Top Destinations in the U.S. for Art Lovers

There’s nothing sweeter than wandering around a city, and discovering street art is the icing on top. Even returning to a place I’ve been before can feel new if I take time to appreciate its art. So where do I recommended visiting if you want to have an “artsy” vacation?

Big cities like LA, NYC, and SF have never-ending opportunities to have a different experience every time you visit. I also believe my time in Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida was heavily influenced by their art scenes.

Los Angeles for Art Lovers

Los Angeles has tons to offer in this department, and there’s so much more I want to check out. Art is the thing that keeps me coming back to LA…it’s actually one of my least favorite cities. Here’s a few places I recommend.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA): This is the spot with the Insta famous street light installation. Make sure you pay for a ticket and explore inside though. It was really impressive.

Melrose: This area is super fun to take photos because of the colorful street art. There’s also lots of shops to pop in and out of.

Venice: Venice Beach is iconic for sure. It’s quirky at the best of times but definitely worth checking out. You can get that popular shot of the Venice Beach sign, wander the canals and boardwalk, and shop on Abbott Kinney Blvd. There are so many interesting “creative” types getting around.

The place highest on my list to go back and visit is the Getty Center.

Melrose_losangeles_art — the famous pink wall.

New York City for Art Lovers

NYC is home to some of the best, if not the best, museums in the world (MoMA, The Met, Guggenheim, The Whitney, American Museum of Natural History etc). Plus the street art is incredible and ever changing. If you’re visiting New York City you should definitely incorporate at least one afternoon of art into your itinerary. Even the architecture and design of buildings will make you feel like the whole city is one big art display (I especially love wandering around Grand Central Terminal, the High Line, and Central Park).

NewYorkCity_highline — Exploring the High Line

NewYorkCity_streetart — You’ll find incredible street art while wandering around New York City.

centralpark_newyorkcity — Central Park is a piece of art.

San Francisco for Art Lovers

San Francisco’s rich history fascinates me, and art is oftentimes an expression of how people personally experienced history. It was a city people went to openly be themselves. From being the center of the Beat Generation to playing a huge role in the AIDs epidemic, SF’s art feels more human to me than anywhere else.

The Mission District: Walking through this neighborhood you can feel the divide between its Latino roots and the new hipster presence. Definitely check out the street art in Clarion Alley and spend some time relaxing & people-watching in Dolores Park!

Vesuvio Cafe: Talk about stepping back in time! This saloon established in 1948 is filled with Beat-era memorabilia and was a popular hang out spot for Jack Kerouac. Come here for a beer and maybe write a poem while you’re at it 😉

Pop-Up Museums: The world of social media has created a whole new art museum scene with bright, interactive exhibits that encourage you to take photos. San Francisco has lots to offer in this department. You can visit The Color Factory and The Museum of Ice Cream, but always do your research because new ones “pop up” quite frequently.

the_mission_district_sanfrancisco — Murals in the Mission

dolores_park_sanfrancisco — Dolores Park

streetsofsanfrancisco — North Beach: home of Vesuvio Cafe

Miami for Art Lovers

My first time visiting Miami actually exceeded my expectations, largely thanks to the day we spent in Wynwood. There are wonderful murals everywhere. Start in the morning by grabbing coffee at a trendy cafe, then take your time strolling around Wynwood Walls. We ended our time in Wynwood by doing a little brewery crawl–we were so impressed by all 4-5 we went into! My afternoon in Wynwood inspired me so much, I decided to add more art to the Miami agenda. Definitely make time to check out Perez Art Museum if you are interested in seeing fantastic Cuban art.

concrete_beach_brewery_miami — Even the breweries in Wynwood were artsy.

perez_art_museum_miami — Museum mornings 🙂

Austin for Art Lovers

Austin, Texas is such a cool city that I highly recommend visiting. And if you do, you shouldn’t miss the Hope Outdoor Gallery. The site we visited in 2016 is closed, but a new location in Carson Creek will be opening. Austin is also home to a lot of iconic street art, so keep your eyes peeled as you wander around.