I'm glad Ron Burgundy lives forever on this mural in America's finest city. It's easy to pass right…read moreby it because it is facing a parking lot and it sneaks up on you quickly, the address is correct though!

Stay classy San Diego. This mural is painted on the side of Hi Auto Repair and overlooks a decent…read moresized parking lot. It was painted in September 2022 by Aqua One Art and is 17 feet tall and 120 feet wide. It depicts San Diego's own Anchor Man character, Ron Burgundy, standing in water that comes midway up his torso, while a group of dolphins are jumping and playing right next to him. You also see a small sail boat off in the distance and a pelican sitting on a small pier. Aqua is a self-proclaimed graffiti artist. So, of course the mural has his, tag in graffiti lettering. I think he is much more than a graffiti artist though. I like Aqua's style. He seems to learn toward sea life a lot. This mural is such an odd pairing and it works for me. I could actually see Ron Burgundy standing in an ocean in his perfect suit with dolphins around him. Since this mural overlooks a parking lot, parking here to get a closer look is very easy to do. I just pulled into the lot, parked and gazed at the piece. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

You will find this historic fountain in Horton Plaza, where it is the centerpiece. It is the self…read more-proclaimed "Broadway Fountain for the People." It was designed by Irving J. Gill who completed it in 1910 and modeled it after the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens, Greece. The fountains 1910 dedication was scheduled to coincide with the opening of the US Grant Hotel, which is located just across the street. It was primarily funded through the generosity of local banker Louis J. Wilde, who donated $10,000. The fountain received the California Historic Resource designation in 1971 and is owned by the city The fountain is unique and has 5 marble pillars holding up a dome that is made of prismatic glass with bronze filigree. There is water spraying upward from fountain pool meeting in between the pillars. It is interesting to note that this was the first fountain to combine flowing water and electricity for its colored lights. Originally, the fountain was topped with a gilded eagle. However, it was stolen and replaced with a smaller eagle made of zinc. If you were wondering, the original eagle was eventually recovered. The park is currently undergoing renovations and the majority of it is closed, However, the fountain and the section it is located in remains open and is operational. However, it was vandalized in December 2005 though, and had to be shut off until repairs are complete. A large rock was thrown into the fountain, breaking an expensive glass panel inside. It reopened in 2016. This is a nice fountain with a bit of history behind. I hear that it is known for having homeless people bathing in it, even though I did not see it happening while I was there. It is still worth checking out if you are in the area. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance from fountain. Thee is also public transportation stops available nearby too.

You will find this sculpture in Waterfront Park. You can not miss it. It sticks out like a sore…read morethumb. It is in a little circular area with benches around it. It has two names. Arbre de Serpents or its English translation, Serpent Tree. it was made in 1988 by Niki de Saint Phalle, who is known for colorful sculptures. It depicts a tree looking structure, with snakes where the branches would be. It is very colorful and made stained glass, mosaic tiles, polyester, and mirrors. It should be noted that de Saint Phalle adopted serpents as her signature motif for a perfume she produced to finance her Tarot Garden. There are a few of these these around the country Including New York and Washington DC. Th one in Missouri sits in the middle of a fountain and spits out water. I am not sure if this one has that capability, but it sure would be cool if it did. I really like this piece. It is creative and has some awesome artwork. The sculpture definitely grabs your attention with its bright colors and reflective glass. Parking to get a closer look is easy. There is metered street parking in front of the park where the sculpture is located. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Maybe coordinate it with a visit to Waterfront Park or some of the many attractions on the Pier across the street.

I love public art in random places and this qualifies! The huge sculpture is actually a mirrored…read moremosaic which had to have been a labor of art love to create! It's made of zillions of pieces of mirrored glass so it sparkles in the San Diego sun! Stop by and check it out if you are in the area! Definitely unique! Life is good with one of a kind art works!

This mural is on the side of the historic Mixon Liquor and Deli. It was painted in 2021 and is the…read morework of Evgeniya Golik, who painted the piece to show the diversity of San Diego as well as the nation. It took her and her team 3 weeks to complete. The mural was commissioned by Trust Me Vodka, who featured Golik's mural on a 20,000-bottle series of their vodka. It depicts a muse with wings, roses in her hair and a halo. Her arms are wrapped around her torso that is made from eyes of men and women all different ethnicities. To Golik, "Liberty" became a goddess that embraced all walks of life under her wings ... creating a sense of unity, equality, and freedom of expression without judgement. The background of the mural has a dark blue triangle with white stars above the Muse's head and a cloudy sky. You will also see a banner on the side of the Muse that reads "See the World in My Eyes", which is definitely a play on all the eyes in the muse's torso. And of course you will find a prominent advertisement for Mixon's on the left side of the mural. This is defientley a mural to see and has a lot to unpack. I love its mean and symbolism. For me, it just reminds you to walk a mile in someone elses shoes before you judge them and understand what they may be going through, The mural overlooks a parking lot, that is very difficult to get in and out off. I ended up parking on the street and was a lot easier for me to get in and out of. Much of the lower part of the mural is obstructed by parked vehicles, but you can still see a good portion of it. This mural has a good old American feel to it. The art work is amazing. Golik is very talented. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This is a piece by Atlanta-based artist Amy Landesberg and was commissioned by the San Diego County…read moreRegional Airport Authority. It is a very creative work and was made in 2015. It spans about 60 feet high and 60 feet wide. It is comprised of 801 left-side tail lights from Hyundai Elantras. You will find this piece in the San Diego Airport rental car center on a tall wall on the side of the up escalator. The piece was Inspired by the swarming patterns of various species. It is interesting to note that the arrangement of the tail lights were designed through a computer simulation that was intended to mimic the effect of a fine San Diego breeze on a traveling swarm. This piece is not without controversy. The price tag of the piece has come into question. This and its sister piece, Autoplast II: Side Mirror Hive, costed $675,000 with and estimated annual maintenance cost of $6,000. I find this piece amazing. It is like a school of tadpoles swimming around. You cannot help but look at it. It is well constructed and organized. I did notice that a few of the lights had fallen off. You can see the mounts where they use to be. This is a unique piece that is definitely worth checking out. I will agree that the audience for this piece is very limited and will be only those people that are picking up rental cars. That is not much opportunity for any group outside of that to see this piece. This is not a large consumer of time, but is still an interesting thing to view as you a headed up to get your rental.

This is a piece by Atlanta-based artist Amy Landesberg and was commissioned by the San Diego County…read moreRegional Airport Authority. It is a very creative work and was made in 2015. It is the sister piece to Landesberg's Tail light Swarm. This is a massive piece appearing to drop down from the ceiling and spans 3 stories. It is comprised of 2,200 metallic truck and van side-view mirrors. You will find this piece, along with its sister piece, in the San Diego Airport rental car center on a tall wall on the side of the down escalator. The four massive honeycomb shapes that comprise the piece are intended to represent a 'bee space,' simulating the nest geometry of a productive colony. I really like the precision of the mirrors' placement. The piece is well constructed and took a team to build. I must be honest, I do not really see the hive though. I see more of a dinosaur's foot of an alien's hand or even the Monster Energy logo. I still think it is a nice piece that is very creative, This piece is not without controversy. The price tag of the piece has come into question. This and its sister piece costed $675,000 with and estimated annual maintenance cost of $6,000. I find this piece amazing. This is a unique piece that is definitely worth checking out. I will agree that the audience for this piece is very limited and will be only those people that are picking up rental cars. That is not much opportunity for any group outside of that to see this piece. This is not a large consumer of time, but is still an interesting thing to while you are at the rental car center.

This piece is the work of world-renowned artist, Jaume Plensa. This is Plensa's first piece in San…read moreDiego. It was constructed in 2018, is made of stainless steel painted white and stands 25 feet high. It is located in front of the Pacific Gate by Bosa, on the corner. It was commissioned by BOSA Development and Fine Arts Services. There is a lot of hidden meaning and things that may get overlooked if you just happen to come upon the sculpture. First, it is composed of the characters from eight different alphabets including Latin, Hebrew, Greek, Cyrillic, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, and Hindi. It starts of with root-like ribbons at the base that come together to form an abstract figure of a seated person gazing west toward the Pacific Ocean. The piece is opened in the front and you can actually walk inside of it. It looks great and I wish I knew who they kept it so white. It calls for you attention and drew me in as I walked bt. When speaking about the piece, Plensa said "....I hope my sculpture will be an icon for the city, embracing the diverse community which is always changing yet always intrinsically connected to the ocean." This was not a very long stop for me. I was there less than 5 minutes. Parking to get here is challenging as it is located right off of a main drag. There is very limited metered street parking available and a few commercial parking garages/lots within a reasonable walking distance. Since this is a short stop, I recommend making a visit here part of a larger itinerary to maximize your trip.

This is a mural by David Ybarra and you will find it on the side of Caps Pizza and Bar overlooking…read morea parking lot. It was completed in the Summer of 2021 and is a simple but powerful design that depicts a waving American Flag with the Pledge of Allegiance within the flag's stripes. It is a very vivid mural and is in great shape. As I mentioned, the mural overlooks a parking lot, that is very difficult to get in and out off. I ended up parking on the street and was a lot easier for me to get in and out of. The mural is up pretty high on the wall, so you don not have to worry about it being obstructed by parked vehicles. This mural has a good old patriotic feel to it.... Merica! The flag is pretty detailed and even though it is simple it still took some skill to do. This mural is dedicated to local entrepreneurs, George and Voula Caperell, whose mission it was to feed the homeless every Thanksgiving for over twenty five years and cook and feed anyone that needed it. You will find of few of Ybarra's murals across the city. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This is an older public art piece that is the work of Beverly Pepper and was made in 1976. It was…read morecommissioned through the Art in Architecture Program Fine Arts Collection of the United States. It now belongs to GSA and you will find it in front of Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building. It doubles as a jungle gym for kids waiting to enter the building with their caretakers. The sculpture is showing signs of its age and the many years that it has spent in the elements. It could really use a refresh. The paint is peeling in many places, it is severely faded and it is starting to rust. The sculpture is made of three pieces of steel that are painted black. It stands 40 feet tall and is 41 feet wide and 24 feet deep. It is surrounded by a very low barrier. To get the full effect of the sculpture, you must view it from different angles, to see its various forms. There is very limited metered street parking within walking distance to this sculpture and there are a few commercial garages close by. This is not a long stop and not even a destination piece. I recommend checking it if you have business at the federal building or making a stop here, part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time.