park like a pro

5 best parking tips to navigate Astros playoff week downtown Houston

Houston Astros parking $80 sign downtown

Skip the $80 lots and park on the cheap.

Photo courtesy of ABC13

It's going to be a busy week in downtown Houston. The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox face off for Games 3, 4, and 5 of the ALCS and the Rockets host their season opener on Wednesday, October 17.

These sporting events will unfortunately mix with evening commuters, but before you start to stress, remember downtown street parking is free after 6 pm. You may prefer a secure lot or letting someone else do the driving.

Near the intersection of Texas Avenue and Austin Street, we spotted $80 parking during the ALDS. When we went by on a regular weekday: that same lot was just $12.

That's why parking along the METRORail is a good option. The Convention District stops on the green and purple lines are just two blocks from the ballpark.

Use an app like ParkHouston or ParkMobile to find and pay for parking without ever pulling out your wallet. If you reserve your parking in advance, ParkMobile claims that if you simply print a parking permit, even if the lot or garage sells out, a spot will be saved for you.

One more note: Barricades are already blocking most of the street on Texas and Crawford alongside the ballpark, so in your search for the perfect spot, definitely enter downtown on the side of Minute Maid Park where you want to park your vehicle. Don't get stuck trying to get past the stadium to park on the other side.

METRO
Take METRORail to the game. A ride is just $1.25 each way and offers several Park & Ride options. Cheap parking ($3) is available at the Fannin South Transit Center Station. Free parking is available at Northline.

To access Minute Maid Park, exit at the Convention District Station Stop from the Green/Purple Line. Or, from the Red Line, exit the Preston Station stop, and walk six blocks.

Greenlink
The Greenlink Circulator operated by METRO provides curbside service to Minute Maid Park, and it's free. You can park at other cheaper, remote lots around downtown and avoid the walk.

Uber and Lyft
Lyft is offering 25 percent off two rides with code NEVERSETTLE. Uber is offering $15 off to first-time riders with the code GOASTROSGO. Pickup and dropoff is outside Centerfield Gate, between Crawford and Preston streets.

BCycle
Use promo code "2018" at any Houston BCycle station on Tuesday, October 16; Wednesday, October 17; or Thursday, October 18 to get a free 30-minute ride. There's a $3 per 30 minute overage charge. 15 stations are available Downtown, plus another 4 in East End that are a quick walk to the stadium. Find them with the BCycle station map.

$5 Parking
The virtually undiscovered parking garage at 2811 Travis $5 public parking, and it's just a short ride to the ballpark. (You may have missed it because it is located underneath Midtown Park.)

Daytime rates are just a dollar per hour with an $8 maximum. Nighttime, weekend, and special event parking is a $5 flat rate. Once you park, hop on METRORail and ride 10 minutes to the Preston stop.

Other tips

Download the ParkMobile App to pay for street parking with your credit card.
Park farther away, wear walking shoes, and embrace the walk.
Downtown Houston Parking interactive map can help located garages and lots (with hours and capacity), but rates are subject to change.

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For more on this story, including video, visit our content partner ABC13.

downtown houston-astros

flag-waving news

Texas drops on new list of most patriotic states in U.S.

Photo by Ray Shrewsberry on Unsplash

Texas ranked a dismal No. 45 this year after previously ranking as the 36th most patriotic state in 2024.

This may come as a surprise for many Texans, but the Lone Star State is far from being the most patriotic place in America, according to a new report.

WalletHub's latest study ranking the "Most Patriotic States in America" for 2025 placed Texas near the bottom of the list as No. 45, marking a significant nine-place drop from its rank as the 36th most patriotic state in 2024.

According to the findings, the three most patriotic states in America are Virginia (No. 1), Montana (No. 2), and Vermont (No. 3). Colorado (No. 4) and Oregon (No. 5) round out the top five most passionate, flag-waving states in 2025.

Texas flopped toward the bottom mainly due to its civic engagement rank (No. 47), but it did perform fairly well in the military engagement category (No. 13).

Texas has the third-highest average number of military enlistees, the report found, but it had the second-lowest percentage of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said patriotism can't be defined by geographic region or by which states fly the most American flags. Rather, true patriotism can be found in states with high voter turnouts, high volunteer rates, and more.

“The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections, and a high share of the population volunteering with national or local organizations," Lupo said.

States like Virginia and Montana ranked at the top of the list due to their high voter turnout rates during the 2024 presidential election, plus high volunteer rates in local or national organizations. Virginia is also home to the third-highest population of active-duty military personnel per 100,000 civilians, and there are 27 military bases in the state.

The report further acknowledges that many Americans may not be feeling very patriotic this year because of "societal issues" that span from "relentless high inflation" to tragedies like mass shootings.

"Many people may find it hard to celebrate a country where countless people are struggling and frequent violence persists," the report's author wrote. "However, an expression of love for fellow citizens is patriotic in itself."

Joining Texas among the least patriotic American states are Florida (No. 46), Alabama (No. 47), Louisiana (No. 48), New York (No. 49), and Arkansas (No. 50).

The top 10 most patriotic states in America are:

No. 1 – Virginia
No. 2 – Montana
No. 3 – Vermont
No. 4 – Colorado
No. 5 – Oregon
No. 6 – Washington
No. 7 – North Dakota
No. 8 – Maryland
No. 9 – Minnesota
No. 10 – New Hampshire

The report analyzed all 50 states across 13 "indicators of patriotism" based on military and civic engagement, including factors such as the rate of veterans living in each state for every 1,000 civilians; the share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election and the 2020 primary elections; the number of AmeriCorps volunteers per capita, and more.

texas wallethub reports patriotism