many lost kids there are each day.
(Here is the 2023 visitors guide for the Rodeo)
PARKING
Park and Ride: I used to recommend the OST lot, but it’s gone up to $25!
Because we are arriving before 9, we’ll park in the yellow lot (it opens at 6am). It’s $25.
610/Astrodome Lot: If you want to park closer to the park but are arriving a bit later, I recommend the Astrodome lot – it a grass/gravel lot across 610 from the rodeo. It’s a bit of a walk, but there’s a free tram! The parking costs $25 – and make sure you bring cash!
The entrance for the astrodome lot is off West Bellfort (and Kirby). This is my favorite spot, because there is less traffic, and it is usually less full than the yellow lot. There are large signs pointing your way to it.
TICKETS
This year is the first year for a Community Day- March 8 is the day to get in FREE before noon. They have other discounts as well. Wednesdays, March 1 and March 15, there will be free admission for seniors 60+ and children under 12 until noon, as well as similar discounts on food and rides. Find out more here. (I won’t be enjoying those crowds, ha!)
Admission to NRG Park (for access to everything EXCEPT the Rodeo and the concert):
- Adults: $20
- Children (3-12): $10
- Children 2 & under are free
You do not need general admission tickets if you have Rodeo tickets!
OUR PLAN
Here is a GREAT guide to the activities. We are going to primarily enjoy Agventure and The Junction. Agventure opens at 9am, and it’s a LONG walk. Most of The Junction activities don’t start until 10 or later.
We’ll pack snacks, drinks, and lunch for the kids. You can bring food into general admission, but cannot bring anything into the concert/NRG Stadium (unless you have a medical reason).
Here’s the Tram map.
- We plan to park at the 610 lot ($20 cash)
- Ride the 610 Line tram (starts at 9am)
- Walk to the NRG arena, take the Orange Line to NRG Center
**Stroller note – it is a BIT of a pain to get a stroller on and off the tram, but the drivers are typically great about it! Taking a larger wagon or double may not be possible.
We will hit up Agventure first (far right of NRG center) – it’s awesome and my 3 year old LOVED it last year. Everything is open at 9, and the only “scheduled” activity is the Milking Parlor Demonstrations – 9:30am-2:30pm with demonstrations every half hour Monday-Fridays.
DO NOT buy the snacks for the petting zoo animals, unless your kids are BRAVE. The animals can get a bit aggressive when they see you have a cup of food. There is an indoor petting zoo and outdoor – we’ll try the outdoor one this year!
Here is the 2023 schedule for The Junction. (You can find this in the Visitors Guide as well)
Our favorites last year were Fun on the Farm and Extreme Dogs. We’ll try to see as much as we can this year! ((Edit – we also did Born to Buck this year – it is a tent with horses and foals – just to look at it. It was calming and a nice stop for my horse loving kiddo. It’s also right across from the SUPER fancy restrooms (essentially porta potties but feel like a real restroom! – they kept it clean too)
FOOD
There’s not a whole lot of money that can be saved here… Plan on eating as much as you can beforehand, bringing your own food, or sharing a meal with a family member if you want to save money. Inside NRG Stadium, food seems to be at least $2 more expensive than outside (outside food is not allowed in NRG Stadium).
VOLUNTEERS
“The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™, a non-profit organization, relies on a 35,000 volunteers and more than 100 year-round, paid employees in order to complete its goals. Each year, Rodeo volunteers work a total of 2.1 million hours based on 67.8 hours per volunteer to represent a workforce of more than $51 million each year. The commitment of both teams have allowed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to continue to be the biggest scholarship program in Texas, as well as a 90 year tradition.” — Remember that most of the people you come into contact with are VOLUNTEERS! Don’t forget to show them a smile and understand there may be lines.
I hope you and your family/friends are able to go to the rodeo! Make sure you comment anything YOU enjoyed that others might like as well!
**Most of this information was verified on the RodeoHouston website, although some of it is just from personal experience. If something is not 100% accurate, I am sorry and please comment below so that it can be corrected! Maps are RodeoHouston; photos are my own.
This & That {{& a little bit of craft}} 