Walking around San Marcos is a sensory experience. The smells, colors, textures and tastes of San Marcos tell a story of the city, its citizens and the unique culture that developed in the oasis town between San Antonio and Austin. One of the most important San Marcos cultural staples is the blossoming art scene. With an ever-growing collection of murals, sculptures, galleries and more, San Marcos has created a thriving culture for art lovers and artists alike.

We want to share with you a scavenger hunt of sorts, to find the many murals within our beautiful city! Some are a pleasant and colorful surprise located behind buildings or in alleys, and some are smaller delights hidden in plain sight. You can spend quite a few hours exploring the city and finding them all! How many of them can you find? (And, of course, we have a map if you want to cheat…)

Some of our personal favorite pieces in the downtown area are the mini murals (Rene Perez) hidden in plain sight! A whimsical and ever-growing collection, the mini murals can be anything from a grackle in a door frame to a couple of mice in love in the Tap Room parking lot. While on your search, watch out for Cupig! Armed with his arrows, he’s ready to make any unsuspecting couple strolling down Kissing Alley fall in love…

San Marcos has quite the collection of large-scale murals that celebrate the city’s unique culture. Wild Rice (Christopher Al Rodriguez), Life In Color (Jake Wagoner) and Bienvenidos (Jennifer Khosbin) are the latest additions and make great backdrops for a photo. (@toursanmarcos and #SMTXperience, hint hint) Of course, a visit to San Marcos wouldn’t be complete without a mermaid photobomb (Morgan Habarle Egan & Jana Swec).

You never know what you’ll find exploring San Marcos and new art seems to pop up in the most unexpected places. Next time you stroll around the square we suggest taking a shortcut to look in alleyways and behind buildings to find your new favorite piece. And speaking of favorites, don’t forget to share a photo of your favorites on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with #SMTXperience! We’d love to see your shots.