Oddities you can just drive by include Howard Hughes's grave (in Glenwood Cemetery, on Washington Avenue) and an atomic-sized, semi-peeled cement banana on an empty lot visible from Interstate 45 heading into downtown. Before artist David Addickes whitewashed it to match his other oversized works (which include a cellist in front of the Lyric Center downtown and the giant Sam Houston 90 miles north in Huntsville), shiny stars spangled the fruit and red, white and blue stripes lined the peel.
Some of these sites have been part of the offbeat routes charted by the Eyeopeners Tours sponsored by the Orange Show Foundation. The tours are now branching out to other parts of the country. Call (713) 926-6368 for the current schedule.