Walnut Creek\ East Bay Lifestyle\ Local Guides Jen Moeller October 29, 2026
One of the things I love about Walnut Creek is how much there is to discover downtown. Between the restaurants, shops, and little places you stumble upon while walking around, there's always something new.
This summer, four new murals brought even more color to downtown Walnut Creek. They're the first completed projects from the city's Mural Grant Program, and I especially love how several of the designs take inspiration from the surrounding hills, native plants, and wildlife.
It's a nice reminder of something that makes Walnut Creek special. You can enjoy a lively downtown and still feel connected to the beautiful open space surrounding it.
If you're looking for something different to do, here's where to find the new murals, the artists behind them, and how to see them all on one walk.
Three of the new murals are located at 1419 N. Broadway, home to Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing. The fourth is just a short walk away on North Main Street.
Created by Bay Area artist Steve Anderson, Junglelaya transforms a parking lot wall into a colorful celebration of native plants and local flora.
Anderson grew up in Oakland, and his work brings an energetic, imaginative style to the wall. It's a fun example of how a space you might otherwise walk right past can become something worth stopping to see.
You'll find this mural on the south-facing parking lot wall.
This one is a little different because you actually walk through it.
Artists Joey Rose and Alexandra Underwood painted both sides of the building's breezeway, creating an immersive passage inspired by local wildlife.
I love the idea of turning an ordinary walkway into something that encourages people to slow down and notice the natural world around them.
Both artists have backgrounds in nature-inspired public art, making this a particularly fitting addition to Walnut Creek.
On the north-facing parking lot wall, Tsui Xiao Rui and Elliot Trent Thompson created Confluence, a mural exploring the meeting of cultures and artistic traditions.
The design brings together traditional Chinese patterns and Western imagery, offering something visually different from the nature-inspired murals nearby.
It's a reminder that public art can celebrate not only a place's landscape but also the people and cultures that make up its community.
Created by Oakland-based artist Zoe Adiah Boston, this mural looks like a window opening onto the Walnut Creek hills.
I think that's such a fitting idea for downtown Walnut Creek. You're surrounded by storefronts, restaurants, and city activity, yet those familiar ridgelines are never very far away.
It's a playful way of bringing the landscape into the middle of town.
The new murals join several existing pieces that make downtown Walnut Creek an interesting place to explore on foot.
A few others to look for:
What makes this collection especially interesting is how much of it reflects the landscape and character of the area.
From Mount Diablo to native plants and creek wildlife, there's a connection between the artwork downtown and the open spaces that make this part of the East Bay so beautiful.
One of the nicest things about these murals is that you don't need to drive from one to another. They're close enough to explore during a single downtown outing.
Here's a simple route:
You can easily make an afternoon of it by stopping for coffee, lunch, or a little shopping along the way.
It's the kind of outing that reminds me why downtown Walnut Creek continues to be such a popular gathering place.
What I appreciate about Walnut Creek is how much it offers in a relatively small area.
You can spend an afternoon exploring downtown, meet friends for dinner, catch a performance at the Lesher Center, or head toward the surrounding trails and open space.
And while downtown is a destination in itself, the residential neighborhoods around Walnut Creek each have their own personality.
Some offer a more walkable lifestyle, while others have larger yards, quieter streets, and a little more room to spread out.
That's something I always encourage people to think about when they're considering a move. Finding the right home isn't just about the house itself. It's also about how you want to live and what you want nearby.
Walnut Creek offers quite a variety of those possibilities, which is part of what makes getting to know its neighborhoods so interesting.
If you'd rather explore with someone who knows the stories behind the artwork, Bedford Gallery offers docent-led downtown public art tours.
According to the published 2026 schedule, the final tour of the season is planned for:
Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 10 a.m.
The tour is called Downtown Main St. and Library.
You can also explore on your own using Walnut Creek's public art audio tour and the Walk Walnut Creek web app.
For the latest tour details, visit Bedford Gallery.
These four murals are the first completed projects funded through Walnut Creek's Mural Grant Program.
The program is designed to support public art through collaboration among artists, property owners, and the city.
I hope we'll continue seeing more projects like these. They add personality to downtown and give people another reason to spend time exploring local businesses and public spaces.
I always enjoy seeing the little changes that make our East Bay communities even more interesting. These murals are a fun reason to spend an afternoon downtown, and I'd love to hear which one is your favorite.
And if you're thinking about buying or selling in Walnut Creek, or simply curious about its different neighborhoods, I'm always happy to be a resource.
Jen Moeller | Realtor® at Compass
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