One of the questions y’all ask me the most is where/how I find fun backgrounds for pictures. The answer isn’t very exciting though – we’re always out and about, so I’m just constantly looking for good locations! They’re everywhere! But I’ve found that in Jacksonville, the beaches area has the most in a small area. Beach culture just lends itself to brightly painted buildings and cool murals, so we take a lot of pictures there. And I thought it might be helpful to share some of our favorite murals in the Jacksonville Beaches area!
1. Carribbean Connection
This is a tattoo/piercing shop with three different large-scale murals on the outside walls. The stripes are by Jessica Becker – she also did the big mural at Tacolu! And she painted the dice at Angie’s Subs and the pizza slice at Tony Pepperoni in Mayport. Nico Holderbaum did the two paintings of women and leaves on the sides of the building. And she’s also responsible for the dog mural in the Angie’s Subs picture below! PS – I got my nose pierced here. 🙂
2. Hotel Palms
This is a modern, beachside motor court hotel in Atlantic Beach. We’ve stayed here two times (once before their big renovation and then again after) and love this property’s laid-back vibe. It features one of my favorite murals in this area, a bright, geometric pattern by Jason Woodside that wraps around the front and side of the hotel. There’s also a funky “alien” mural by Ozzie Wright (he also did the Sunrise Surf Shop mural below!) and a subdued palm/leaf pattern by Ty Williams inside the hotel’s courtyard. They’re really cool about people stopping and taking pictures of the external murals, but if you want to do an actual photoshoot, you’ll need to get permission/pay a fee.
3. Pine Gate Renewables
This office building is located right behind Maple Street Biscuits in Jax Beach. The mural is called “Harnessing Energy” and is by Anthony Rooney. The colors in this painting are amazing! Isn’t she beautiful?! But I really wish we would’ve videoed Anderson putting me on his shoulders for this shot. It was entertaining for everyone driving by!
4. Coop 303
This local restaurant serves up Florida regional cuisine and features traditionally classic dishes with a modern twist. It also boasts a GIANT rooster mural by Anthony Rooney on the side of the building!
5. Angie’s Subs
This place is an iconic Jax Beach sub shop. It’s weird and quirky, and the food is delish! The Angie’s building features three murals, but “Rhett” is our favorite. He was the owner’s dog and the unofficial Angie’s Subs mascot. Nico Holderbaum is the artist behind this one!
6. Sunrise Surf Shop
The “Anti Bad Vibes Shield” is located behind this local surf shop and was painted by Ozzie Wright. The colors are so good! For the best pictures in this spot you need to go on a cloudy day or wait until the evening when the sun is low. Otherwise you’ll be squinting into the sun. Also it’s in a parking lot, so sometimes there are cars parked right in front of it during the day.
7. ABBQ Meat & Drink
This BBQ restaurant opens in Atlantic Beach next month, and locals can’t wait! When we stopped by to take a few pictures with Bessie (yes, we named her) the owner came outside and asked if he could take a pic of the two of us. Then he offered us a quick tour of the place. So nice! The restaurant looks like something a gritty Joanna Gaines might design. 🙂 Anderson was most excited to see all the smokers in the back, and I loved that there’s a fenced in grassy area that I know will be used for corralling children while their parents relax for two seconds. There’s even an outhouse bathroom. Can’t wait to try this place! The artist responsible for the giant cow is Trek6 from Miami.
Honorable mentions: Green Room Brewing, Tacolu, Biggie’s Pizza and Graffiti Burger Bar. Hopefully this list will help you in your search for the best murals in Jacksonville Beach! If you stop by any of these places to take pictures, I’d love to see them. Tag me on Instagram!!!