 One of the most notable verses in the song discusses the harsh effects of drugs , their role in destroying many of Kiedis 's relationships , and impact on his happiness . Based on one of Kiedis 's experiences , the verse of " Under the Bridge " illustrates his efforts to enter gang territory under a bridge to purchase drugs . Kiedis pretended that a sister of one of the gang members was his fiancée to be permitted inside . Although he successfully acquired the drugs , Kiedis considers this moment to be one of the worst of his life as it demonstrated the level to which he was willing to sink in order to feed his addiction . Kiedis refuses to acknowledge the location of the bridge , though he notes that it is in downtown Los Angeles . Using clues provided by Kiedis in previous interviews and in his autobiography Scar Tissue , writer Mark Haskell Smith concluded that the bridge that inspired the song was located in the city 's MacArthur Park . Other possible cited locations have included the Belmont Tunnel about half a mile from MacArthur Park , and more recently , the overpass where Interstate Highway 10 ( the Santa Monica Freeway ) crosses over Hoover Street close to downtown LA . 
