Overview

River Oaks is easily Houston’s best-known neighborhood. But there’s much more to the area than beautiful homes and tree-lined streets. Its 1,100 acres is a collection of some of the most desirable properties in the city and is also a piece of living history for Houston’s elite.

History

Est. 1911

From day one, River Oaks was crafted to be an exclusive residential area. The original deed restrictions included minimum property values and a limit to specific architectural styles including American Colonial and English Tudor. Many of the homes in River Oaks have been designed by renowned residential architects.

Houston’s best-known
neighborhood

Schools

HISD schools that serve River Oaks include River Oaks Elementary, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School. Each of these schools is an International Baccalaureate World School.

All three have produced notable alumni such as journalist Linda Ellerbee; Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com; and Nobel Prize winner Robert Woodrow Wilson.

Shopping

River Oaks Shopping Center

This shopping center is the third oldest of its kind in the United States. River Oaks Shopping Center boasts a premium selection of over 75 shopping and dining venues. The corner of Shepherd and West Gray also features two Starbucks locations across the street from each other.

River Oaks District

The newly built River Oaks District is a beautifully landscaped outdoor shopping venue hosting luxury brands and designer labels. With a free Global Access Card, visitors from out of town are eligible to receive two complimentary tickets to the MFAH with a purchase over $500.

Recreation

River Oaks Park

This River Oaks gem is also known as Pumpkin Park, for the pumpkin carriage in the playground. Kids can safely play in a fully fenced play area while older park-goers can enjoy a basketball court, sand volleyball, and tennis courts.

River Oaks Theater

Built in 1939, River Oaks Theatre still retains its Art Deco design. This is the oldest working theater in the city and its screens are home to independent, foreign language, and arthouse films.

Bayou Bend

The former home of Ima Hogg is one of the grandest collections of American decorative arts with pieces dating back to 1620. The eight formal gardens surrounding the home are a dream to wander.