Public landmarks bring flavor to any vacation

It’s always worthwhile to make a stop to see public landmarks and the art each city offers

by

Whether you’re traveling for work, exploring the world or just trying to to get away for a while, it’s always worthwhile to make a stop to see public landmarks and the art each city offers. Not only is public art free to visit, it’s also a great way to get a flavor taste of the city you’re visiting.

If you find yourself in the following cities, don’t miss some of the best public art and landmarks the U.S. has to offer.

Austin, Texas: Open Room Austin

Sure, most good parks have a place to sit, eat or rest. However, Open Room Austin by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt at Sand Beach Park gives the illusion of fine dining, even if you’ve only packed a few sandwiches and a bottle of water for lunch. The permanent installation, which features a 24-foot-long table covered by a mock lace tablecloth, benches and tall lamps, is a beautiful aluminum dining room surrounding by trees. Just don’t forget the picnic basket.

Chicago, Illinois: Cloud Gate

It would be remiss to leave out not mention Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate, also affectionately known as the Bean. The 100-ton stainless steel centerpiece of Millennium Park gorgeously reflects the Chicago skyline, and its distorted shape creates mesmerizing reflections of visitors as they walk around and under the structure.

San Francisco, California: 16th Avenue Tiled Steps

Unlike any staircase you’ve seen before, these stairs between 15th and 16th avenues on Moraga Street in San Francisco transport you into a different world. The sun, moon and ocean are displayed in a brilliant mosaic across these steps by Colette Crutcher and Aileen Barr, and bring fantastical whimsy to a residential California neighborhood.

Birmingham, Alabama: LightRails

Old and new collide spectacularly in Bill FitzGibbons’ LightRails. This LED installment lights up a viaduct originally built in 1931, and a tunnel that was once dark and uninviting is now evocative of 2001: A Space Odyssey. While most tunnels motivate drivers to pass through as quickly as possible, this one inspires drivers to pull over, snap some pictures and stay a while.

Amanda DePerro is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.