Evelyn's Park
A polished 5-acre Bellaire park with a natural playground, an on-site café and a climb-on Alice in Wonderland bronze tea party hiding 150 secrets from the book.
A park built on a historic nursery
Evelyn's Park sits on five acres of the former Teas Nursery site, which had operated in Bellaire since 1910. Brothers Jerry and Maury Rubenstein bought the land and gave it to the city in honor of their mother, Evelyn Rubenstein. The result is a manicured community green space with a Great Lawn, gardens, shaded paths and hundreds of native trees, an easy, walkable outing just inside the loop.
The natural playground
Instead of a standard metal jungle gym, Evelyn's Park has a natural play area designed around reclaimed tree stumps, a climbing zone, a rolling hill and a ten-foot slide. It's a calmer, more imaginative setting that works well for toddlers and younger kids, and it pairs nicely with a picnic on the Great Lawn.
The Alice in Wonderland tea party you can sit at
The park's signature feature is 'Move One Place On,' an interactive bronze sculpture by local artist Bridgette Mongeon, created to mark the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. It depicts the Mad Hatter's tea party, Alice, the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, the Dormouse and the Mad Hatter, around a ten-foot table, and the artist hid 150 different elements from the book in the piece for kids to hunt down. Best of all, the table seats six to eight real guests, so families can literally bring a picnic and pull up a chair. You'll find it in the southeast corner, in the Evelyn Rubenstein memorial garden.
Café, events and visitor tips
On-site café Betsy's at Evelyn's Park serves food and drinks (including beer and wine) to enjoy on the patio or lawn, hours can change, so check the official site. The park runs a busy calendar of free and ticketed events, from movie nights and live music to a farmers market and seasonal celebrations; check the official site for what's on. Practical notes:
- Parking is in two lots, West (off Newcastle St.) and East (off Mulberry Ln.), with overflow at the church across Bellaire Blvd.
- Leave the dog at home: a City of Bellaire ordinance bans dogs in city parks, except at occasional permitted dog events like 'Evelyn's Bark.'
- Picnics are welcome on the Great Lawn, and food-truck programming is part of the regular lineup.
Frequently asked
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