Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded on November 1, 1776 under the direction of Padre Junipero Serra. One tiny crumbling edifice remains from the original building, while the artfully restored mission remains true to character and detail and acts as a testament of the past to preserve the region's foundations for kids and adults to learn about now.
Situated in a coastal valley only one mile from the Pacific Ocean near beach cities Dana Point, Laguna Beach and San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano features an old fashioned square where there's an Amtrak train stopping at the depot. Everything within the shopping and Mission district is just a short walk from the train. The Los Rios district includes includes 31 historic structures along Los Rios Street between Del Obispo and Mission Streets. Be sure to check out the shops, historic buildings and charm that feels as if you have stepped back in time.
San Juan Capistrano is halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, and is directly off the 1-5 Freeway or San Joaquin Tollway, designated by well-marked signage.
THE MISSION: Mission San Juan Capistrano
has been the center of Orange County
since its founding by Padre Junipero
Serra on November 1, 1776. Today, it is
one of California's most important
historical, cultural, and educational
centers. Mission San Juan Capistrano is
the 7th of 21 Spanish Missions
established in California by Franciscan
Padres. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas &
Good Friday p.m. Ortega Highway at
Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.
From Interstate 5, take Ortega Highway
west two blocks to the Mission entrance.
For information, call (949) 248-2040
(Hours are subject to change, always
call before going.)
Left: Damien Shilo, Chairman of the
Juaneņo Band of Mission Indians,
Acjachemen Nation, whose ancestors built
the mission. Return of the Swallows
Celebration includes dancing, food,
swallows, story telling and more. In
1915, Mary Pickford was married in the
Mission chapel.
Thousands of years before San Juan
Capistrano had a mission, protectors of
the pristine Southern California coast
lived with a different premise than
those that came to conquer and claim.
The Acjachemen (A-hash-she-men) Nation
of native Americans lived and continue
to this day, as guardians or protectors
and keepers of the land they think of as
Mother Earth. Inhabiting a region which
spanned from Southern Los Angeles County
through western Riverside County and
south to northern San Diego County,
thousands of archaeological sites
contain the artifacts of a civilization
which lost its footing when a new wave
of immigration swept California in the
1700's. Read more information about 21
California Missions.
There are many books written and many
perspectives about the relationships
between native Americans and European
settlers to the region. Regardless of
sentiment, it is a fact that the mission
Indians built Mission San Juan
Capistrano, under the guidance of Fr.
Junipero Serra. In 225 years since the
mission bells were mounted, Damien Shilo
has followed in the footsteps of his
elders and worked hard to preserve a
culture which is the lifeblood for
thousands of Southern California
natives. Current efforts include
educational seminars and workshops,
involvement at archaeological sites and
lobbying to gain acknowledgment and
recognition of the Acjachemen Nation.
For more information, visit an
informative web site: juaneno.com/ or
call 949-488-3484 SWALLOWS FESTIVAL: The
Swallows Festival or "Fiesta de las
Golondrinas" is a two-month long
celebration of the return of the
swallows on March 19 of each year. The
festival begins in late February with
the "Taste of San Juan Reception". In
mid-March, Swallows Week is kicked off
with the President's Ball followed by a
week of events such as the Hairiest Man
Contest, Pets on Parade, Hat Contest,
Hoosegow Day, pancake breakfast, rodeo,
and the annual Swallows Day Parade. When
you go: Capistrano Seaside hotel sits
overlooks on the coast on the San Juan
Cliffs. Technically not in San Juan
Capistrano (which also is not a beach
city), the hotel offers beaches within
reach of the mission and downtown
shopping at San Juan Capistrano. Ideally
situated between the two coastal
destinations, Dana Point and San
Clemente, you may want to stay in some
lovely San Clemente Hotels. Whatever you
choose, you're bound to have a fantastic
vacation visiting one of California's
most interesting missions. WALKING TOUR:
Enjoy a free self-guided tour using the
City's own Walking Tour Brochure. These
beautiful maps, reproduced in Sunset
Magazine, provide visitors a walking
guide through San Juan Capistrano. To
obtain a Walking Tour Brochure, just
visit one of the six downtown street
signs (at El Camino Real/Ortega Highway,
in front of the Mission, at Camino
Capistrano and Verdugo, Camino
Capistrano and Yorba, in the Depot
waiting area, or at the kiosk adjacent
to the Depot, and at Acjachema and El
Camino Real).
LOS RIOS HISTORIC DISTRICT: The Los Rios
District includes 31 historic structures
which line both sides of Los Rios Street
between Del Obispo and Mission
Streets...> more
MUSEUMS: O'Neill Museum: Located in San
Juan Capistrano's Los Rios Historic
District. This rustic but genteel wooden
structure was one of the town's first
homes and provides today's visitors with
a charming glimpse of life one hundred
years ago. Located at 31831 Los Rios
Street, call for hours and admission
fees, if any. (949) 493-8444
Orange County Natural History Museum: In
the Franciscan Plaza at the corner of
Verdugo and Camino Capistrano (across
from the Mission in San Juan
Capistrano). An interesting array of
fossil displays, preserved specimens,
and live reptiles are on view. Monthly
lecture series and hands on
demonstrations available to the public.
Call for hours and admission fees, if
any. (949) 487-9155.