Take a mural tour through downtown Burlington

Take a trip through downtown Burlington to see some really cool murals.

Posted 2:30 p.m. Sep 14, 2021 — Updated 2:30 p.m. Sep 14, 2021

Tandra Wilkerson

, WRAL contributor

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Heading out on an adventure is nothing new to my family. There aren't many things as life-giving. The more meaningful adventures, however, are often those we're intentional about. The ones that serve as inspiration or teach a lesson.

My youngest daughter, Vivia, is an artist to her core. She blows us away with her drawings, attention to detail, and use of color. On a recent Saturday, she wanted to paint but felt uninspired.

As residents of Alamance County, I thought it would be a good idea to visit downtown Burlington. At the time, there were a couple of new-to-us murals we hadn't visited. I figured it was the perfect way to inspire my girl and get us all moving.

What made the occasion even more special was having "G-ma" join us. It was my mom's first visit in almost two years due to the pandemic. Grandparents can make any occasion better!

Our first stop was the Justice and Equality mural by artist Mauricio Ramirez. It's located at 236 E. Front St. Colorful and oozing love, it hit us right in the feels. We're still unsure if it was the mural or the summer heat that melted our hearts.

The mommy-daughter fun was unmatched as we played around and snapped photos. Both of my daughters are attracted to colorful spaces but I saw the light of creativity turn on in my little artist.

A look at downtown Burlington murals (Tandra Wilkerson)

Mission halfway accomplished

At this point it was lunch time. If you're a parent or caregiver, you know hungry kids and having fun are figments of the imagination. I'm yet to find the two coexisting.

It was my hope to show you a true Burlington dining experience but McDonald's won this battle. It's hard to compete with a BTS and a Saweetie meal. They’re entertainers, by the way, with their own meals there. And no worries... Burlington has a surreal amount of restaurants to explore. We'll be sure to taste our way around and take you with us!

The last stop was the Dance It Out mural by artist Gina Franco. It's located at 263 E. Front Street at the Walkerdance Ballet Theater. Vibrant and engaging, this mural got us dancing around and imitating poses. We definitely worked up a sweat!

We've seen Gina Franco's artwork in other places around North Carolina. Checking out murals is one of our go-to adventures when we don't have other activities planned. You can view some of them on my blog, Thriller Mom.

Have you visited the places mentioned above? Also, have you seen other works by Mauricio Ramirez or Gina Franco? I'm always adding to our list of things to do.

Just so you know, my daughter grabbed her art supplies as soon as we got home. She disappeared into her world of creativity for what seemed like hours. I call that a win! The mission was wholeheartedly accomplished.

Remember, an adventure is what you make it. It can be as far away or as close to home as you’d like. And depending on your intention for the day, your chosen activities can be all fun and games. Or, they can serve as education and inspiration. My vote is combining a bit of it all!