I used to live in the Bay Area and have spent quite a bit of time in San Francisco. My mom grew up in the heart of city and lived in the area up until a few weeks ago, which meant that for several years I was in SF every few months. And while you would think that San Francisco would be my “heart city” (a term I use to describe cities that you instantly connect with), surprisingly enough, I didn’t care much for the City by the Bay. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t hate San Francisco—I just know that it’s not somewhere I’d ever want to live. I prefer cities that are grungier; more wild and chaotic. You know what to expect when you visit SF and I guess I like my cities to be a little surprising; a little more difficult to read.
But there is one thing that I love about San Francisco: The colorful murals. You can find many of them in the Mission District (specifically Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley). Murals and graffiti art have always appealed to me because they combine two of my favorite things: Art and the outdoors. I love wandering around a city with a coffee drink or ice cream cone and admiring artists’ creativity and skill. I find it inspiring.
Below are some of my favorites:
