The Many Murals of Modesto
One of the many joys of being in Modesto is the amount of public art. Throughout the pandemic we’ve been able to go outside, be in our own personal space and enjoy the 100+ murals and public art on a nice long walk or ride. And when you need to get outta your town and find some open space you can enjoy then Modesto’s your place. We’ve even made it easy for you and created a mobile itinerary that walks you through the art of downtown while highlighting great places to grab lunch, coffee, a beer or some great tapas too!
Through the support of DomoWalls, created by the Downtown Modesto Partnership with local muralist Fasm, international muralists have created works of art in the alleys and streets of downtown. Artists from Brooklyn to Austin and from Toronto to Argentina have participated in the DoMo Walls International Challenge and left Modesto with a feast for the eyes. These projects were in addition to the dozens of existing murals in town, many dating back two decades, that celebrate the heritage, culture and cool factor of Modesto. The result is a long list of art that can be found at modestomurals.com where you can create your own walking art tour or a driving tour from the North End to the East Side and view the art in alleys and patios along the way. Grab some incredible tacos at El Maguey and check out the new murals with masks too!
While visiting Modesto be sure to see the tribute to Modesto native George Lucas at Lucas Plaza (thank you Mr. Lucas for giving us Star Wars which led to The Mandelorian!) and take a walk past more murals on the historic Cruise Route celebrating American Graffiti which made Lucas a household name (he did write the movie based upon his experiences from high school here). Along the way you’ll find brew pubs and sushi joints as well as lots of outdoor dining with open sidewalks and some great shops for antique buyers or art collectors.
Even better you get to do this year round! Modesto gets about 300 days of sunshine per year so there’s not a month you can’t take advantage and enjoy the local art. And while here hit the food trucks around town. Truckers have made Modesto a ‘must stop for food trucks’ while traveling north and south in California so the secret is out! There’s even a food truck park at Grubhubs on 9th street in downtown where you can start or finish your mural tour. No matter what type of pit stop you make on your trip we know you’ll enjoy the sites, and the scents, of what makes Modesto a great get-away without breaking the bank!
-Todd Aaronson