best things to do in the mission district sfo

Visit Mission District, the Latino Neighborhood with Murals in San Francisco

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The origins of the Mission District date back to 1700, when the first Spanish settlers founded some important missions there, including Mission San Francisco de Asis, which is still one of the best-preserved missions in all of California and the reason for the name of the neighborhood is named.

Today the Mission District is the ethnic neighborhood of San Francisco, where shops, taquerias, tropical fruit markets, and panaderias keep the cultures of Mexico and other Latin American countries alive. But what makes this area unique is the high concentration of murals, which seem to transform the entire neighborhood into a blaze of color, an open-air museum that will brighten your visit. So let’s see what the points of interest are and how to organize yourself to enjoy the best of the Mission District…

Location and Directions

visit mission district san francisco
Photo by Joel Mann

Mission District is located south of SoMa (South of Market St) and borders Castro to the west, which can be visited in combination with the Mission District (from Mission Dolores Park, you only need to walk a few blocks west to reach the Castro neighborhood). There are many ways to get to the Mission District by public transportation, and here is how to get there:

  • BART: All lines. Stop: 16th Street and 24th Street on Mission Street. Lines: It is convenient to take the BART if you’re coming from Union Square, the Financial District, and Embarcadero.
  • Bus: Take line 49. It is convenient if you come from Fisherman’s Wharf. The bus takes you to the corner of Van Ness and North Point and continues along Mission Street stopping about every two blocks. You can get on and off to visit the point of interest you want to reach.
  • Car: You can reach the Mission District by car, but you will have to opt for a paid parking, for example, at the Mission-Bartlett Garage or the Mission-Otis Garage. In any case, as it has been mentioned several times in other articles on the website, I advise you not to visit San Francisco by car unless you have to.

To find out more and organize the logistics, I recommend you read our guide on how to get around San Francisco.

Is the Mission District Dangerous?

mission san franciscoCompared to other districts of the city, you need to be more careful in the Mission District. We have already talked about this topic, so I directly refer you to the article about the less safe neighborhoods of San Francisco.

Things to Do in Mission District

Here are the main places of interest and types of attractions to look for in this neighborhood.

Murals

mission district murals

San Francisco can boast more than 1,000 murals, most of which are concentrated in the Mission District. In this district, public enterprises, private homes, schools, churches, and restaurants do not hesitate to ask local artists to adorn the exterior of their buildings with their works of art. A special non-profit organization, Precita Eyes Muralists, which has been active in this field for about 40 years, links the numerous requests to the clients.

Consequently, the neighborhood is literally covered with murals, so it is impossible to mention all of them. I will just recommend some streets, intersections, or buildings where you can admire some very significant ones. To get a sense of where they are and to insert them in your itinerary, refer to the map of the murals just below.

  • Women’s Building (18th St and Lapidge St): this is probably the most famous mural in the whole neighborhood. Made in 1994, it celebrates and commemorates the contribution and courage of women of all times.
  • Balmy Street (or Balmy Alley): this little alley in red bricks is actually the place where it all started. It was in fact here, in the early 70s, that the first mural was painted on the back of a building. Now the whole alley is almost entirely covered with it.
  • Clarion Alley: another small alleyway completely covered with murals made by artists of the Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP), which aims to promote socially engaged and aesthetically innovative art.
  • Flynn Elementary School (Precita Ave and Harrison St): on the south side of this school, you’ll find 2 large murals, entitled Family Life (to the viewer’s left) and The Spirit of Mankind (to the right).
  • 24th Street (between Balmy Alley and the intersection with York Street): taking a short walk on this street will give you the opportunity to admire the many murals that adorn the buildings and to visit the Precita Eyes Muralists Visitor Center, just past the intersection with Harrison Street.


Many of the murals you will encounter have particular meanings, sometimes linked to events that happened in the city, so to enjoy them to the fullest, I suggest you also consider a guided tour, so that you can be properly introduced to the context in which these works were born. I will speak about the tours available below.

Mission San Francisco de Asis

mission san francisco de AsisAlso known as Mission Dolores, this is the oldest structure in San Francisco, as well as the sixth religious settlement of the California Mission Chain (El Camino Real).

The original building, built on October 9, 1776 in adobe in the style of the time, was later (in 1918) joined by a much larger basilica, influenced by the architectural style exhibited at the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego a few years earlier.

Attached to the church there is a small historic cemetery, where Native Americans, pioneers and politicians who marked the history of the city between 1830 and 1898 are also buried. In the garden of the cemetery, there is also the statue of Father Junípero Serra,  who was canonized as a saint by Pope Francis and responsible for the foundation of 9 California missions.

Both the mission and the adjoining garden and cemetery can be visited every day, according to the schedule found on the official website.

Mission Dolores Park

Mission Dolores Park

With tennis courts, basketball courts, and a playground, Mission Dolores Park is the neighborhood Park of the Mission District. Locals like to come here and lie down on the lawn to have a nice picnic or just sunbathe. For a tourist, the main reason to visit this park, in addition to the pleasant walk, is the beautiful view of Downtown San Francisco. The hillside location of Mission Dolores Park offers a privileged viewpoint.

The best spot to take pictures is probably the southwest corner of the park not far from The Golden Fire Hydrant (3899 20th St.), a golden hydrant now celebrated as “the miraculous fire hydrant that saved the district during the fires of 1906”. Inside the park, you will also find a statue of the Mexican revolutionary Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.

Mission District Art Galleries

In the Mission District, art is expressed not only in the streets, but also in various private galleries that bring together local talents. Many are located near the intersection of Mission Street and 24th Street, but also in the stretch of Valencia Street known as Valencia Corridor. Here are 2 interesting examples:

  • City Art Cooperative Gallery (828 Valencia St.): an innovative art gallery where artists are allowed to rent a wall to exhibit their paintings and receive 70% of the sales as compensation. The gallery has no paid employees, they are the same artists who, during their shifts, also perform maintenance tasks.
  • Galeria de la Raza (1470 Valencia St.): founded in 1970, this gallery supports Latin and Mexican art, especially art themes related to minorities.

Mission District Tours

mission district tourThere are two kinds of guided tours of the neighborhood, those dedicated to murals and those dedicated to tasting typical Latin dishes of the area (or those that combine both aspects). Here are 3 examples:

Events

mission district events

The Mission District is a very lively neighborhood and witness to this are the many events it hosts every year. Here are the most significant ones:

  • Dia de Los Muertos: on the evening of November 1st the Latin community of Mission celebrates its dead with a long parade that usually starts at 7 pm and ends at 1 or 2 am. Numerous memorials are placed along the streets of the district to commemorate loved ones who have disappeared.
  • Carnaval Parade: the Carnaval in the Mission District celebrates Latin American and Caribbean art and traditions and lasts 2 days. The most important moment of the whole event is undoubtedly the big parade, which usually crosses the 24th, Mission Street, and 17th. The event is held during the Memorial Day Weekend (end of May).
  • Cesar Chavez Day: in April, the Mission District dedicates a whole day to civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. There is a parade, markets, music, and dance.
  • Cinco de Mayo: usually at the beginning of May, between 21st and 24th street of Valencia Street, there is a party designed also for families and dedicated to Latin American culture, focusing on food, music, dance, and art.

Where to Eat: Mexican Restaurants and More…

where to eat in mission districtThe Mission District is home to several Mexican restaurants, including informal and fast service venues. There are, however, other types of cuisines as well, here are some suggestions:

  • La Taqueria (2889 Mission Street): if you walk down Mission Street and see a restaurant with a long line outside the door, you can’t go wrong. It’s La Taqueria, one of the most popular places in town for people looking for authentic Mexican food. Remember to bring cash with you because they don’t accept credit cards.
  • Foreign Cinema (2534 Mission Street): in contrast to the informal taquerias that swarm the streets of the neighborhood, this restaurant with a refined menu focuses on a winning mix of food, movies, and art. Every night a film is shown in the background trying to create a special atmosphere, while on the walls you can admire a series of paintings, just like in an art gallery.
  • San Jalisco (901 S Van Ness Ave): Another interesting place for those looking for Mexican food and a pleasant themed atmosphere (in this case the culinary tradition is from the Jalisco region).

Where to Stay

where to stay in the mission district san francisco

Mission can boast a fair number of accommodations, including Victorian-style residential b&b’s that can suit those seeking a “local” experience. For more details I refer you to our article on where to stay in San Francisco, where you’ll find a section dedicated to finding accommodations in the Mission District and also in the other main districts of the city, with a range of recommended hotels.

My advice for finding a hotel in San Francisco


Our Tip:
Looking for accommodations for your trip from California to other parts of the Southwest? Read our guide that contains reviews of hotels and strategic tips for finding accommodations near major attractions: Where to Stay: Our Tips for the SouthWest Area

Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

lorenzo puliti
lorenzo puliti

I am fascinated by the wonders of the world I never tire of going in search of them.

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