
1. Listening Vessels: Located in Discovery Green, these 2 limestone sculptures have concave interiors that focus sound waves. You can sit in 1 vessel and be heard in the 2nd vessel that is 70 feet away. The vessels are tucked away in the Wortham Foundation Gardens. Find these by the Hilton and be ready to be amazed!
2. Art Cars: Houston loves Art Cars. There is an annual parade each May and a museum that is open year round, for free! The museum is funky and small, making it great for a quick trip with the kids. Head to the Houston Heights to see which crazy cars are on display.
3. Beer Can House: When you drive up, you think you’re in just any residential neighborhood until you see a shiny silver house with beer can chimes blowing in the wind. This house belonged a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He was sick of mowing the grass, so he started creating "art." Over 18 years he added over 50,000 cans to his house.
4. Burp the Bayou: This goofy thing is our favorite thing to do in Houston. In the middle of the brick column, on the side of the Preston Street Bridge, is a little red button. When you press it, the water in the bayou will bubble for several seconds. It’s not marked, so we don’t know whether we should press it or not. And if we do press it, what will happen? Where should we look? And say we see or hear the bubbles, what is causing it? We never get tired of this little game.
About Jill Jarvis: Jill Jarvis writes BigKidSmallCity. She is passionate about encouraging parents to get out of the house and into Houston; about making it easy for kids and families to understand how the city ticks, from city government to local companies and organizations; and finally, about giving back to the city that offers a high quality of life to her family. On BigKidSmallCity, she provides weekly lists of events for kids, things to do in Houston, interviews of local leaders and resources for parents. Jill is mom to Joe (6), Brooke (4) and James (2), and lives in Montrose with her family.