This North Texas city park is one of the best in the country, says new list
Apparently, one of the best city parks in the country is located over a North Texas highway.
Two Texas parks, including one in North Texas, made USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the best city park in the country. Readers voted on a selection of parks nominated by a panel of experts for the list.
No Fort Worth parks made the list, but USA TODAY readers showed some love to Dallas and Houston.
Klyde Warren Park
Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park, a 5-acre park located over the Woodall Rogers Freeway in downtown Dallas, ranked No. 7 on the list for its variety.
“Perched atop a sunken freeway, this nationally acclaimed 5-acre oasis is just one of the examples of what makes Dallas’ downtown area so dynamic,” the list says.
The park, which opened in 2012 to encourage more pedestrian foot traffic downtown, has designated spaces for kids and dogs, spots to play board games or host events and also features live music performances. Food trucks line the park during the day as well.
In past USA TODAY Readers’ Choice Awards for best city park, Klyde Warren ranked No. 5 (2023 and 2024), No. 2 (2016 and 2022) and No. 10 (2021).
The firm that designed the park was also hired to help shape Fort Worth’s Panther Island Pavilion.
Discovery Green
Houston’s Discovery Green park, located downtown, came in just ahead of Klyde Warren, at No. 6. This 12-acre park has interactive water features, bocce courts, reading rooms, art installations and more.
The full Best City Park Rankings
Here’s how USA TODAY readers ranked the best city parks in the U.S. for 2025:
- Bonnet Springs Park — Lakeland, Fla.
- Gathering Place — Tulsa, Okla.
- Gathering Place — St. Louis, Mo.
- Lake Eola Park — Orlando, Fla.
- Centennial Park — Nashville, Tenn.
- Discovery Green — Houston, Texas
- Klyde Warren Park — Dallas, Texas
- Railroad Park — Birmingham, Ala.
- Falls Park on the Reedy — Greenville, S.C.
- Dorothea Dix Park — Raleigh, N.C.
