Above Photo: View Of Houston From Chase Tower

Did you know there is an “About” section on the blog? (Look for the square just under the homepage header, with three horizontal lines.) It is there I said, “I wouldn’t call what I do ‘roughing it.’ For me, this is not an exercise in deprivation! If you are specifically looking for tips and tricks on minimizing expenses, I’m probably not your huckleberry.  I like a bargain as much as the next gal, and I’ll be sure to tell you about any I find along the way, but it is not my goal to pinch pennies.”

I love Houston. No one is more surprised than me that a sprawling, humid, freeway-centric, prone-to-flooding city wormed its way into my heart on my first visit in 2016. I have just completed my fourth trip, and I always discover something new. My friend Debbie at Supersize Life does a great job of finding fun, inexpensive things to do in new places. I thought for a change of pace I would emulate her for this post, because Houston has so much to offer for the budget-conscious.

Art And Other Museums

One of the great things about staying for a month or more in a city is plenty of time to explore. If not free already, many museums have free admission days at least once a month. First Sunday, Second Thursday, Third Friday – it depends on the location. A few weeks before I get to a city, I do research on the free days for museums and other attractions and add them to the calendar, then pick and choose once I’m there based on weather, what I feel like doing that day, etc.

Unless free all the time, I won’t list specifics and particulars here, because as soon as I do, the information will surely change.

Via Colori Street Painting Festival (Almost Free)

In November Houston hosts over 200 artists at City Hall for a weekend chalk painting festival. Artists are sponsored by local groups, and there are food and drink vendors and live music. Admission is less than $10 in advance.

Holocaust Museum Houston

Brian and I visited the Holocaust Museum on International Human Rights Day (December 10), when admission is free. Key exhibits included a rail car like those used to transport victims to concentration camps, and a boat similar to one that Danish fishermen used to ferry many Jews to safety.

The Menil Collection (Free)

The Menil Collection is always free and houses the over 17,000 pieces of art collected by John and Dominique de Menil. The museum is situated in a 30-acre neighborhood of art, which makes for a lovely stroll. I wish I had more photos, but none are allowed in the exhibits.

Rothko Chapel (Free)

One of these days I’ll make it to Rothko Chapel! I intended to go this time, but it was closed for renovations. There are 17 Mark Rothko paintings inside of this non-denominational chapel on the Menil campus, and the design of the building was influenced by the artist.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

MFA has free days and afternoons, but even with free admission there may be a fee for special exhibits. Kevin and Brian and I had a great time goofing around one afternoon, especially in James Turrell’s light installation (“The Light Inside”) in the tunnel between two museum buildings, and “Cloud Column” by Anish Kapoor, which predates Chicago’s “Cloud Gate” in Millineum Park (“The Bean”).

Twilight Epiphany Skyspace (Free)

James Turrell has another installation at Rice University, which displays at sunrise and sunset each day (no reservations required).

I arrived before sunset and took a seat under the white “roof” with an opening in the center. As the sun began to set and different hues were in the evening sky, many colors were projected onto the underside of the roof. I kept my eyes trained on the hole. What an amazing optical illusion! It appeared to float at times, move closer at others, and occasionally become solid. The sky, easily seen by looking forward, seemed to be a different color than the sky visible through the opening. What a delight.

Quirky & Eccentric

Waugh Bridge Bat Emergence (Free)

Move over, Austin – Houston has its own bat emergence. At twilight, over one million bats emerge from underneath Waugh Bridge, heading out for their evening hunt. The smell is quite pungent!

Art Car Museum (Free)

Houston hosts an Art Car Parade each April, but if you aren’t in town then, visit the museum in The Heights. There is a very robust Art Car culture in Houston; I spot them all over the city.

The Orange Show (Nominal Admission)

The Orange Show is still on my list. It will reopen after renovations in the middle of March 2020. This is taken from theorangeshow.org:

“Houston postman Jeff McKissack created The Orange Show in honor of his favorite fruit and illustrate his belief that longevity results from hard work and good nutrition. Working in isolation from 1956 until his death in 1980, McKissack used common building materials and found objects — bricks, tiles, fencing, farm implements — to transform an East End lot into an architectural maze of walkways, balconies, arenas and exhibits decorated with mosaics and brightly painted iron figures.”

The Beer Can House (Free Drive-By, But Worth The $5 Admission)

There must be something in the water in Houston; while McKissack was creating his orange masterpiece, another resident was feeding his folk art obsession: beer cans.

Also from theorangeshow.org:

John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, started his project now known as the Beer Can House in 1968 when he began inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form unique landscaping features. When the entire front and back yard were completely covered because he “got sick of mowing the grass”, he turned to the house itself and began adding aluminum siding – aluminum beer can siding, that is. Over the next 18 years the house disappeared under a cover of flattened beer cans for both practical and decorative reasons. Garlands made of cut beer cans hanging from the roof edges not only made the house sing in the wind, but also lowered the family’s energy bills. Ripley’s Believe It or Not estimated that over 50,000 cans adorn this monument to recycling.

Buffalo Bayou Cistern

The City of Houston once maintained a cistern of water for drinking and for water pressure. The city outgrew the cistern pretty quickly, and recently it was recognized for its architectural significance and opened for tours. Tours are generally free on Thursdays, when Brian and I went. It was very interesting to learn about the history of the city and the cistern, and I was particularly enthralled when the guide turned off the lights and shined a flashlight toward the columns in complete darkness, creating the optical illusion of infinity in the shallow water below.

Views Of Houston

Port Of Houston Boat Tour (Free)

I was surprised and delighted to learn that the Port of Houston offers free 90-minute boat tours (online reservations required). While I would not exactly call it picturesque, the narration was informative about one of the world’s largest ports, with over 200 public and private terminals along a 52-mile ship canal.

Glenwood Cemetery (Free)

If you stop by Glennwood cemetery for a view of the city, say hello to Howard Hughes.

JPMorgan Chase Tower (Free)

The 60th floor observation deck of Chase Tower offers impressive views of Downtown and “The Galleria,” Houston’s Uptown.

Next time I’m in town I’m sure I’ll add more to this post.