Mission of San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano, United States

The Mission of San Juan Capistrano is one of several Spanish missions in California built for the purpose of converting people to the Catholic faith. Established in 1776 it was the largest Spanish building in California. Unfortunately it was partly destroyed by an earthquake in 1812 and gradually fell into disuse. However it was revived in the 20th century and is now once more a flourishing ministry.

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Founded: 18th century
Category: Religious sites in United States

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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User Reviews

Joel Reyes (5 months ago)
An amazing place. The grounds are very well maintained. Beautiful garden! When we were there several school groups were touring. The Staff appeared to do a great job hosting. The Audio Tour is informative. Available parking along the street can be difficult. There are some good restaurants close by. The surrounding area is clean. A once in a lifetime opportunity.
Joel (5 months ago)
What an inexpensive, intellectually stimulating and historically significant way to spend a few hours. Great for the curious and for families. So much of the original mission is still intact and accessible for you to experience. They provide a free audio tour, which allows you to meander around the grounds and visit what you find interesting.
C Horn (6 months ago)
Both interesting and educational. We spent about 3 hours there. We took the self-guided audio tour. Beautiful old buildings I've been restored. Lovely gardens in the courtyard, although the tour is very clear that historically the courtyard was used for more practical matters. Nice gift shop with a variety of items both secular and religious. Pleasant and courteous staff. We both found it very interesting and thought of a worthwhile way to spend an afternoon. Outside of the mission there are many many restaurants, a tourist shop with authentic native American jewelry, and an antique store with numerous vendors. Admission fee was reasonable.
Mike Platz (7 months ago)
Very peaceful and reverent place. Relaxing learning about the history of the mission and what it was like. The hand held audio recording things were very interesting and well done. We paid over $80 to get in with 4 adults and one child and we felt it was well worth the money. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is interested in learning about the history of the area.
Tatiana Hoover (7 months ago)
Big and beautiful mission with amazing gardens! The number and variety of plants in the garden is astonishing. If you like plants, flowers, cactus and more, you’ll be really happy here. I could have spent the day just in the garden. The mission ruins are well preserved, there is lots to see in the museum. The place was crowded with children on school tours. It is accessible, with wide paths and lots of nooks and crannies to stop and rest. There is an amazing gift shop, clean bathrooms. Parking was challenging, but there are parking spaces behind the mission.
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