I am a huge fan of art. I love colors and drawings, paintings, and sculptures. There is just something so much fun about seeing the world through somebody else’s eyes and talent. I developed this love for art in my youth as my mother would take us to art museums.
Naturally when I started having kids I decided I wanted to carry on my mother’s traditions. I started taking my kids to art museums! It was then I began to realize art museums are super stressful with kids! First experience my toddlers begged me to let them climb on the abstract art statues. I get it sometimes abstract art looks like a playground! My immediate no, caused them to cry and scream the entire walk through.
So I am completely willing to give everything another shot. Round two of visiting an art museum was not much better. I spent my time running from kid to kid capturing their little hands before they could touch anything. After leaving I realized I did not get to see any of the actual art work, because I was so focused on my kids.
It was then I realize maybe I should hold off on those art museums until my kiddos are out of diapers and understand the concept of tapped off areas. Does this mean I have given up on trying to show my kids the beauty and wonder of art? You bet not!
I have discovered that art doesn’t just come in a museum where people are only allowed to look from a set distance. We started going on mural hunts, attending chalk art festivals, and our most favorite of all finding painted statues!
Certain town and cities create a mascot to represent their town/city. These mascots are spread throughout the town and decorated in ways that express the significance of the town. Normally these mascots are some form of local wildlife, but we have even found statues of trains, hearts, people, and clothing items.
Since we are located in Texas, of course this is the state that we have looked for painted statues the most. It has become a game in our family to see who can find the next painted statue. Finding these painted statues of Texas is almost like using the town as your free art museum. So come with us to experience the magic and magnificence of these Texas painted statues!
Reasons You Should Add Finding These Painted Statues To Your Travel Agenda:
- Its FREE! Something about paying for an activity takes the fun out of it. Then the entire time you are at said activity you are judging whether the activity is worth the money you spent. Finding these Texas painted statues is absolutely FREE!! Making it all the more fun!
- You get to see all the best the town has to offer. Normally these painted statues are located at the most iconic spots in town. It is like getting a tour of the town through art work!
- Fun photo ops. We live in a day and age where photos and videos are our new journals. So if we can get a good picture it is a good activity. These painted statues are the perfect photo ops!
- Education and art wrapped in one activity. If you ever want to learn about a town finding their painted statues is the best way to do it. Each statue will be painted with something that has to do with the town. It is the best way to actually learn about the town.
- Easy with kids! This is my big seller. I LOVE traveling with my kids and if I can’t do it with them, I don’t really want to do it. Art museums kinda are stressful and suck with kids! They get bored and can’t touch anything. Finding the statues is like a scavenger hunt game and they can touch these statues and enjoy the nature around them!
- You can actually take pictures of the art. Most art museums do not allow cameras. So you just experienced something that you will most likely forget a year from now because you have no photos to remember it by. You can take as many photos as you want of the Texas painted statues! Its free public art!
Practical Tips For Statue Seekers:
- Research the locations beforehand. ALWAYS look up the locations beforehand. Sure you will see some while you are driving around town, but you will not get to see near as many if you do not look it up before you go! Normally the city/town websites will have a map or list of addresses of where to find each of the statues.
- Look for city scavenger hunt deals before you start. Another way to research before you go is to look for scavenger hunt deals that the cities offer with finding the painted statues. A lot of cities offer prizes for finding their statues. For instance, Odessa will give you a stuffed rabbit if you find their jackrabbits and Pecos will give you a free t shirt if you complete their passport book of finding the Pecos painted boots. Be sure to check on the town’s websites to see if you can qualify for a prize for finding these painted statues.
- Map out your route before you go. Before we go on statue hunts I normally will input each location onto my google map so that I can plan out my route before I go. This way I can see the most statues without having to drive in circles.
- Walk whenever you can. A pattern I have noticed with a lot of these painted statue hunts is that normally downtowns have a congestion amount of statues. So instead of driving from statue to statue you can walk. Walking is so much faster when there are painted statues close to each other than driving. It takes quite some time to find parking spots, so if you can walk I suggest you give it a shot.
- Park after you see the statue. Some towns are more spread out with their statues. So walking is not an option. So if you are driving, do not park until you actually see the statue. For instance, in San Angelo you may drive to the address given for a painted sheep at a hospital. That sheep could be behind the hospital, in the front, or even in the gardens at the side of the building. So instead of parking and walking around a giant hospital, drive and park when you see the statue.
- Be sure to unmark the statues you find on your map. No matter what type of map you are using to guide yourself to these statues, mark off the ones you have already seen so that you do not end up going in circles and repeating the same statues.
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Bootiful Wimberly
This is Texas so of course our painted statues have to do with cowboys. Wimberly, Texas is home to 50 colorful boots located throughout town and 4 more that aren’t actively on display. Legend even says that, “Wishes come true, while rubbing the toe Hill Country Soul,” which is the boot located at Wimberly’s Welcome Center.
Cow Herd Of Plainview
Now it ain’t uncommon to see cows throughout Texas, but these cow aren’t your everyday cows. Throughout the town of Plainview, Texas are about 20 painted cows of all sorts. Most of these cows are located in front of the local fast food restaurants, my favorite is the McDonald cow that looks like the McDonald clown!
Amarillo’s Hoof Prints Of The American Quarter Horse
Quarter Horses are considered the American horse, with their influence on USA history. Working ranches, rodeos, races, and even Western movies these beautiful horses have left their hoof prints on our country’s heart! They also have scattered around the town of Amarillo, Texas!
There are around 116 painted horses throughout town, that is how well loved these horses are to this equine ranch town.
Odessa Jackrabbit Jamboree
Pecos is home to the first rodeo, well Odessa is home to the first Jackrabbit roping rodeo event. This is no longer practiced, but Odessa still holds on to its jackrabbit legacy by displaying 31 painted cottontails all over town.
Once you have downloaded the Jackrabbit Jamboree Pass from the Discover Odessa website, bounce from rabbit to rabbit to mark that you visited at least 16 of these bunnies so that you can stop by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce for your own little stuffed bunny to take home!
Click here for my guide to find the jackrabbits of Odessa.
San Angelo Sheep Spectacular
San Angelo has a very “ewe-“nique herd of painted statues. Though you may not see many real sheep around these parts now days, once upon a time sheep roamed this land. This oil town was built by sheep herders, so now as a memento of these founders of San Angelo; the town is covered in about 93 sheep and rams with more popping up each year.
Centerville Deer Project
Centerville, Texas is about as small a town in Texas as you can imagine. This town is located in the forest area of Texas, hence its abundance of deer. The deer population has increased slightly with the permanent painted deer statues that have been popping up in this small town.
Southlake Stampede
Southlake is a town that is dedicated to art. There is even a public art trail that showcases many forms of art. One of the arts on display are their painted longhorn cattle. There may not be many left, but there are still some to remember the stampede by.
Mermaids of San Marcos
One of the last things you would picture to be a mascot of an inland Texas hill country town is mermaids, but as you drive around you will find 11 beautifully painted mermaid statues. San Marcos is a town well known for its crystal clear water, glass bottom boats, and its history with the Aquamaids synchronized swimmers. Which are pretty much mermaids without fins, right!?
Click here for my guide to finding the San Marcos Mermaids.
Seabrook Pelican Path
It is kinda a no brainer that Seabrook, Texas would design their statues to be giant pelicans. Throughout the year hundreds of brown and white pelicans migrate through this town! There are paths for hiking or biking to find as many as 43+ painted Pelican residents!
Galveston Turtles About Town
Galveston has become a turtle haven for sea turtles and sea turtle lovers alike! These 50 sea turtle statues around the island have been created to not only enjoy the art, but build awareness of these gorgeous sea creatures. Lets protect those sea turtles!
Great Herons Of Dickson
Dickson, Texas is another town seeking to bring awareness and conservation to an important Texas wildlife, the Great Heron. The town has already displayed 5 beautifully painted Herons in town, with more in the future to come.
When you visit this bayou town, not only will you find these 5 painted herons, but hundreds of live herons that migrate through this area every year!
Pecos Boot Trail
The West Texas town of Pecos is where the cowboy rodeo started. To honor its origins, the town has placed 23 beautifully painted boots around town. Each 8 foot boot is decorated with some sort of depiction of life in Pecos, Texas.
If you are in for some fun the town of Pecos offers a prize to those who find the boots of Pecos. Stop by the Pecos Chamber of Commerce to grab your passport book. This passport book will map out each boot, but the real fun is to go into the business that sponsors that boot to get a stamp in your passport book.
Once you have filled you book with stamps, head back to the Pecos Chamber of Commerce for your prize, ours were free T-Shirts!
Click here for my guide to find the boots of Pecos.
Wichita Falls Mane Event
Wichita Falls, similar to Amarillo, is covered in about 70 painted horse statues. Most places sponsor these types of statues as a way to advertise their business, but Wichita Falls takes it up a notch.
These horses represent companies that are donating to the education and advancement of their local youth. That’s right these are charity horses that are built for a cause. Admiring them is admiring and supporting the growth of our youth!
Seguin Squirrel Trail
The main theme of these Texas painted statues is cowboys and the old west, but Seguin takes a different side of Texas with their painted mascot. 11 cute painted squirrels are located around town. Don’t go nuts, but sounds like there are more squirrels to come!
iHeart Frisco
Frisco is covered in the cutest photo ops! To engrain the idea that Frisco is a place that you will love, they created a contest to see who could created the cutest heart statue. There are at least 6 hearts that I know of throughout town.
South Padre Island Sea Turtle Art Trail
Sea Turtles are a huge deal on South Padre Island, Texas! Maybe it is due to it being home to some turtle nesting grounds or even the fact that the Sea Turtle Rescue is based from here. 13 permanent painted Sea Turtle statues have been placed throughout the island. These statues are so pretty!
Another really cool art trail to try in South Padre Island is their sand castle trail. Just like the painted statues, they are located throughout town and each uniquely designed. There are 30 sand plots where sand artists can sculpt their art. You may have seen it once, but a couple months later there could be a completely new sand sculpture.
Pearland’s Pear-Scape Trail
You know how I said some of the towns that feature their painted statues have scavenger hunts with prizes? Pearland is one of those towns! Pearland offers 3 separate pear scavenger hunts to help you find the 20 painted pears around town. Once you have completed you scavenger hunt, be sure to add up your points for a prize!
Temple Downtown Art Trains
Temple has an interesting way to “Express” their art and that is on mini old steam engine locomotive statues. All aboard, as you choo-choose your way through town to find these 8 colorful trains. Next stop, adorable pictures are great memories in Temple, Texas. Sorry I had way too much fun with the train puns!
Arlington Stars Of Texas
Arlington, Texas didn’t seem to get the lone star Texas theme, cause it has way more then one star around town. There are 20 beautifully painted stars around town, each depicting a beautiful part of this great state. From nature, sports, political views, and history; each star has a story to tell about what has made Texas what it is today!
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