The bubbles are to aerate the slow moving water. The water on the south side of the bridge will bubble. (The directions assume/pretend the METRORail tracks and downtown streets go North and South, which is not exactly true, but easier to explain.)

On the southeast(ish) side of the bridge you will see the little red button. Walk a few blocks west(ish) towards the Downtown Aquarium until you are over the water. To get here, drive or take METRORail to the Preston Station. Finish up with several minutes of pressing the button, running to the side of the bridge, watching the bubbles and giggling with delight. Once pressed, try to find the bubbles and ask what could be causing them. Once you find it, ask for ideas on what it might do and see who is brave enough to push it. Get them close to the bridge and see if they can find it. And if you do press it, what will happen? Where should you look? And say you see or hear the bubbles, what is causing it? Did you wake a bayou monster? And if a boat is traveling down the river, what would happen if you timed the bubbles just right?įor best results, tell your kids you hear there is a mysterious red button in Downtown Houston and you need to find out what it does. You don't know whether you should press it or not. It is just a mysterious red button in the middle of Downtown Houston. I realize that this is just a button and some bubbles, but if you are going to visit it, you really have all the materials you need for a great adventure.įirst off, there is no sign above this little button. When you press it, the water it bayou will bubble for several seconds. In the middle of the brick column on the south(ish) side of the Preston Street Bridge, is a little red button. Have you heard about the Big Bubble in the Buffalo Bayou? Have you seen the mysterious red button on the Preston Street Bridg e? A friend told us that their 5 year old's favorite thing to do in Houston was to, 'burp the bayou', and we just had to know what this meant.

so plan on THESE close by activities to save the day!)

Address: Preston Street Bridge, Preston and Smith, Downtown Houston

The red button hunt