First of all, I would like to thank San Juan Capistrano for all of the free parking!! It’s almost impossible to find free parking anymore and it was a welcome treat to find free parking and in abundance!
Clear skies, 80 degree weather, free parking, my mother-in-law with me and we were ready to enjoy all the Mission San Juan had to offer. $9 each for us to get in and that includes a free audio tour. And I have to say thank you to the organization for including a map of the mission attached to the audio guide. What a smart way to include the map! So many times, I’ve done a tour and they’ve given a folded up pamphlet that’s really a pain to unfold every time I want to figure out where I am. And it usually ends up crumpled up in my purse never to be seen again. I really loved the audio guide as well! I never realized how much I dislike wearing headphones on a tour until Mission San Juan showed me that having a phone-like audio guide was so much better!!! We punched in the number of the site we wanted to hear audio on and held up the device like a phone and voila!!
By the way, they even sell water and soda where you pick up your audio tour. Perfect on a hot day!!
The mission itself is first a beautiful garden. A large fountain sits in the middle with lily pads and beautiful stone work. In the distance, you can see what really drew us to the mission, the tall remains of what once housed padres and converts. Man-made beauty. As we started walking towards the structure, we passed a stone bench so low to the ground that my knees came up to my chest as I tried it out. The first thing my mother-in-law said was, “How short everyone must have been!” I can’t confirm or deny that, but it was definitely interesting to think about. We entered the ruins of this once-ceilinged structure and really just marvel at how beautiful it is in the state it’s in and how impressive it must have been when the walls were up and the ceiling intact.
Knowing that this mission was founded in 1775/1776, I am always amazed at what was accomplished so long ago. I sure wouldn’t be able to dream of building something so amazing, let alone be able to carve the designs that decorated the walls and ceilings. For the history of the mission, take a look at their website and maybe even plan your own trip! http://www.missionsjc.com/preservation/history.php
We spent a good 2 hours walking around the grounds and visiting what each room had to offer. I recommend stopping by the gift shop. Not only do they have mementos to take home with you to remember your trip, but they have a lot of Native American jewelry as well as religious items. You can even purchase a candle to take next door to light at the church where mass is still held today. The church is small but very impressive with its art decorating the walls and its intricate gold backdrop.
Walking around the grounds and being able to get a sense of how people lived here long ago was quite interesting. To see where they used to tan the hides of cattle, where they made their wine, how they would keep fires burning to perform every-day tasks was a wonderful way to spend a beautiful afternoon. I am so happy that I went and got a sense of this piece of history and trip back in time when California was still forming its identity.
**Side Note** Mission San Juan Capistrano is know for their swallows. They come back every March like clockwork and the town even has a little festival for them. I have to say, I didn't see any but their nests are clearly seen at different parts of the mission.
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