The city has some of the best street art in the country. Not random tagsâreal murals, commissioned pieces, large-scale installations by known artists.
This walking route covers 12 major works across three neighborhoods. Total distance: 3.5 miles. Time: 2-3 hours at a casual pace with stops for photos.
Starting Point: Metro Station Plaza
Piece #1: "Transit" by Elena Rodriguez
Start at the north entrance of Central Metro Station. The entire exterior wall (roughly 80 feet) is covered with a mural depicting overlapping transit maps from different eras.
Look closelyâRodriguez embedded QR codes throughout the piece. Scan them and you'll hear audio stories from longtime transit workers.
From here, walk west on 5th Street toward the warehouse district.
Warehouse District - Industrial Zone
Piece #2: "Worker's Hands" by Marcus Chen
Corner of 5th and Harper Street. Massive monochrome hands reaching upward, painted on a seven-story building. Done in 2021 as a tribute to essential workers during the pandemic.
Best viewed from across the street. The scale is hard to appreciate up close.
Piece #3: Untitled (Bird Series) by Various Artists
Continue down Harper Street. Between 5th and 3rd, you'll see dozens of small bird murals on utility boxes, garage doors, and building corners. Different artists contributed over several years.
It's become a traditionânew birds appear every few months. Keep an eye out. Some are tiny, easy to miss.
The Arts Quarter
Piece #4: "Spectrum Wall" by Collective Works
Turn south on 3rd Avenue. Two blocks down, you'll hit the Arts Quarter. First piece is impossible to miss: an entire block-long wall painted in a gradient from purple to red.
Different sections were painted by different artists. If you look carefully, each 20-foot section has a unique style while maintaining the overall color flow.
This is a popular photo spot. Morning light is bestâif you come in afternoon, the wall is in shadow.
Piece #5: "Library of Faces" by Yuki Tanaka
Behind the community center at 3rd and Olive. Three-story mural covering all four walls of the building. Hundreds of painted facesâevery person who donated to the arts fund gets their portrait included.
Updated annually. New faces added each spring. Find the legend on the south wall if you want to identify specific people.
Coffee Break Stop
At this point, you're halfway through. Good time to stop at Grind House Cafe (corner of Olive and 2nd). Get coffee, use the bathroom, sit for 10 minutes. They also have a small mural insideâabstract piece by a local artist.
East Side Corridor
Piece #6: "Root System" by Andrea Wells
From the cafe, head east on Olive for three blocks. You'll pass under the highway overpass. Both support columns are painted with intricate root and vine patterns that look like underground ecosystems.
It's dark under there, so Wells added glow-in-the-dark paint. Come back at night for a totally different experience.
Piece #7: "Kids' Corner" - Community Youth Project
Continue east, turn right on Jefferson. Several blocks of murals painted by local high school students over the past decade. Quality varies, but some pieces are excellent.
Look for:
- The underwater scene at 1442 Jefferson (dolphins, coral, sea turtles)
- The abstract geometry piece at 1520 Jefferson (influenced by Mondrian)
- The neighborhood history mural at 1604 Jefferson (historic photos recreated in paint)
Riverwalk Section
Piece #8: "Water & Light" by Installation Collective
Turn left when you hit the riverwalk path. Walk north about half a mile. Along the concrete flood wall, you'll see a series of reflective metal panels arranged to create shifting patterns depending on sun angle.
Not technically a mural, but part of the art trail. Impressive at sunset when light bounces off the river and the metal at the same time.
Piece #9: "Urban Wildlife" by Sarah Kim
Near the pedestrian bridge. Hyper-realistic paintings of animals that actually live in the city: raccoons, opossums, crows, hawks, foxes. Each animal is life-sized and positioned in its natural urban habitat.
The opossum under the bridge support is particularly good. Most people walk past thinking it's real.
Final Stretch - Downtown Edge
Piece #10: "Layers" by David Martinez
Cross the pedestrian bridge and head back west. At the corner of River Road and 8th Street, there's a parking garage with a façade mural showing historical layers of the cityâindigenous land, early settlement, industrial era, modern dayâstacked vertically.
Martinez used old photographs and archive materials as references. If you live here, you'll recognize specific buildings and streets from different time periods.
Piece #11: "Data Stream" by Tech Arts Collective
On 8th Street between River Road and Main. Digital-looking mural that changes appearance when viewed through a phone camera. The augmented reality elements add animation and movement.
Download the "ArtLens" app to see the full effect. Without the app, it's still interestingâlooks like flowing code and circuitry.
Piece #12: "Home" by Community Collaboration
Final piece is at 8th and Mainâthe old post office building. 50+ local artists each contributed a small panel depicting what "home" means to them. Panels range from realistic house portraits to abstract emotion pieces.
The collective impact is stronger than individual pieces. It's a patchwork that somehow feels coherent.
Practical Information
- Best time: Late morning (10am-11am) or early evening (5pm-6pm). Light is better, fewer crowds.
- Wear comfortable shoes. 3.5 miles on sidewalks and pavement.
- Bring water. Not many water fountains along the route.
- Photography: All murals are publicly visible and fine to photograph. Some artists appreciate tags on social media.
- Respect the art. Don't touch painted surfaces. Don't add your own marks. Obvious, but worth saying.
Bonus Spots (Off the Main Route)
If you have extra time, check out:
- The Alley Gallery - Hidden passage between 6th and 7th on Ash Street. Rotating street art installations, changes every 2-3 months.
- Railroad Underpass - South side near industrial park. Graffiti-covered but some impressive pieces mixed in.
- Northside Neighborhood - Residential area with murals on corner stores and community centers. More scattered, harder to tour efficiently.
Why Street Art Matters
Museums are fine, but street art engages people who would never walk into a gallery. It's accessible, free, integrated into daily life. You don't have to decide to see itâit's just there.
The pieces on this route represent hundreds of hours of work by local and visiting artists. They're temporary in the sense that buildings get torn down, murals get painted over, weather takes its toll. But while they exist, they change how people experience the city.
Do this walk. Bring a friend. Notice details. The art is good, and it's right there.