Mission Mural Walk

🎯 Tour

The Verdict

"Start at Balmy Alley (24th near Harrison), then walk north to Clarion Alley (between 17th and 18th on Valencia). The murals change constantly so no two visits are the same."

What you need to know

The Mission District has been home to mural art since the 1970s, influenced by the Mexican muralist tradition. Balmy Alley between 24th and 25th Streets is the heart of the movement. Clarion Alley near Valencia offers a rotating collection of contemporary murals. The Women’s Building on 18th Street features a massive exterior mural covering two walls.

More Things to Do Nearby

Isotope Comics Toilet Museum

Isotope Comics Toilet Museum

Hayes Valley

The toilet seat art is in the back of an indie comic shop on Fell Street in Hayes Valley. Free to see while you browse comics. Quick stop, five minutes for the art, longer if you like comics.

1015 Folsom

SoMa

Five rooms across three levels. The main floor gets packed for big DJs on weekends. The rooftop is the best room in summer. On Folsom Street in SoMa. Cover runs $15 to $50 depending on the night. Late hours.

Tenderloin National Forest

Tenderloin National Forest

The Tenderloin

Two minutes to walk through but a genuine surprise. Off Ellis Street between Leavenworth and Jones in the Tenderloin. Open during daylight hours. Combine it with a visit to the nearby Great American Music Hall.

Red Poppy Art House

The Mission District

A tiny Bernal Heights art and music space run by volunteers. Shows are acoustic, intimate, and often free or donation-based. The programming leans folk, jazz, and spoken word. Seating is limited so arrive early. A genuine neighborhood gem.

Alvord Lake Bridge

Alvord Lake Bridge

Haight Ashbury

Easy to walk right past without noticing. Look for the fake stalactites hanging from the arch at the Haight Street entrance to Golden Gate Park near Stanyan. One of the first reinforced concrete bridges in America.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory

Chinatown

In Ross Alley off Jackson Street in Chinatown. Free to watch, small fee for photos. Bag of fresh cookies costs a couple dollars. Takes five minutes but the hand-folding process on copper griddles is memorable.