Things to do / Travel Guide
Our Tourist Attractions Expert Says:
Visitors of all faiths will thoroughly enjoy a visit to San Juan Capistrano, one of the best known Alta California missions. The mission is housed in the oldest building in California still in use, a chapel built in 1782, known alternately as "Serra's Chapel" and "Father Serra's Church." You can tour the original buildings, Great Stone Church ruins and demonstration gardens, and participate in festivals and fun activities for kids.
San Juan Capistrano is an educational site serving at least 58,000 students each year, and another 330,000 visitors annually. The Mission is a popular site for schools and other groups in Southern California. Free tours of the mission are offered on a walk-in basis on the weekends. During the week, docent-guided tours are offered daily with advanced reservation and deposit, and group tours consisting of 15 people or more can be scheduled in advance as well. Guided tours last approximately 1-1 1/2 hours and are available on a limited basis. A digital self-guided audio tour, in both English and Spanish, is included with your admission. It's a good idea to call ahead if you want to visit the Mission without the crowds.
Religious visitors can pray at the Mission during their public worship hours of 7 to 9 am daily. Enter via the Serra entrance off of El Camino Real instead of the front gate in order to avoid the admission fee.
The Mission is an ideal learning tool for children. They receive a Passport Explorer featuring a walking map, interesting historical facts and games that teach about Mission history. Once a year the Mission hosts a "Kids' Day" with activities and prizes. On Living History Day, also known as "Second Saturdays," staff members dress up as characters from the Mission's history. You also won't want to miss the Return of the Swallows, the Mission's biggest annual celebration. Flocks of swallows migrate annually to Goya, Argentina in October, and return to their spring and summer home in San Juan Capistrano each March. The Swallows celebration began centuries ago when Mission padres observed that the birds' return roughly coincided with St. Joseph's Day on the church calendar, March 19. The celebration has achieved international prominence since then. Festivities including the traditional bell ringing, pageantry, live entertainment and ethnic foods mark the springtime return of the swallows to Capistrano. Garden aficionados won't want to miss Mission San Juan Capistrano's annual Flower Garden and Fine Art Show. Held in June, the weekend features over seventy vendors/exhibitors of flowers, plants, and garden items, as well as crafts and fine art. Music, seminars and food round out the day, so even non-gardeners will enjoy this event!
In the summer, the Mission presents six Music Under the Stars evening concerts beginning June 23, 2007 and ending with a celebrity concert on September 1, 2007. The concerts feature dinner and dancing in the beautiful Mission courtyard.
If you want to stay for any of the weekend festivals, the Best Western Capistrano Inn, just blocks away from the mission, is probably your best bet. The Inn has newly remodeled guest rooms and deluxe rooms, a heated outdoor swimming pool and a spa.
The Mission is located in Southern California, southeast of Laguna Beach, at 26801 Ortega Highway. It is easily accessible by car, just a few blocks west of the I-5 freeway, off the San Juan Capistrano exit. It is also within walking distance of the Amtrak/Metrolink train station, located just across the street. There is street parking available.