We all know that San Diego has a vibrant arts scene — and we’re not just talking about The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego or The San Diego Museum of Art. One of our all-time favorite galleries? America’s Finest City itself.
San Diego is home to a number of meaningful murals and outdoor art exhibits. Today, we’re sharing where to find pieces that really paint a picture of our city.
🎨 Greetings from US Naval Training Station | 2825 Dewey Rd., Liberty Station | By Greetings Tour
Victor Ving and photographer Lisa Beggs — the duo behind Greetings Tour — developed this piece to celebrate Liberty Station’s history as a naval training station while greeting visitors to the tourist destination. It really feels like you’re living in a postcard — just go to the other side and see the updated back of this mural.
🎨 Smile, You’re in San Diego | 1020 First Ave. | By Pandr Design Co.
Is there any better way to celebrate being in San Diego than with a big smile? Perhaps there is one way — by smiling in front of this giant, colorful mural in downtown San Diego.
Some things are meant to be.
Photo via @groundfloormurals
🎨 Meant To Be | 1100 Murray Dr. | By Ground Floor Murals
Paul Jimenez and Signe Ditona are the artists behind Ground Floor Murals — a duo who have been painting the city with tributes to notable people and events. They’ve been commissioned by the San Diego Padres to add multiple pieces honoring the team and its players, including this portrait of Joe Musgrove at Grossmont High School, his alma mater. The mural was added in 2021 after the local legend pitched the Padres’ first no-hitter.
🎨 John Lennon | 1020 Garnet Ave. | By Steve Garrow
Head to Pacific Beach to find this tribute to the legendary Beatles singer, guitarist, and activist. The peaceful image features the icon with a daisy over his eye and can be spotted on the wall outside of the former Five Guys location.
This tunnel is displays the spirit of San Diego.
Photo via @sandiegowithkids
🎨 The Magic Tunnel | Civita Park | By Kevin Anderson
San Diego is filled with epic parks, and Civita Park has a mural to match. Inside this magical tunnel you’ll find sunny skies, but along the walls you’ll see a collection of attractions, people, and landmarks that make San Diego the best place to live.
🎨 Nomad Donut Surfing and Skateboarding | 3102 University Ave. | By Nicholas Danger
North Park is filled with art, coffee, and local pride. It’s hard to pick a favorite mural in this quirky community, but the surfing and skating donut outside of Nomad Donuts embodies the feeling of a San Diego morning pretty well.
Colorful words for our athletes.
Photo via @san_diego_murals
🎨 Play Hard & Have Fun | Snapdragon Stadium | By Channin Fulton
This mural serves as a source of inspiration and encouragement for athletes on the field. Written across the colorful background is a quote from “Mr. Padre” himself, the late great Tony Gwynn, who was a student and later a beloved baseball coach at San Diego State University.
🎨 Philz Coffee Encinitas | 1051 S. Coast Hwy. 101 | By Cloe Shadee Hakakian
This dreamy sunset surf scene was commissioned by Philz Coffee and gives us a colorful look at life in the beach community. Rain or shine, you can always depend on this mural to show you a spectacular sunset.
A memorial worth seeing.
Photo via @soni_artist
🎨 La Reina del Tex-Mex | 2151 Logan Ave. | By Soni López-Chávez
If you’re dreaming of a cool mural, this tribute to Selena Quintanilla Pérez — the “Queen of Tejano music” — always makes our hearts go “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” when we see it in Barrio Logan.
Which color do you like?
Photo via @_o_mendez
🎨 Your Favorite Color | 7596 Eads Ave. | By Roy McMakin
It took a community to make this colorful display. Artist Roy McMakin asked 882 people their favorite colors among 79 options, and each response corresponds to a tile on the wall. Originally, the art piece was created in 2010 but it was given a refresh in the summer of 2022.
This mural is next level.
Photo via @muraltime
🎨 Surfing Mario | 2975 Carlsbad Blvd. | By Jim Heath
You might have seen Mario do some cool things, but this is next level. Head to Carlsbad — not the Mushroom Kingdom — to find the iconic plumber surfing on a wave of pipes outside of Witt’s Carlsbad Pipeline surf shop.
🎨 Viva La Vida | Corner of Twiggs + Congress streets | By Guillermo “memuco” Munro
This painting of painter Frida Kahlo can be found on the walls of Old Town Urban Market, adding to the celebration of Mexican culture found in the area. Along the wall of this building, you’ll find more artwork adding to Old Town’s culture and beauty.
This man in anchored in San Diego culture.
Photo via @aquaoneart
🎨 Point Loma Ron Burgundy | 2820 Midway Dr. | By Aqua One
This mural is kind of a big deal. It features San Diego’s favorite fictional anchorman, Ron Burgundy — but he’s just part of the art piece. At 120 ft long and 17 ft tall, the display also includes dolphins, a pier, and other San Diego-inspired designs.
🎨 It Could Be You | 2354 India St. |By Gretchen Weidener
If you can’t imagine a trip to Little Italy without the art, this mural is reflective of the experience. Many people have walked through the community with sunglasses on and saw the neighborhood’s beautiful displays — it’s so common, the mural has seen a doppelgänger or two.
🎨 Crest Café Elephant | 425 Robinson Ave. | By Cody Griffith
This mural of a purple and pink circus elephant was designed to be a whimsical addition to Crest Café — and it fits perfectly in the Hillcrest community. It was commissioned for the restaurant’s 30th birthday in 2012, and a decade later, the elephant stood proud to celebrate the restaurant’s 40th birthday.
San Diego really does feel like a postcard.
Photo via @p.jquezada
🎨 Greetings from San Diego | 4223 30th St. | By Greetings Tour
Greetings Tour painted this postcard-worthy mural in North Park by incorporating an element of San Diego life into each letter of the city’s name. As a special nod to the city, the pair commissioned the work of local artist Persue, whose work can be seen in the letter I.
Oceanside at its finest.
Photo via @visitoceanside
🎨 Oceanside Community Mural |1501 S. Coast Hwy | By Jerry Ragg
This mural celebrates Oceanside and all the beauty it offers. Find it on the Security Public Storage building, and the O’side collage features late San Diego Chargers Hall of Famer Junior Seau, a “Top Gun” tribute, Oceanside Harbor, and of course the beaches.
There’s always time for a “Catnap.”
Photo via @tifflova_
🎨 Catnap | 2906 Carlsbad Blvd. | By Michael Summers
This colorful display can be found on the wall of Witch Creek Winery in Carlsbad and it’s the purrfect depiction of a catnap on a rainy day. Artist Michael Summers says the piece is meant to illustrate the concept of change, because these white tigers won’t be the same after they’re covered in colors.
You can’t go further south than this in the continental US.
Photo by @susangrant102619
🎨 Imperial Beach Pier Mural | Imperial Beach Pier | By Pandr Design Co.
Imperial Beach is one of the most southern cities in the western US. This mural pinpoints your exact coordinates, pinpointing you at the most southwesterly spot in the continental US — a uniquely San Diego experience.
Drag yourself to Manhattan Bar in Chula Vista to see this mural.
Photo via Ground Floor Murals
🎨 Queen of Manhattan | 400 Broadway, Chula Vista | By Ground Floor Murals
Did you know RuPaul was born in San Diego? The iconic drag star spent his childhood in the city before moving to Atlanta, then NYC, where he once declared himself the “Queen of Manhattan.” So, it’s fitting that a mural celebrating his life can be seen on the side of Manhattan Bar in the South Bay.
This mural by Austin Gosswiller and Jack Stricker shows off gems communities by Balboa Park.
Photo by @hillcrestsandiego
🎨 Hillcrest Mural | 3737 Fifth Ave. | By Austin Gosswiller and Jack Stricker
To celebrate 40 years in business, California Bank and Trust gave Hillcrest “the gift of art.” This mural features landmarks and images that reflect the beauty found the community and nearby areas like Balboa Park and Mission Hills.
The MLK Jr. + Mount Hope Community Mural Project on SR-94.
Photo via Caltrans San Diego
🎨 MLK Jr./Mount Hope Community Mural Project | Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway eastbound | Created by Neil Shigley and Philip Matzigkeit
In 2012, this 225-ft long, 20-ft tall mural was added to a stretch of state Route 94 that had been dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1989. It was San Diego’s first large-scale memorial honoring the civil rights leader, and it was designed by two San Diego State University professors using a grant secured by Caltrans.
🎨 Angry Pandas | 2930 University Ave. | By Aaron Martin and Thao Huynh French
We might not have pandas at the San Diego Zoo anymore (but maybe soon again), but this North Park mural features two angry pandas that will stay put on the side of Shank & Bône. The roaring animals represent the ability to persevere through struggles, and the lotus flowers behind them are a nod to the artists’ Vietnamese roots. Next to this display is a portrait of a chicken titled “Lahaina Loveletter” by Kolten French, dedicated to the people and animals who survived the Maui fires.
🎨 Home | Liberty Station, between Barracks 14 + 15 | By Scarlett Baily
This 2,535-sqft mural celebrates the city we call home with a collage of locally inspired images, including people, marine life, and flowers.
🎨 Chicano Park | 1949 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan | Artists vary
Chicano Park is a designated National Historic Landmark with 80+ murals that are symbolic of Latino activism in the San Diego area. The 7.4-acre park is located under the Coronado Bridge and serves as a visual depiction of the struggles and perseverance of the Chicano community.
Psst: We know we’ve only scratched the surface — so expect more murals in the future. Did we miss your favorite? Send us an email let us know.
Ready to see the displays? Check out our map and plan a mural tour.
