San Juan Bautista, CA Road Trips

1 Mission San Juan Bautista, 406 2nd St, ☏ +1 831 623-2127, fax: +1 831 623-5433. Daily 9:30AM-4:30PM, except major holidays. The 15th California mission, founded in 1797 by Fermin Lasuen. One of the more successful missions in the 18th century. The resting place of Father Estevan Tapis, who led the mission system from 1803 to 1812, and later served as the mission's choir director, solidifying Bautista's reputation as the "Mission of Music". Construction of the current mission church building began in 1803. During secularization, the mission housed survivors of the Donner Party, and contains some of their artifacts to this day. Major restorations took place in 1884, 1949, and 2010. It was featured in the film Vertigo. The church is not part of the state park and charges a separate entrance fee. $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 veterans, Free for children under 5 years. 2 San Juan Bautista State Historic Park, 200 Washington St (3 miles east from US-101 on California Route 156, turn left on the Alameda, then right on Washington), ☏ +1 831 623-4526. 10AM–4:30PM. The main attraction is the plaza, with adobe buildings built by the local Ohlone/Amah–Mutsun people in the early Spanish and Colonial Monterey styles. These have been turned into museums showing the Spanish and Mexican era. The four main historic building are the Plaza Hotel, the Zanetta House/Plaza Hall, the Plaza Stables, and the Castro-Breen Adobe. The old stable displays horse and buggy transportation.

San Juan Bautista is a few miles off US Highway 101. To get there, go east on California State Route 156 (exit 345) or south on the San Juan Highway (exit 347)