Each of New York’s many (and overlapping) neighborhoods has its own personality, its own flair. The Lower East Side (LES) is no different.

You can find some of the best street art in NYC in this part of Manhattan. In fact, the Lower East Side has one of the highest concentrations of murals and graffiti in all of New York City!

(Read all about another one of the mural hotspots, Bushwick in Brooklyn, in my post!)

So the next time you’re looking for things to do in New York City, don’t sleep on the Lower East Side. The murals here are world-class. You’ll find street art on just about every block.

That’s my favorite way to experience graffiti: discovering each example of street art as you wander the neighborhood.

So lace up your shoes, charge your camera and head to the Lower East Side. (Not heading to NYC immediately? Then pin this post for your next trip!!)

Things to do – Lower East Side

There are so many great things to do in the Lower East Side. This New York neighborhood is practically synonymous with immigrants, leading to a rich tapestry of cultures and backgrounds. Different immigrant groups have put down roots here, from the Irish and Eastern European Jews to the Chinese and Puerto Ricans.

Some of these identities are reflected in Lower East Side graffiti and street art you can see across the neighborhood.

Like many New York City neighborhoods, the Lower East Side is incredibly walkable. You can wander all over this area and stumble upon murals on nearly every block.

What’s special about Lower East Side graffiti?

I personally think that any concentration of world-class street art is special, no matter the neighborhood. The Lower East Side is certainly no exception.

Lower East Side graffiti is incredibly diverse in style, content, point of view and even size. Some murals cover enormously tall buildings, rising maybe 10 stories into the New York sky. Others are small, left in a nook in an alleyway or on a night club door.

Like a lot of street art, Lower East Side graffiti can be political. Murals are public art and inherently more accessible than artwork in, for example, one of New York City’s museums. Many artists who paint on walls—with permission or without—are counterculture.

That means that quite a lot of street art takes a strong stance on political or social issues. One of my favorite Lower East Side murals depicts George Floyd in beautiful brushstrokes of color. To me, this street art portrait says that while George Floyd’s murder was a brutal injustice, he as a person was a beautiful human with a vibrant life.

Where to find murals in LES, NYC (including lots of photos!)

First off, if you’re not already familiar, LES stands for the Lower East Side in New York. (Isn’t it easier to write and say?) So let’s talk where to find murals in this neighborhood.

Truth is, if you wander around (one of my fave things to do on the Lower East Side, and all of New York!), you’ll bump into murals. As soon as you begin looking for it, you’ll see graffiti and street art on nearly every block.

That said, there are a few hotspots where you can find a ton of Lower East Side graffiti. Read on to plan your adventure. It’s like a scavenger hunt to see all this gorgeous street art!

LES business gates (100 Gates Project)

When the day ends, the Lower East Side turns into a huge art gallery. That’s because many businesses in the LES participate in the 100 Gates Projects, which pairs street artists with business owners. The artists paint a mural on the metal gate that covers a storefront when the business is closed.

Even though evenings and Sundays are the best time to see these murals, since more businesses are closed at those times, you’ll still spot plenty of gate murals in other times. Keep an eye out and you’ll see pops of color on gates—which would have been boring grey otherwise.

I’m in love with this project, in part because it brings art to everyone.

Freeman Alley Graffiti Wall

Freeman Alley in the Lower East Side is a narrow stretch where all the walls—and even the pavement—are covered in graffiti, stencils, stickers and other artwork. This spot is constantly changing as street artists add their own flair to the evolving alley.

Freeman Alley Graffiti Wall is also a great place to see all different types of street art in one place. You’ll spot stickers, of course, as well as stenciled artwork and words. You’ll also see wheatpaste art, where artists stick posters or other paper-based images to the wall using a glue-like mixture of water and flour.

Keep an eye out for small-scale paintings and murals, too. Well known artists as well as newcomers on the scene add their mark in this special street art destination.

Whether you’re looking at one piece up close or taking in the entire space, Freeman Alley is a terrific spot for street art in NYC!

First Street Green Art Park + Cultural Park

What used to be an abandoned lot in the Lower East Side is now a community hub. The First Street Green Art Park forms an alley between East 1st Street and Houston (pronounced “house-tun” not the Texas city “h-use-tun”). Open-air movies, concerts, performances and other cultural events routinely come to this hidden park. You can see great Lower East Side graffiti hear anytime.

You’ll spot murals on both sides of the lot.

When you walk east along Houston, you’ll find yourself in an unexpected green space. Called the First Street Green Cultural Park, this space has hidden murals you’ll want to check out.

Artists have painted on the walls that border the green space. Walk through this area and you might forget you’re right next to one of NYC’s busiest streets.

Don’t forget to look closely! In some cases, plants have incorporated themselves into the art. It’s like they didn’t want to be left out of the fun!

First Street Garden

If you weren’t looking for it, you’d probably pass the little First Street Garden without a second glance. This green space is one of many community-run gardens in New York. In fact, when my sister and I stumbled upon it, two people were tending to the plants.

You might not expect to find murals in a community garden, but the First Street Garden is full of ’em. Most fit within an activist and women leaders theme. You’ll find portraits of Shirley Chisolm and Ida B Wells, among many other trailblazers, behind garden beds and greenery.

More Lower East Side street art in NYC

While the hotspots I detail above have high concentrations of murals in one place, you’ll find impressive murals throughout the entire Lower East Side.

Here’s how I recommend you search for street art. You can either walk a route between the areas I outlined above, looking for murals on the blocks in between.

You can also simply show up and wander, finding street art like treasure scattered throughout the LES.

Take the subway to the Lower East Side. Take your time walking throughout the neighborhood, keeping a keen eye out for murals.

(Remember, they might be painted on business gates, doors, alleys and even parks. Pretty much all public space is fair game!)

You have plenty of options for subway stops. Which one works best for you depends on where you’re coming from. I recommend these subway stops to see Lower East Side graffiti:

• 2nd Ave – F
• Bowery – J/Z
• Grand St – B/D
• Essex/Delancey – F/M/J/Z

Places to eat – Lower East Side, NY

This self-guided street art tour in New York is sure to make you hungry! While you’re exploring the Lower East Side area, check out my favorite places to eat in the Lower East Side.

Erin McKenna’s Bakery – Do you love gluten-free, vegan doughnuts as much as I do? Of course you do. That’s why you need to snag these sweet treats when you’re hungry in the Lower East Side. Buy doughnuts, mini doughnuts, bagels, breads and other sweet pastries here at Erin McKenna’s Bakery.

Essex Market – Feeling indecisive? Exploring with friends who can’t agree where to eat? Then head to Essex Market, the public market that’s been open more than 100 years in the LES, NYC. Grab a bagel, sandwich, pastry, turnover, empanada or about a million other yummy food choices. You can dine inside (if you show proof of vaccination, as of Nov 17, 2021) or get food to go. You’ll also find multiple cafes where you can order tea or coffee.

Jajaja Plantas Mexicana – I dare you to say, or eat at, Jajaja without smiling to yourself. The name is literally a laugh, and the all-vegan menu will make your tummy just as glad. I particularly recommend the Buffalo Flower street taco. yum. Jajaja is also well known for their tequila and mezcal, both for sipping and in cocktails. (Find Jajaja on the border between the Lower East Side and Chinatown.)

Pardon My French – If you wrap up your street art tour at cocktail o’clock, make your way to Pardon My French. Their inventive cocktails will make you want to taste through their drinks menu… but be careful because they’re powerful! You might want to order a good base of a burger or baked brie so you don’t have to stumble home.

Where else can I find amazing New York street art?

Luckily for all street art lovers, New York is simply full of epic murals. That said, some neighborhoods are hotspots for graffiti.

These New York neighborhoods have murals that will stay for years; some also have spots where graffiti artists repaint the same wall over and over again. I personally love that street art becomes an ever-rotating gallery. That way it allows newcomer artists to share their work, and street artists can respond to current events or social movements.

Check out some of these other street art destinations in New York City.

Chinatown

The neighborhood to the south of the Lower East Side, Chinatown, also has a ton of gorgeous street art. Walk south from the LES and you’ll stumble across murals, many of which reflect Asian influences.

Bushwick, Brooklyn

One of the best street art locations in New York is undoubtedly Bushwick, in Brooklyn. This neighborhood is simply full of world-class murals from local and international street artists alike.

You’ll definitely want to read all the details in my blog post about the Bushwick street art scene.

Harlem

Brief story: When now-Hubs and I first moved in together about a million years ago, we lived in the basement of a brownstone in Harlem. I was dirt broke so just about everything I did had to be free. Luckily, looking at street art in Harlem cost not a penny!

More recently, I explored Harlem’s Audobon murals and more. This project commissioned street artists to paint bird murals all throughout the neighborhood.

Of course, you’ll also find graffiti and murals unrelated to anything avian. Harlem’s street art is definitely worth a subway trip uptown.

By now, I’m sure you agree that looking at New York City street art is one of the best and most unique things to do in NYC, especially in the Lower East Side. I simply can’t wait for you to travel to New York and explore all these murals!

Do you have a favorite example of Lower East Side graffiti from this post? Let me know in the comments!

And don’t forget to pin this post for later! You’ll want to remember where to find murals in New York City!

The post Lower East Side graffiti: Where to find epic New York street art (+ photos!) appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

The huge number of murals and other street art in Bushwick is concentrated in just a few blocks, making it easy to see gobs of street art all at once. The Bushwick street art project is constantly adding new murals to the mix, too, so you never know what masterpiece you’ll stumble upon.

Getting to Bushwick, Brooklyn is an easy subway ride from Manhattan. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to see incredible Bushwick street art the next time you’re in town.

And you know how much I like to pack my posts full of helpful information, so I also cover the many cool things to do in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Read on to learn not only about the Bushwick murals in Brooklyn but also where to eat and shop in Bushwick as well as other things to do in this cool Brooklyn neighborhood.

All about Bushwick Street Art, Brooklyn

Bushwick, the neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, is one of New York City’s most colorful and street-art filled areas.

Walking around, you’ll probably notice that Bushwick is changing. The wholesalers and auto body shops in this working-class Brooklyn neighborhood watch as signs of gentrification move in. Zero-waste stores, craft beer, and tapas restaurants signal that wealthier residents are showing up.

Originally, Lenape Native Americans called this part of New York home. Then in the 1600s, a group of settlers got permission from the Lenape to form a community they called Boswijck, Dutch for “neighborhood in the woods.” (This peaceful agreement was later violated by European settlers and their descendants. They attacked Native Americans who lived in the hills around the original European settlement, annexing the area and expanding their territory.)

From its outset, Bushwick, Brooklyn was a community of immigrants. Its first settlers were Dutch, French and one of the first enslaved Africans brought to what is now New York, who had worked his way to freedom.

Nowadays, Bushwick is predominantly Hispanic: Almost 70% of people self-identify as Hispanic, with most residents’ heritage from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

History of street art in Bushwick and the Bushwick Collective

Since 2011, the Bushwick Collective—an organization of graffiti artists in Brooklyn who have turned this neighborhood into a street art mecca—have transformed an economically depressed area into one of the best places to see street art in New York City.

The Bushwick Collective was founded by Joe Ficalora, who was born in Bushwick. He wanted to transform a history of trauma—his father was murdered outside a subway station, and his mother died of brain cancer—as well as his home. So he began organizing other artists to make over Bushwick, turning the entire Brooklyn neighborhood into a street art gallery.

The Bushwick Street Art Collective works with artists, business owners, and the community at large to find locations for street art on a large scale. The organization also throws a party every summer, the Bushwick Collective Block Party.

Where to find street art in Bushwick

You might be asking, Where is this Bushwick graffiti? A better question: Where is it not?

You’ll see murals and graffiti as soon as you step out of the subway! Street art in Bushwick is everywhere: On walls above businesses, metal grates, even the sidewalk.

Most of the Brooklyn murals are centered around the main street in Bushwick, Wycoff Avenue. (This is where you’ll get off the L train subway at the Jefferson Street station.) Side streets, such as Troutman and Starr Streets, showcase murals and graffiti on almost every surface.

Although you’ll see a ton of Bushwick street art in just a few blocks, visitors who walk a bit farther afield will be rewarded. Off the beaten path murals were some of my favorites. So don’t stop exploring once you’ve seen the street art most visited by other tourists; keep going for fewer people—and terrific art. Walk a few blocks farther in each direction and you won’t be disappointed.

The many kinds of Bushwick street art

Murals are pretty clearly the most common kind of street art in Bushwick. Pretty much every spare wall, fence, and grate is covered in stunning, statement-making murals.

There are also small-scale Bushwick murals. Not all street art has to be giant and grand: You’ll find mini-sized murals on concrete traffic dividers and pretty much every other available surface. Keep your eyes out for other small-scale murals, for example near grates, on the sidewalks, or hiding in plain sight.

Bushwick murals and graffiti 

You’ll also find graffiti in Bushwick. What’s the difference between graffiti and murals?

Graffiti is stylized writing, often painstakingly painted with impressive effects. Graffiti isn’t necessarily tagging, though. What’s the difference between graffiti and tagging? Tagging is vandalism, often painted on by people marking their territory—literally leaving their mark. Whereas graffiti is often painted with the permission of the property owner and intended to be a more artful, lasting statement.

Sometimes murals and graffiti collide. I’m always super bummed when a mural that clearly took hours and even days to create is tagged. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, though.

Other types of street art in Bushwick

You’ll also find stencil street art in Bushwick. This form of street art is made by cutting a piece of hard cardboard, plastic, or other material to leave gaps that create a picture. Then the artist spray paints over the stencil, leaving an image behind.

Stencil street art is usually smaller in scale than the other Bushwick murals and graffiti, and you’ll notice it’s replicated multiple times. Since you can lay down a stencil and spray paint over it as many times as you want, you’ll find the same image or words over and over again, sometimes with slight variations.

Wheatpasting is another form of iterative street art. Instead of making a stencil and repeatedly painting a simple design, wheatpasting is a bit different.

This street art technique allows an artist to create a more intricate design, print multiple copies, then affix to a wall using wheatpaste—a mixture of water and flour. Wheatpaste street art is less permanent than street art using paint, since rain and the elements can make it deteriorate or fall off.

Finally, keep an eye out for other, even less traditional forms of street art in Brooklyn. I’ve heard there are sculptures of cats throughout this Brooklyn neighborhood, though I didn’t see any. And watch for telephone poles and other neighborhood structures cozied up in knitted “sweaters” and other fabric decorations.

The bottom line: Bushwick is literally an outdoor gallery full of all kinds of street art in Brooklyn.

Other things to do in Bushwick, Brooklyn

If you’re like me, street art in Bushwick is the biggest draw to this Brooklyn neighborhood. It doesn’t mean you have to stop there, though!

Here are other great things to do in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Where to eat in Bushwick

Bushwick is now full of delicious, well-regarded restaurants: In my recent visit, new cafes, tapas spots, and restaurants were being installed as I walked around. While I didn’t have a chance to try all the Bushwick restaurants, general consensus says Sea Wolf is amazing for seafood; Archie’s, Roberta’s and Union Pizza Works for pizza; and Kave Espresso Bar for fancy coffee.

Some of the restaurants in Bushwick have also embraced the neighborhood’s identity as a street art mecca. Dock Asian Eatery, for example, puts stunning murals front and center. I have a feeling that Dock’s Japanese-Thai fusion food is even more delicious under its impressive murals.

My favorite restaurant near the best Brooklyn murals

When I was looking for restaurants in Bushwick, I opted for old school and no-frills. I ate a big ol’ plate of tacos from Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos, a counter service restaurant/tortilla factory.

The corn tortillas are obviously fresh since they only have to be moved about 100 feet from the factory to the kitchen, where staff make your tacos right in front of you. And for 3 tacos for less than $10, it’s hard to get a more delicious, more filling meal in Bushwick for better than that.

When I went on a weekday, I got my tacos in about 5 minutes. If you go on a weekend, though, expect a crowd: Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos has become quite the popular taco spot in Brooklyn!

The ordering process is a bit unusual at Tortilleria Mexicana: Look at the menu and write down what you want on an index card you’ll find on the counter. Make a note if your order is to go or to stay and write down your name. Then place the card back on the counter. You’ll pay for your food and drinks when it’s ready and they call up your order.

Where to shop in Bushwick

Bushwick is becoming more hipster, so it makes sense you can now shop for artisan-made clothing, accessories and other goods made right in this Brooklyn neighborhood. Check out Shops at the Loom, a series of stores, and studios in a converted mill.

Better than Jam is an artist and craftsman collective, where makers sell their goods and offer workshops. You can buy clothes, scarves, soaps and other goodies. Or bring a well-loved piece of clothing that needs an update and they’ll indigo dye it, giving it a whole new life. You can even have it shipped home to you if you’re just visiting Bushwick.

And if you’re visiting the Bushwick Street Art Collective on a weekend, you can check out the Bushwick Market. This flea market on the corner of Wyckoff and Willoughby sells used knickknacks. I can’t vouch for whether you’re more likely to find treasure or, well, not-treasure, but it can be fun to hunt!

See more art in Bushwick

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to visit Microscope Gallery in Bushwick, a space that showcases work from contemporary artists that combine digital, moving image, sound, and performance pieces.

But y’all know how much I love unusual museums in New York so I’m putting the Microscope Gallery on my list for the next time I’m in NYC.

How to see Bushwick street art in Brooklyn

To get to the murals in Bushwick, take the L train to the Jefferson Street station in Brooklyn. You’ll find yourself on Wyckoff Avenue, named for a Dutch family who settled here in the 1650s.

As soon as you pop up out of the subway entrance, you’ll see the Bushwick street art all around you.

Is it safe to walk around in Bushwick? I went alone to this Brooklyn neighborhood and was walking around side streets with my DSLR camera. I never ever felt the slightest bit uncomfortable. That said, you should always remain aware of your surroundings and stay safe.

In general, there were plenty of other people looking at the Bushwick Collective street art. People are pretty friendly—I asked a local to take my photo in front of one mural. Other people had brought along friends or mini tripods to take photos.

Bushwick street art: The best murals in Brooklyn

No matter how you see the Bushwick street art collective in Brooklyn, you won’t regret your visit. This neighborhood is the best place in New York to see street art I’ve found so far!

Do you know of other street art neighborhoods in New York? Let me know! I can’t wait to check it out when I’m hunting for more things to do in New York!

PS – Don’t forget to check out my guide to non-touristy museums in New York and my other street art posts!

The post Bushwick Street Art: Where to Find the BEST Murals in Brooklyn (with pictures) appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Eugene, Oregon recently commissioned a ton of new street art in anticipation of hosting the Olympics Trials in 2020. Throughout the city, improvements, parks projects and beautiful art installations are going up. That’s good news for everyone visiting Eugene, whether you’re there for the Olympic Trials or not.

The many murals in Downtown Eugene are one of the most visible and vibrant examples of these updates. Good news: You can see them all with my Eugene murals map, which takes you past all the street art in the center of this university town. Throughout the post, I’ll talk about murals and number them, so you can see what they correspond to on the murals map.

This post contains affiliate links. When you click and buy, I earn a small commission that helps me continue to bring you free travel content. This does not alter the price you pay.

Download the mural map here:

Also in this post, you’ll read about and see photos of other examples of public art in Downtown Eugene.

Finally, I have some other recommendations, including a Downtown Eugene restaurant that’ll fill you up and satisfy your love of street art at the same time! As always, this post is family friendly for the folks visiting Eugene with kids.

Whether you’re bringing along a crew or wandering Eugene solo, you definitely don’t want to miss these Downtown Eugene murals!

Start your Eugene mural walk: Hidden alley street art

If you’re visiting Eugene, Oregon on the weekend, good news: The main parking garage in Downtown Eugene is free! The parking garage on the northwest corner of 8th and Willamette is also your spot to start your Eugene mural walk.

If you park on the roof, like we did, you’ll see street art before you even hit the street! This parking garage has a handful of murals—look next to the elevators.

From the parking garage, walk half a block north on Willamette to find your first mural. In the alley between 7th and 8th, Matt Small’s geometric portrait peeks out [#1 on my Eugene mural map]. This mural in Eugene is unlike most others: Instead of painting directly on a wall, this British artist used a combination of paint, wood and metal rivets to create his vision.

Next, cross the street back to the parking garage. On the southwest corner of 7th and Willamette, you’ll find a tall mural celebrating artist AIKO’s Japanese culture [#2 on my Eugene mural map].

If you’re thirsty already, this Eugene mural is directly next to the newly opened Manifest Beer Company. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m so excited Downtown Eugene now has a craft beer-focused brew pub. (Eugene is serious about its beer.)

Next, walk south on Willamette. Just past Off the Waffle (a delicious and family friendly restaurant in Downtown Eugene), turn right into the alley. In the parking lot behind several bars, you’ll find two murals. One is a bird in flight [#3 on my Eugene mural map]. It reminds me of using pieces of masking tape to create the silhouette of an eagle. Unfortunately, a truck was parked right in front of it on the day we visited, but at least it color coordinated with the street art!

Directly across from the bird mural is one of my favorite street art spots in Eugene. What’s more, if you weren’t intentionally looking for this Eugene mural, you’d miss it, since it’s tucked away in an alley [#4 on my Eugene mural map]. Whenever we come to downtown Eugene we stop for a photo in front of this colorful, abstract mural. It reminds me of the futurism art movement, like a painting by Umberto Boccioni.

Your next leg of your Downtown Eugene street art tour

From here, continue south in the alley. Cross Broadway to find the next Eugene murals. This alley is like gold in terms of hidden street art treasure: It is home to four murals (though one is so small you might not spot it!).

First is the impressive, large scale mural by the duo behind Brazil’s Acidum Project [#5 on my Eugene mural map]. In fact, the mural is so big—and the alley so narrow—that it’s tough to step back and see it all at once (or photograph it all at once!). Instead, I found myself slowly walking along the alley, taking in the mural one bit at a time.

My kids, though, just wanted to see it at high speed: The alley is perfect for sprinting! Maybe they’re practicing for the 2020 Olympic Trials.

Continue along the alley to see several more murals, which aren’t noted on the most popular Eugene mural map. (They’re on mine, though!)

Opposite the Brazilian mural, you’ll find a large-scale portrait that 100% reminds me of a young Liza Minelli [#6 on my Eugene mural map]. I’m not sure if the artist was inspired by Liza’s early career, but I like to imagine so!

Directly next to Liza/Not-Liza, I fell in love with this stenciled mural by French artist Blek le Rat [#7 on my Eugene mural map]. I’m a sucker for the black and white contrast of stenciled murals—they remind me of paintings my dad made long before I was born but that still hang in my parents’ house.

Maxine and I had a blast pretending to be dancers with this street art in Eugene. Don’t worry, we won’t quit our day jobs.

Finally, keep an eye near ankle-level for a small but odd mini-mural. I’m not going to tell you what or where it is—I want it to be a surprise!

At this point, Maxine needed to use a bathroom, so we stopped by the beautiful Eugene Public Library. This building also has restrooms accessible after the library closes, so it’s a good stop.

Level 10 travel tip: If you’re doing this Eugene mural crawl with kids, the Eugene Public Library has a gigantic checkers board in its children’s section. We had a ton of fun goofing off in here!

Just outside the library, you’ll find more public art. The statues sitting in front of the library’s entrance just begs for a photo.

(You’ll see plenty of other bronze statues of people in Downtown Eugene, Oregon. One of the most famous Eugenians, Ken Kesey, has his own statue—and plaza—nearby, next to the Eugene outpost of Voodoo Doughnuts.)

From the library, cross Olive Street to the Downtown Eugene bus station. First, you can’t miss the enormous, ambitious mural by artist Beau Stanton. It covers the entire back wall of historic McDonald Theater [#8 on my Eugene mural map]. Unfortunately, construction on the bus station mostly obscured the mural when we visited, so I didn’t get a great photo. I hope you’re better able to see this large-scale painting when you head to Eugene!

Right around the corner, you’ll find a mural that looks like a surreal barnyard scene or cock fight [#9 on my Eugene mural map]. Maxine and Edie were fascinated/bewildered by this piece, which reminds me of the art and literature of magical realism.

Your final stops on the Downtown Eugene, Oregon street art tour

Walk through the Downtown Eugene bus station and turn right on 11th. If you’re hungry, grab a bite at Kiva, the alternative grocery store that’s been a Eugene favorite since bell bottoms were in style the first time.

In Kiva’s parking lot, it’s impossible to miss this three-part mural. It’s a bit ambiguous, but Max and Edie thought it depicted someone growing/sculpting a potted plant. I like murals that make you think. After all, the best street art is viewable as people go about their days shopping, commuting or running errands—and it makes people stop in their tracks. The best street art makes you notice beauty, or a challenging image, when you’d otherwise be distracted by the to-do list running through your brain.

Next, walk down Charnelton. Between 10th and Broadway, a Western-inspired scene takes up almost a block-long stretch of wall. This cowboy napping on his sleepy dog makes me think of a wide-open prairie, horses and the lowing of cows.

Finally, continue down Charnelton. Just past the intersection with 8th Avenue, you’ll walk past a stunning portrait of an old woman. This up-close mural lovingly shows her deep wrinkles. I can’t help but wonder about the life she might have lived.

From here, you’re only a block away from the parking garage where we started. Either head out—or, if you’re hungry, check out some of my favorite restaurants in Eugene for those who love street art!

Eugene restaurants for street art fans

By now, you’ve worked up an appetite on your self-guided tour of Eugene murals. You could grab a bite to eat downtown, as there are plenty of great restaurants in the area. But if you want to continue the Eugene murals theme, you’ll want to eat at one of these restaurants:

1. Whirled Pies

You’re in luck: If you made it to the end of the Eugene murals walk, you’re right in front of Whirled Pies, a local pizza joint with a Eugene twist. This pizza restaurant is on the same block as the old woman mural.

This Eugene pizza restaurant serves the usual pizzas by the slice or whole pie, plus a few Eugene-themed specials (like the West Jefferson, which is topped by chicken and peanut sauce). I appreciated that Whirled Pies also sells gluten-free pizza, and it was delicious. No cardboard-tasting crust here!

Heads up that Whirled Pies has pizza happy hour every day from 3-5pm. Medium cheese slices are only $1 (!!), and they have beverage specials too.

Inside, you’ll see that most of this Eugene restaurant’s walls are covered in a lifelike mural. The mural imagines an outdoor dinner party with diverse guests, from a flute-playing hippie to a Native woman in fancy dress, plus musicians, dancers, kids and even a cougar!

2. Cornbread Cafe

This vegan homestyle cooking restaurant is one of my favorite restaurants in Eugene, Oregon. I take my kids to Cornbread Cafe in part because of their terrific (and healthy) kids’ menu. I love all the vegetarian takes on diner food. (My fave: the Eugenewich on a gluten-free bun.)

And now there’s even more to appreciate at this vegan restaurant in Eugene, Oregon: A new mural of a little boy wading in the river has gone up in Cornbread Cafe’s parking lot! The mural looks a lot like a black and white photograph enlarged to take up an entire wall.

Go for the mural, stay for the vegan comfort food.

3. Falling Sky Brewing

If you’re looking for a brew pub that pays as much attention to its food as its beer, you’ve found it in Falling Sky Brewing. This Eugene brewery hand-crafts just about everything on its menu, from the dressings and fries to, of course, its beer.

Falling Sky has 42 taps of its own beer, and it’s constantly mixing up the rotation with new recipes. Plus, when it’s raining, you’ll get a 25 cent discount on your pint!

If it’s clear, though, sit outside on their back patio. And don’t leave without checking out the two murals next to Falling Sky, pictured below.

Are you excited for this super-fun thing to do in Eugene? Explore hotels near these amazing murals:

Discover street art in Eugene, Oregon

Whether you live in Eugene, Oregon, you’re just passing through, or Track Town USA is a vacation destination, I hope this post on the city’s street art has inspired you!

Eugene is constantly changing, and the pace of reinvention has only increased in anticipation of the Olympic Trials. I’m excited to see what’s next in my hometown!

Enjoy this suggestion for things to do in Downtown Eugene. Look for me hanging around these Eugene murals—I’ll be there every chance I can get.

PS – If you’re in the area, you’ll want to take a peek at some of Oregon’s best day trips!

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Street art in La Boca connects today to the past

La Boca was founded as an immigrant neighborhood, where new arrivals settled in Buenos Aires. Later, it was a busy port area, where dock workers who worked in the shipyards lived. It remains one of the poorest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires.

La Boca’s colorful buildings have a historical component: Shipyard workers would use pieces of discarded metal to build their homes. Using the little bits of paint they could find, they covered the metal in different colors—usually more than one, since residents would run out of one before covering the entire facade. 

Today, those multicolored buildings are iconic. Another form of expression—street art—also has its roots in La Boca’s working class history.

Street art has traditionally been a way of popular expression. It wasn’t a fine art, the kind of painting you’d find in a museum or hung in the elite’s sitting room. Rather, it was painted on a surface available to everyone—walls in the open air—and it often communicated messages and images of resistance. 

The street art in La Boca today is no different.

Street art as protest in Argentina

You’d be hard-pressed to look at the street art in La Boca, Buenos Aires and not see messages of political protest. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, the imagery within many La Boca murals clearly calls out injustice and resists oppression.

In La Boca, you’ll see renowned muralists as well as nameless artists using the walls to communicate their message. Some explicitly call for the release of a prisoner or justice for someone who was killed; others represent wider movements, such as the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo. 

These women, iconic because of the white handkerchiefs they wore over their hair, began protesting during the Argentine dictatorship of the 1970s. They continue to demand that dissidents who were “disappeared” (or their remains) be located, and that children who were taken and adopted by the ruling elites be identified. 

Other images of protest are less serious but equally subversive. My favorite: the pope riding a llama. I couldn’t stop laughing! 

La Boca street art and cultural identity

Artistic expression has been seen as subversive for centuries. Think of the songs enslaved African Americans sang, some of which communicated directions for the Underground Railroad, or Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, which expressed the artist’s outrage over the Spanish Civil War and the oppression by dictator Franco. 

The street art in La Boca, Buenos Aires is sometimes subversive in a more subtle way. Many people of indigenous descent in Argentina feel marginalized, so identifying as indígena can sometimes be an act of resistance.

Some of the most famous murals in La Boca contain indigenous imagery and themes. Many of these also contain messages of resistance.

Street art in La Boca depicts history

Like many disenfranchised communities, La Boca is sometimes left out of histories. Yet this neighborhood has fierce pride, and that pride extends far beyond its famous soccer team. (Look for all the blue and yellow everywhere, the colors of La Boca’s soccer club.)

Some of the murals in La Boca depict scenes from its history. In several places you’ll see murals of the bombaderos, or firefighters, who fought a devastating fires in La Boca. They were volunteers who took up the work of the officials, who often neglected this poor area. 

Other murals depict the dock workers and other working class residents of La Boca. History sometimes glosses over the sacrifices of laborers, women the “common people”; street art in La Boca commemorates these untold stories. 

Visiting La Boca, Buenos Aires

My usual approach to travel is to walk everywhere. I pick a direction or destination and simply put one foot in front of the other, exploring as I go.

That said, La Boca can be a bit shady. After all, one part of La Boca is a center of tourism, where visitors from across the globe watch tango and take selfies. Just a few blocks from El Caminito, though, much of the neighborhood still lives from paycheck to paycheck. Most of the money spent in La Boca doesn’t make it to the pockets of everyday people.

That’s why it’s smart to stick to well trafficked streets, to go in a group, and to always stay aware of your surroundings. I admit I wandered a bit too far off the beaten path when I was exploring La Boca, and it was the only time I felt unsafe while traveling through South America. Thankfully nothing happened, but I’d hate for anyone to end up in a dangerous situation. 

I wholeheartedly recommend visiting La Boca. I encourage you to look beyond El Caminito, the street found on just about every postcard from Argentina. You’ll see street art as well as working class life of La Boca’s residents. 

That said, stay safe. Use your head and your eyes, don’t wander alone, and leave La Boca before dark. 

I hope you get a chance to visit Buenos Aires and see the street art in La Boca. Take the time to appreciate these murals and you’ll leave with a better sense of the history, politics, and cultural identity of La Boca, Buenos Aires. 

Do you love street art as much as I do? You won’t want to miss my posts on my favorite places to see murals when you travel: Detroit’s Eastern Market and Rosario, Argentina! Click on over for gorgeous examples of street art. 

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Eastern Market is a small neighborhood just north of Downtown Detroit and Ford Field that hosts a farmer’s market every Saturday (the longest-running year-round farmer’s market in the country). In 1969, an artist commissioned the neighborhood’s first murals, and the Detroit street art scene here blossomed since. In just the last six years, more than 100 new murals have been added, thanks to the organization Murals in the Market.

I didn’t know any of this when I chanced upon Eastern Market; I was writing at a café nearby when I spied a mural across a highway and made my way over to investigate. I ended up spending a half-day exploring the Eastern Market murals and absolutely fell in love with this Detroit street art neighborhood.

Don’t leave finding street art during your Detroit trip to chance; head over to Eastern Market and see this vibrant street art scene for yourself.

Detroit street art’s Eastern Market murals

All you need to do to find the Eastern Market murals is open your eyes—it’s literally impossible not to find this Detroit street art.

Murals are painted on just about every vertical surface, from walls of wholesale meat markets to abandoned, crumbling buildings.

One of the reasons I recommend Eastern Market as one must-do activity in Detroit is the concentration of amazing murals here. You can’t walk a block without coming upon a remarkable piece of public art—or several!

What’s more, the number of Eastern Market murals grows every year. The annual Murals in the Market festival, which happens every September, combines murals with a block party-like series of events to celebrate this uniquely Detroit neighborhood.

In fact, Smithsonian Magazine named Murals in the Market one of the best street art festivals around the globe (and was the only one in the US).

My favorite Eastern Market murals

Ok, so I actually can’t pick a favorite among this Detroit street art. But I filled up my camera’s memory card with snaps of nearly every mural I saw.

I even wandered a little farther afield than the central Eastern Market spot. I found murals on abandoned buildings and some street art I had to view through chain link fences.

This Detroit street art isn’t sanitized. It has a point of view. It embraces Detroit’s gritty identity, and it doesn’t sugarcoat the very real issues residents of Motown face.

That’s one of the reasons I love Eastern Market murals, and why you’ll adore them, too.

What to do in Eastern Market

When you’ve had your fill of seeing Detroit street art, hang for a little longer in Eastern Market. Here’s what to do in this Detroit neighborhood.

Taste Detroit at the farmer’s market

If you visit Eastern Market on a Saturday, taste locally grown produce and other goodies from roughly 225 vendors. This year-round, indoor farmer’s market has been running for 125 years!

Support local artisans

On Sundays, local jewelers, artists, crafters, musicians, cooks and more gather in Eastern Market’s high-ceilinged buildings to share their wares. June through September, support Michigan makers and bring home something unique to Detroit.

Sip specialty coffee

Stop in at Germack, the nearly 100-year-old craft coffee roaster in Eastern Market. They take coffee seriously (and you can walk past their roasting operation on your way to the bathroom). While you’re there, pick up specialty spices, loose leaf tea and their custom snack mixes as gifts for the folks back home (or for yourself!).

Buy art for your own walls

Now that you’re totally inspired by all the Detroit street art, take some local art home. Find letterpress posters, handmade postcards and more at the printer’s co-op Signal-Return. I spent nearly an hour in here narrowing down which posters and prints I would buy. They’ll happily roll them up in a cardboard tube so you can safely transport them home.

If you’re looking for other things in Michigan to do as a family, don’t miss this comprehensive guide of things to do in Michigan with kids over on DQ Family Travel. A bunch of bloggers, including me, suggested our favorite Michigan family activities!

Have you ever been to Detroit? Did you see any Detroit street art? What did you think of the city?

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If you’re looking to travel Texas and want a destination with history, creativity and enough attractions to keep you wanting more, Austin is your ticket.

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My second first time in Austin

When I traveled to Austin for the travel blogging conference TravelCon, people often asked me if it was my first time there. I had to answer, “Sort of.”

You see, I’d been to Austin once before, but I was like 8 months pregnant and working all day. When other people were enjoying all the things to do in Austin—gorging on BBQ or listening to live music, for example—I was back in the hotel room, resting my sore back and eating take-out.

So when I traveled to Texas again, I was ready to rediscover the city, get out and see what it had to offer, and explore like a first-timer. I wasn’t disappointed.

I found so many unique things to do in Austin that I wanted to share them with you!

11 things to do in Austin

Discover street art—then make your own

Stumbling upon great street art is one of my favorite things to do in a new city, and Austin was no different.

What was different is Hope Park, where anyone can tag the walls of the remains of an abandoned building. Even if you don’t feel artistic, come to Hope Park anyway to see the latest left on these walls.

Level 10 travel tip: Want to leave your mark but you (gasp!) forgot to BYOSP—bring your own spray paint? Some of the artists who set up at Austin’s Hope Park will throw in a free can of spray paint when you buy one of their pieces.

To see the most street art possible, stay downtown: There are oodles of murals within walking distance! And don’t forget to book your hotel—you’ll want to compare prices and locations to make sure you get the best deal.

Get around on two wheels

Austin is one of the early adopters of bicycle share programs, and you can pick up one of the red bikes all over the city. Red bikes, though, are outnumbered by electric kick scooters.

You’ll see these lime green scooters all over town. They’re parked randomly, and you can just leave them on the sidewalk when you’re done. Ride a bike to all the other things to do in Austin, too!

Level 10 travel tip: The scooters go fast. They’re also more likely to slip if the road is wet, so use extra caution if it’s rainy.

Love Austin for its enthusiasm for fitness

Whether you’re running along one of Austin’s hundreds of miles of trails, kayaking on the river or taking a yoga class, you have plenty of options for staying fit.

I took a power vinyasa class at Wanderlust Yoga in downtown Austin and was blown away. The instructor was top notch, and I have never sweat so much in a yoga class—in a good way! I was on an endorphin high for hours.

Also, Austin’s culture of fitness got me a celebrity sighting: When I was walking back to my hotel from yoga, I paused at a street corner during a red light—and realized I was standing next to Penn from the Holderness Families. He was out on a run! I went all weird fan girl and said hi, despite being totally sweaty and red-faced. He was gracious and shook my hand—then literally ran across the street.

Our family tradition of watching their Christmas Jammies video every holiday is going to be even better this year!

BBQ to write home about

I’m not a gigantic fan of BBQ—I don’t eat a lot of meat, much to my dad’s disappointment. (He’s always trying to get me to try the ribs and steak he grills!) I made an exception when I visited Austin, though, because it’s such a local specialty.

Cooper’s BBQ, on Congress, is famous for its by-the-pound approach to BBQ meat: You tell the meat master what you want and how big a portion, then they weigh it to figure out the price. The free beans are seriously delicious, too—I just had to go back for seconds.

The biggest urban bat cave in the world

When I was recently in steamy, semi-tropical Austin, I only got one mosquito bite, even though I’m notorious for getting eaten alive by these buggers. I probably have the 1.5 million bats that call Austin home to thank—after all, they can eat a thousand mosquitoes and other bugs in an hour!

Hundreds of people line up to see the famous bats in Austin every night as they leave their home under the Congress Bridge. At sunset from May to October, they stream out of their nesting spot and fly in a swirling black cloud to get their dinner.

You can watch them from the bridge, from the park on either side of the river or even by kayak. (I watched them from the bridge on this visit but next time I’m renting a kayak so I can watch them from below!)

The urban bat cave is definitely one of the things to do in Austin you do not want to miss.

Level 10 travel tip: If you watch from the bridge, make sure you’re in the front row along the railing—you won’t be able to see them if you’re farther back.

Transcendent art

When I was in Austin, my older sister texted me to tell me the one place she recommended I visit in Austin over everything else: The Ellsworth Kelly Temple of Light on the University of Texas campus.

I took a long stroll to get there, but once I stepped inside the white building, I stood still for what seemed like forever. I stood in awe of this place—I’m still figuring out how to describe the feeling the simple shapes and bright hues gave me.

To visit the Ellsworth Kelly Sanctuary, you’ll need to first buy admission at the Blanton Museum ($12 adults, kids under 12 are free), where you can also view contemporary and historical art. The museum’s blue-walled entryway is worth a visit in and of itself.

Music is a part of life

Austin’s famous music scene draws in tourists and locals alike. You can barely hold a conversation when you walk down 6^th Street at night because just about every bar is blasting live music.

Plenty of other restaurants and businesses embrace music, too: They pump songs out of speakers in front of their storefront, so you’re likely to have a soundtrack wherever you walk.

Kooky bars galore

Over a few blocks on Rainey Street, quirky bars line these blocks shoulder to shoulder. Just walk along the sidewalk, where you can peek inside—and check out the outdoor patios—to find one that suits your fancy.

Looking for a quiet retreat? Prefer a super-instagrammable spot with brightly colored chairs? Or would you rather hang with a 20-foot-high giraffe statue? Rainey Street has you covered.

Tacos tacos tacos tacos

You guys know I love tacos. (Remember my post about the best tacos in LA?) Don’t be surprised, then, that I ate tacos twice a day while I was in Austin.

Tacos are a way of life here, and breakfast tacos are as common on morning menus as scrambled eggs or toast.

My favorite taco in Austin was from Torchy’s, a taco truck that’s more like a taco RV. (It’s giant!) I ordered the fried avocado taco and their generous portion of guacamole (because you can never have too much avo, obvi).

Level 10 travel tip: Torchy’s Tacos has lots of locations in Austin, but the best one is on South Congress, just a few blocks away from the famous Greetings from Austin mural.

Everything really is bigger in Texas—and Austin

Belt buckles and cowboy hats might be bigger in other areas of Texas, but Austin has plenty of other supersized features.

From gigantic stars (see my next thing to love about Austin!) to sausages, Austin is land of the gigantic.

Austin really likes its stars

With a star on the flag and a nickname of the Lone Star State, it’s natural that Texas has a natural passion for stars. Austin is no exception.

Level 10 travel tip: If you travel to Austin with kids, make a scavenger hunt out of finding stars. How many stars can your kids find? What’s the most unusual place they spotted a star?

So much to love about Austin

Whether you’re a music lover, a foodie, a parent, an adventurer or all of the above, Austin is a primo destination. When you do Texas travel, you’ll see for yourself that city has a huge personality and so much to share.

Honestly, I can’t wait to go back. If you’re planning a trip to Austin, don’t forget about lodging! Compare locations and costs of hotels in Austin here:

How about you—do you have even more reasons to love Austin? I’d love to hear about your favorite parts of this Texas city!

PS – I’d love for you to share this post with a friend because I’m pretty sure they’d like it too!

The post Howdy y’all: 11 unique things to do in Austin, Texas appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

When I was recently traveling in South America, I made a side trip to Rosario, Argentina—a seemingly out-of-the-way city that doesn’t make it on many tourist recommendations. My reasons were very personal, though: I headed back to Rosario to visit my host family from when I studied abroad in college 14 years ago. My return trip was much overdue, especially since a whole bunch of babies had been added to the family since I was there in 2004!

Rosario, Argentina was quite different from when I studied there—the city has become more affluent and travel-friendly, adding bistros and breweries and bike sharing programs. One thing stayed the same, though: Street art in Rosario is still going strong.

Naturally, I explored the city with an eye out for murals (that is, when I wasn’t snuggling babies and playing hide-and-seek with my adopted niece!).

Even if you don’t make it to Argentina anytime soon, please continue reading so you can enjoy the street art in Rosario with the photos below. 

Street art in Rosario, Argentina: Murals everywhere you go

In general, Argentine police tend to be less harsh on street artists, so many murals stay up for years—even when they are unsponsored. Police forces have directed resources to other concerns, leaving artists to express themselves via street art in Rosario and elsewhere.

As you’ll see, this attitude—and the public’s embrace of street art—has led to both beautiful and thought-provoking pieces.

You’ll see street art in Rosario all over the city, though less in the more recently revitalized areas (e.g. along the Parana River). That said, just about every blank wall in this South American city is fair game for a facelift.

A South American city embraces counterculture street art

Street art has its roots in counterculture and rebellion: Historically, artists have left their mark in the dead of night, and murals often portray popular—and often controversial—images.

Street art isn’t always illegal, though.

There is a section of street art in Rosario where the city sponsored artists to paint the metal grates of businesses in a commercial area. The way they were painted means the street art can only be seen when the businesses are closed—before 7am and in the evening after 5:30, generally.

The effect is that you think you know what this part of the city looks like, but it is completely transformed after these businesses close.

This street art in Rosario is also a wonderful example of how forward-thinking cities can beautify what otherwise is plain, and also support its creative community.

Political street art in Rosario, Argentina

Argentines love a good debate, and it’s hard to have a conversation in Argentina without talking about soccer/futbol, the economy or politics. Naturally, then, street art in Rosario is often a mode of political expression.

It’s common to see street artists create murals demanding justice or exhorting passersby to “never forget.” These political murals often reference La Guerra Sucia, or Argentina’s Dirty War, in which thousands of citizens were “disappeared” by the military government.

Visitors to Rosario, Argentina might not know all the context for the city’s murals, especially its political street art. But that’s one reason I love street art so much: It encourages conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise.

So when you travel to Rosario, Argentina, ask the people you meet about the murals you see. You’ll learn a lot—and have unforgettable conversations.

Rosario, Argentina: An unexpected—but worthwhile—destination

If you travel to Argentina, Rosario is worth a visit. A less than 4 hour bus ride from Buenos Aires, Rosario is becoming a destination in its own right. With craft breweries, a vibrant arts culture, the Parana River, the monument to the country’s flag and much more make a visit to Rosario a worthwhile detour.

When you’re here, don’t miss the street art in Rosario. In fact, it’s hard to miss—just keep your eyes, and your mind, open.

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