Tours

Cistern Tours

The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern is a former drinking water reservoir built in 1926 for the City of Houston. BBP restored and repurposed the 87,500 square-foot Cistern into a magnificent public space for tours, performances, and art installations.

Reservations are required to visit the Cistern. Children ages 9+ only. Please see options below.

Learn More About The Cistern

General Information

TOUR INFORMATION

  • Reservations are required to visit the Cistern.
  • No children under the age of 9 are allowed inside of the Cistern.
  • Please allow approximately 30 minutes for parking/check-in. Latecomers may not be admitted, and tickets are non-refundable.
  • Full participation in the tour requires walking a distance of one-quarter mile in 25 minutes. Accommodations can be made for those needing stationary or seated tours.

PARKING

Limited, free parking is available adjacent to the Cistern in The Water Works parking lot and along Sabine Street.

Additional parking options in the area include City of Houston Parking Lot H and along Allen Parkway.

PRICING AND DISCOUNTS

  • $2 discount for military, youth (ages 9-17) college students, and seniors (65+). Must present I.D. upon checking in.
  • Buffalo Bayou Partnership Members receive discounted tickets for select tours. Learn more about Membership here.
  • All Cistern tours are free on the first Thursday of the month, reservations are required.
Cistern Illuminated

ON VIEW: DECEMBER 6, 2024 – JANUARY 26, 2025

Brighten up your winter with Cistern Illuminated, an immersive light and sound installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. This annual tradition transforms the underground decommissioned drinking water reservoir into a breathtaking spectacle, showcasing the Cistern’s repeating columns and their uncanny reflections on the surface of the water below. A unique and original soundscape follows the moving lights around the cavernous Cistern. 

DURATION

30 minutes

SCHEDULE

December 6 – December 31

  • Wednesday – Thursday, 10am – 5:30pm
  • Fridays, 10am – 7:30pm
  • Saturday – Sunday, 11am – 5:30pm

January 1 – January 26

  • Wednesday – Thursday, 10am – 5:30pm
  • Saturday – Sunday, 11am – 5:30pm

Tours held every hour on the hour, excepting 12pm and 4pm.

BOOK TICKETS FOR CISTERN ILLUMINATED

Voices of Light: Choral Performances in the Cistern

DECEMBER 14, 2024 – JANUARY 5, 2025

Experience live choral performances, Voices of Light: A Mystical Holiday Soundscape, in the cavernous Cistern. The Schola Cantorum of downtown’s Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart offers a journey through centuries of music accompanied by the immersive lights of Cistern Illuminated.

DURATION

20 minutes

SCHEDULE

Thursday, Saturday & Sunday, 7pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm

BOOK TICKETS FOR VOICES OF LIGHT

Cistern History Tour

Learn about the history and architecture of the Cistern on this fully guided tour.

DURATION

30 minutes

SCHEDULE

Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm and 4pm

BOOK A HISTORY TOUR

Private Cistern History Tour

Book a unique group outing with a private, docent-led Cistern History Tour for up to 30 people.

DURATION

30 minutes

SCHEDULE

  • Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 4pm, pending availability.
  • Private Tours are not available on the first Thursday of the month.

BOOK A PRIVATE CISTERN HISTORY TOUR

Sound Healing Meditation

Practice meditation in the Cistern, led by Union is Creation. Singing bowls and wind chimes encourage mindfulness and connectivity in this unique acoustic space. Cushions or mats are welcome.

DURATION

45 minutes

SCHEDULE

Saturdays and Sundays at 10am and Wednesdays at 6pm

BOOK SOUND HEALING MEDITATION TICKETS

Cistern Experiential Tour

Available beginning January 29, 2025.

Great for first time and repeat visitors alike, the Experiential Tour includes an introduction followed by an opportunity to explore the Cistern independently.

DURATION

30 minutes

SCHEDULE

Wednesday – Friday and Sunday, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm

Saturday, 11am, 3pm, and 5pm

BOOK AN EXPERIENTIAL TOUR

Bilingual Experiential Tour / La Experiencia de la Cisterna en Español y English

Available beginning February 1, 2025.

Great for first time and repeat visitors alike, the Experiential Tour includes an introduction followed by an opportunity to explore the Cistern independently.

Excelente para los visitantes nuevos como para los que repiten, el recorrido experiencial incluye una introducción seguida de la oportunidad de explorar la Cisterna a su propio ritmo.

DURATION / DURACION

30 minutes / 30 minutos

SCHEDULE / DIAS Y HORARIOS

Saturdays, 1pm / Sábados a la 1pm

REGISTER / REGISTRAR

Boat Tours

Hop aboard Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s pontoon boat to see Houston from a new angle! From nature-focused tours, guided history tours, or your own private celebration, there’s something for everyone. Children ages 4+ only.

Public Tours

Take a cruise through the heart of Houston with your friends and family on one of BBP’s public boat tours. Throughout the year, BBP offers a variety of ticketed pontoon boat experiences, including:

  • 45-minute nature-focused cruises
  • History Tours and Port-to-Port excursions to learn the behind-the-scenes of Houston’s past with a historian
  • Themed boat tours to celebrate the season, including upcoming Holiday Cruises during winter 2024
  • 90-minute rides to watch the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony emerge at dusk with a wildlife expert (available spring and summer)

Book Now

Private Tours

Great for friends and family, team-building with co-workers, or hosting out-of-town visitors, BBP’s private pontoon boat tour cruises through the heart of downtown along historic Buffalo Bayou, past iconic sites and industrial relics. The boat can accommodate up to 21 guests ages 4+ only. Outside food and beverages are welcome. Add a historian for an additional $175. View the Private Boat Tour FAQ here.

DURATION

90 minutes

COST

$550

Book Your Private Charter Here

General Information
  • For safety reasons, children under the age of 4 are not allowed on the pontoon boat.
  • The pontoon boat can accommodate up to 21 guests at a time.
  • Please note that ticket purchases are non-refundable and support the work of Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Guests will receive a full refund in case of cancellation due to weather.

DEPARTURE LOCATION

Allen’s Landing: 1019 Commerce Street (at Main Street). Proceed down to the wharf via the cascading stairs (adjacent to Sunset Coffee Building, the 3-story brown brick building). The boat will be docked at the wharf.

Walking Tours

Enjoy expert-led tours along Buffalo Bayou on topics including wellness practices, the ecology of the bayou, the meanings and musings behind our public art, and more.

Wellness Walk

Join a Wellness Walk led by Laura Conely, founder of Urban Paths. All are invited to walk the trails and pathways of Buffalo Bayou Park while discussing topics including mental and physical health as well as the benefits of being exposed to nature.

DURATION

90 minutes

COST

Free

Book Now

Nature Walking Tour

Learn about the native flora and fauna along Buffalo Bayou! Follow along this discovery tour of the bayou ecosystem with Nancy Greig, former director of the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Nancy loves the outdoors, especially beekeeping and tending birdhouses in her garden.

DURATION

90 minutes

COST

$5

Book Now

Self-Guided Tours

Take one of our self-guided tours at your own pace and learn interesting facts about areas along Buffalo Bayou Park.

A Guide to the Birds & Plants of Buffalo Bayou Park

Buffalo Bayou Park is full of the wonders of nature. Use this guide to explore and experience everything Houston’s greatest natural resource has to offer on your next visit.

View The Guide

Audio Tour

The Buffalo Bayou Revealed audio tour is presented by Houston Public Media. This audio experience provides you with interesting facts about areas along Buffalo Bayou Park. Listen below, or download the tour as a .zip file.