25 of the Best Party Venues to Rent in Texas
Texas is a huge state, with a lot of large cities ripe for parties. Picking the right venue in your area is the foundation of party planning, and will determine everything from the number of guests you can invite to the amount of budget you have for décor and entertainment.
We may be based in the Dallas area, but we have expertise in working with large events throughout the state. In our experience, these are some of the best locations to plan and host an event.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Area
1. The Marie Gabrielle Gardens
With a capacity of 800, the Marie Gabrielle restaurant and gardens serve as a European oasis in the midst of the city. It’s an elegant retreat, ideal for classy and upscale parties, business events, and other top-end gatherings. It’s a spectacular location for a party, though it’s much better suited to retirement shindigs and weddings than it is kid’s birthday parties.
While renting a stadium as a venue sounds like nonsense, the AT&T stadium is more than just a central field and 100,000 seats of bleachers. In actuality, the facility has 22 different event locations throughout the complex, from small meeting rooms and clubhouses to end zone platforms and even the Cowboys locker room available to rent. Availability, pricing, and seating depend on other events, of course.
The Room on Main is a historic ballroom with antique fixtures, huge windows, and plenty of space for up to 320 people. Located in the heart of Dallas, it’s an often in-demand event space used for weddings, celebrations, corporate events, and more. They can configure it as a banquet, a theater, a classroom, or leave it up to you. You won’t be running a carnival ride indoors, but it’s a great venue for more restrained events.
A huge exhibit and event space, Dickies Arena boasts a 10,500 square foot exhibit hall with full climate control. It can be transformed to suit virtually any style of event, for any number of people. Alternatively, above the Arena is the Simmons Bank Plaza, an enormous event space suitable for festivals, concerts, and more.
The Mopac event center is a mostly open-air lawn with a covered structure, courtyards, and an indoor space. It’s relatively small and intimate compared to something like The Room, and comes with some furnishings and equipment to ease the requirements for hosting a party. It’s great for a wide variety of events, on the smaller side of gatherings and parties.
The Houston Area
With a maximum capacity of 120, this event space is relatively small, but it’s gorgeous. It’s one part event space, one part art piece, envisioned by the artist Jamed Turrell. It’s worth it to visit just for the experience alone, but hosting a party there can take even a simple business gathering to the next level. It’s especially great for evening engagements and musical parties.
2. The Children’s Museum of Houston
While the event space is small, the museum is not. The children’s museum is an excellent venue for everything from wedding receptions and cocktail parties to birthdays. The interactive exhibits help save money on entertainment, and the venue itself is packed with things to do for people of all ages. The museum as a whole can accommodate up to 2,000 attendees, though the event space only has a capacity of about 50.
3. Lodge 88
The SPJST Lodge 88 is one of the most flexible event spaces in all of Houston, short of your own back yard. It’s more or less a black canvas and has been host to everything from bingo events and dance parties to trade shows and business meetings. Located just to the west of the Houston Heights, it’s easy to get to and easy to attend. Pretty much any kind of party can find a home in this wonderful, flexible venue.
While it’s not as large or as flexible as the AT&T Stadium, the Minute Maid Park offers 12 different venues within the larger stadium where you can host your event. These include everything from the atrium and the field itself to exterior event spaces and even the roof. There’s something for everyone, with an event space available for pretty much any kind of party you might want to host.
Established in 2009, the Nouveau art venue is a 4,500 square foot venue that can host a variety of events in their focused, artistic event space. While they specialize in wedding receptions, corporate parties, bridal showers, and other such events, they’re open to pretty much anything that won’t damage the museum’s art. And that art! If you’re a fan of art nouveau, there could be no better venue in the world.
The Austin Area
1. Atelier 1205
Atelier 1205 is an exhibition space with a series of rotating exhibits, generally available for public viewing. They rent out the space for parties and other events to fund the exhibits and keep it open for the public. The space itself is a relatively small gallery space aimed at exhibits and other intimate events. It has a rustic charm with exposed 100-year-old wood and a memorable atmosphere. Overall, it’s quite charming and great for small gatherings, company parties, and other similar events.
Located mere minutes away from downtown Austin, on the edge of Bird Lake, the Waller Creek Boathouse has something for everyone. It’s an especially great venue for fans of water sports and allows you to rent not just the venue, but kayaks and paddleboards as well. It’s great for company parties, weddings, team-building excursions, and everything in between.
3. Oasis Texas Brewing Company
Fans of beer, fans of the lake, or fans of a brilliant view will find a home at the OTXBC. A combination brewery, restaurant, and taproom, the multi-tiered and fantastically arranged OTXBC is on the banks of Lake Travis. It’s a bit out of the way form downtown Austin, and it really makes you feel like you’re part of more than just the city. Pretty much any kind of event can be hosted here, so shoot them a contact and see if they have the ideal space for your party.
4. Stunt Ranch
If you’ve been searching for a party venue that’s perfect for kids – and your inner child – look no further. Stunt Ranch is a reservation-only venue that hosts corporate events, private groups, children’s parties, field trips, and more. What makes it so unique? Well, they’re packed with professional pyrotechians, special FX artists, and scientists able to demonstrate everything from fireworks to interactive experiences. It’s definitely a unique venue, and well worth checking out.
Located in hill country, Villa Antonia is an isolated bubble of rustic, old-world elegance. It’s one of the premier destinations for elegant weddings in the greater Austin area, with breathtaking views, an unforgettable atmosphere, and a unique level of indoor and outdoor flexibility to plan your party. While it’s ideal for weddings, that’s not all they do, so give them a call to chat about your party.
The San Antonio Area
Well known and well-loved, the Majestic is widely used by events far and wide. Of course, it’s a theater, so it’s best suited to a few particular kinds of events – concerts, presentations, and the like – it’s flexible enough to be used for a range of other events as well. The orchestra level is large enough and flexible enough that it can be used for just about any kind of party you can imagine.
Howl is an excellent venue that takes a lot of your party planning out of your hands. They have in-house musicians and event planners, a whole host of their own equipment, and years of experience in making events of all kinds a success. While they’re mostly focused on corporate events, holiday parties, birthday parties, and bachelorette parties, you can reserve the venue for a party of any sort, as long as you plan it with them.
3. The Spanish Governor’s Palace
Texas, and San Antonio in particular, has a long history of Spanish influence. The governor’s palace is a 200+ year-old building, recently renovated and renamed for use as an event venue. While it’s part museum, history permeates every square inch. The venue itself is easily accessed from downtown and provides a facility coordinator to help you organize your party. You can book either the main courtyard, the side courtyard, or both for your party.
Hosting events in private halls on golf courses is a time-honored corporate tradition, and The Republic is a premier facility to host just such a party. The venue can be booked for golf outings, weddings and receptions, and other special events of your choice. They offer the option of full-service planning, complete with tournament management if you want your party to have a more competitive edge.
One part rustic home, one part museum, one part restaurant, and one part event venue, the Guenther House is a place full of unique history and charm. They’ll happily host parties of all stripes, including weddings, corporate parties, bridal showers, anniversaries, and more. You can also scratch catering off your list and rely on their restaurant staff to provide dining options for your guests, as per your party planning.
The El Paso Area
Most zoos have event halls and sequestered areas where they can host events, ranging from cocktail parties to fundraisers to birthday parties. The El Paso zoo is no different. They offer an event pavilion, a cocktail area, the Asia waterfall area, and even a private event room with a direct window into the lion enclosure. It’s a great venue for birthday parties or any event with people who love animals.
Hollywood Hall is a robust event venue specializing in weddings, quinceaneras, and corporate events. It’s easy to book with broad availability, and they offer staff willing to assist with – or handle entirely – the planning, including decorations, music, and food. You can take a tour of the facility and get a feel for the layout, or just book an event and get to planning the perfect party.
3. Blackstone Event Center (CLOSED)
The Blackstone Event Center is a large event hall with room for weddings, quinceaneras, homecoming receptions, dances, reunions, and a wide variety of other parties. It’s a flexible, elegant space that can be customized to suit just about any need. The event center can hold up to 400 people for a good-sized event, albeit a smaller one than some of the other venues on this list.
4. El Patio
El Patio is a party room made to feel outdoors while indoors, eliminating weather as a concern for your event. They handle holiday parties, birthday parties, everything to do with weddings and showers, and corporate events. Their capacity is low, at 100 guests, and they offer a variety of packages with different levels of provided amenities, catering, and décor provided for you.
Grace Gardens is an outdoor venue with indoor spaces, suitable for small and mid-sized parties. They offer several ballrooms, a conference room, an island, and a pavilion, as well as an iconic white peak tent that marries indoor and outdoor spaces perfectly. The flexibility makes this venue great for just about any kind of party.