Matt Markovich

The Mission is the heart of the mural movement in San Francisco. Murals express culture, help a community share its history and values, and add vibrant colors to otherwise drab walls and alleyways. Sometimes they’re so breathtaking you must stop and contemplate for a while—like the five-story one adorning the Women’s Building on 18th Street, full of magic and power, with an equally gorgeous array on the Lapidge Street façade—while others provide smaller surprises, like those found on a car repair shop’s walls or tucked into alleyways.  We’ve picked out some of our favorites below, but if you’re looking for event more, we’d suggest SF Mural Arts, which maintains pages devoted to each neighborhood in the city; the Mission’s lists a whopping 504 murals (by contrast, the next most muralized neighborhood is SoMa, with only 139 murals). It also identifies whether a mural is still available, since oftentimes they are painted over or lost to time and weather—and archives those that are not longer viewable. Another wonderful source is Precita Eyes Muralists, which organizes walking tours and classes. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in San Francisco

San Francisco has appeared in more than 4,000 movies and, over the years, most of them have been shown at one of the city’s best movie theaters. Grande dames like San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, and Oakland’s Grand Lake Renaissance Theatre and Paramount Theatre for the Arts have been lovingly restored and maintained, while smaller venues, such as the fog-enshrouded Balboa in the Richmond District still cling to the bygone era of fresh popcorn and noir glamour. Settle in for one of Hollywood’s hottest blockbusters or show up for one of the long list of film festivals on the calendar of San Francisco events, including the Noir City Film Festival, the SF IndieFest and the San Francisco International Film Festival. RECOMMENDED: Outdoor movies in the Bay Area