Ava GabouryOne of the best reasons to explore Vancouver on foot is the abundance of street art that you’ll find in random corners. It makes for a great treasure hunt, as it rewards you with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow after walking for long distances.
You don’t have to walk aimlessly, though, as we’re here to give you a virtual tour of the different places you can visit for these local artworks in Vancouver. From vibrant neighbourhoods to lone buildings, here’s where you can find the best street art in Vancouver:
Word to Your Motherland
– Media credit: Creative International
Address: 705 2nd St W, North Vancouver
Word to Your Motherland is one of the most striking pieces of mural art you’ll find in the city. It’s plastered along an entire wall of a building, spanning a total of 100 feet in length—pretty impressive, right?
This isn’t an easy feat to achieve but with the collective minds of local street artists, the youth and North Shore Shelter residents, the artwork stands tall until today. The result is a colourful mural, with the main illustration being a person rowing a boat.
As for the message behind its unique name, it mainly encourages people to not forget their cultural ancestry.
Jimi Hendrix
– Media credit: alleycat_walks
Address: 1030 East Cordova
A legendary artist like Jimi Hendrix deserves an equally legendary mural like this so props to artists, Nelson Garcia and Xochitl for creating this massive piece of art. This mural features a vibrant portrait of the iconic musician complete with his signature guitar and stylish clothes.
Hendrix also shares this mural with his grandmother, as the artwork was created to pay tribute to both of them. Not many people know this but Vancouver played a huge part in the rockstar’s life, as it was where he and his grandma lived for a huge part of his childhood.
The mural stands 18 feet tall and remains a must-visit for fans of the musician or those who are simply looking for Vancouver’s best street art.
Mount Pleasant Murals
– Media credit: theseferproject
Address: 225 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5T 3H9, Canada
Mount Pleasant Murals is an accumulation of various artworks created by talented local street artists in Vancouver. They’re spread out over several streets, which makes for a great self-guided walking tour for street art enthusiasts.
It’s become a famous canvas for street artists to create their artworks, as the area is mostly comprised of old buildings with blank walls. You can even find murals located in the area’s alleyways and tall buildings!
Some of the most famous artworks found here are The Lady Mermaids, CommUNITY and the Holden Courage Memorial mural. The latter serves as a tribute to the young graffiti artist of the same name who sadly passed away back in 2015 at the young age of 21.
| Pro tip: Since these murals are spread apart, we recommend the official app of the Vancouver Mural Festival to help you find these beautiful artworks while walking. |
Graffiti Row, Parker Street Studios
Address: 1000 Parker St
Grafitti Row is one of the best alleys to visit for street photography. This is because almost all the walls found in this seemingly nothing alley are plastered with some of the most beautiful pieces of mural art you’ll find in Vancouver.
The walls of this alley were once part of an old manufacturing plant in East Vancouver. The brick walls add a more grungy feel to these artworks, which is why you’ll find tons of people taking photos in front of them for their Instagram feeds.
Although the artwork here mostly consists of artist tags, it’s still worth checking out if you’re on the hunt for the best street murals in the city.
Fun Alley Lower Lonsdale
Address: North Vancouver, BC V7M 2E7, Canada
Fun Alley is the perfect definition of short and sweet. From the outside, it may seem like your typical alley but upon closer look, you’ll be greeted by fun and colourful walls that would make anyone’s jaw drop!
These colourful walls and abstract shapes make for the best background for your self-portraits and videos.
It isn’t just a looker though, as the mural was made to bring people together. It’s safe to say that the artists’ message was clear and effective, as it’s almost impossible to find this place all to yourself.
| Pro tip: If you’re visiting via public transport, we recommend taking the transit and dropping off at Lonsdale Quay Bus Loop. From there, the alley is only a 3-minute walk away! |
Kits Wings
– Media credit: vvviavic
Address: Northwest corner of Burrard Street and West 4th
The Kitsilano Wings, often referred to as the “Kits Wings”, is one of the most iconic street art in Vancouver. It’s located near Kitsilano Beach and it’s an instant head-turner because of its intricate details and gorgeous black and gold colour motif.
The beautiful work of art you see today was created in a span of over 200 hours by the talented husband and wife duo, Steve and Sandy Pell. Today, a trip to Kitsilano Beach wouldn’t be complete without taking a photo in front of this mural.
