mission san juan bautista

Be careful when you go that you don't accidentally enter the mission grounds through the back gate. We had to park on the other side of the school due to so many cars in town that day. As we walked past the school we saw a little archway that said Rectory and made our way through it. Turns out this pretty much meant we were entering the mission backwards. The mission seemed to be in great condition and the small museum area and gift shop were nice. Very impressed by the restrooms located on the inside hallway. Modern and very much appreciated by all.

I was so happy to finally see my first mission. It's so neat to look at all the old items the buildings. The church is so awe inspiring.

Visited here on our way home, this is part of our California Mission tours. Saw 4 missions on this trip. this is A very large mission in great shape. Decorated for Christmas in the main sanctuary. They have a very large museum that shows history of the Mission. Still a active church.

One of the better California Missions. It's been very well preserved. The church itself is quite beautiful. A scene from Hitchock's "Vertigo" was filmed here, but apparently they faked the bell tower scene with a set in Hollywood. Oh well, it looked real.

One can spend at least 2 hours in and around this stunning piece of history. It needs your support and certainly gives you insight into the strength of religion all those years ago to support the community. Great artifacts to view, stunning feeling of God's presence and influence in the Mission. Great photo opportunities. Visit the inside of the mission and feel the Aura.

This is the fifth mission we have visited. In comparison, this was definitely not the grandest, but it did have its own charm. It's a great stop if you are on your way to Pinnacle National Park, which was exactly what we did. Remember to check out the sign that marks the original route of El Camino Real..

The Mission lies adjacent to the State Park, but is not part of it. Admission is inexpensive (I believe $3, like the State Park). We did not find the written guide particularly helpful. If one has an interest in historical missions, it is worth a look. Even if you are not too interested in such places it is not a bad way to spend an hour and perhaps learn a little about the history.

One of several Spanish missions we have visited. Unusual in that it sits only a few yards from the San Andreas fault. There is a lovely view of a nearby valley from the grounds, and a walking path along the fault line. the day we visited, a wedding was about to begin, so we cut our visit short.

We were staying in Monterey and drove down to San Juan Bautista. This was well worth the 45 minute drive. The Mission is absolutely stunning with beautiful garden and a nice gift shop. I would highly recommend! Note: If you wish to light a candle for a loved one, you need to purchase in the gift shop and take to the church.

This mission has survived multiple earthquakes (the San Andreas fault runs through the courtyard), but is a beautiful peaceful spot

historic and beautiful with a great Christams show in December. We liked the church, grounds and california history.

After watching many of the California's Gold series about the California missions, we make it a point to try and visit all of the missions. Despite visiting the Monterey area many times, we never visited the San Juan Bautista Mission. There is a State Park adjacent to the Mission with other historic buildings. While there are many similarities among the missions, each one is unique. The altar is beautiful.Unlike other towns that have a mission, this one makes you feel that you are back in time. San Juan Bautista has many old buildings and antique stores. Be sure to visit here as it is not far from Salinas and the Steinbeck Museum.

This mission and the surrounding town feels as if they have been frozen in time. The mission itself is lovely. The view over the valley is lovely and very peaceful. A funeral was being held in the church while we were there and that brought the past into the present. it is an active mission although it is rooted in the past. The gift shop offers some different mementos. It is worth a walk through the town to buy an ice cream and note the surprisingly well preserved storefronts. A great way to introduce kids to the history of the missions. A family presented their "Mission passports" to the Caretaker in the gift shop for stamping - they are on a walking tour of all the missions. Each mission was planned to be a days' travel from the others and I would like to take a few days and start at one end of the state, visiting all of the missions in between. I've visited 7 of them and they are all unique.

The historic mission San Juan Bautista was one of four established by Fr. Lasuen in the summer of 1797 and the fifteenth of the twenty-one missions in Alta, California. It is the centerpiece of this historic town - a town interesting to visit for its historical buildings, antique stores, history and restaurants. We enjoy visiting the grounds here, the museum, as well as have attended special events such as music concerts here. Highly recommend stopping by and seeing this historic mission. There is a tour of the mission as well as a gift store. Schools can schedule school tours as well.

We arrived to late to visit the museum or church but the buildings and setting are fantastic. very atmospheric. Glad we saw it!