San Juan Capistrano is a coastal town of population approximately 36,000, less than five miles from the beach. It enjoys a wonderful year-round climate with temperatures ranging around the mid-70s during the day to the mid-40s at night. The centerpiece of the city’s rich history is Mission San Juan Capistrano, considered “The Jewel” of the California Missions. It is beautifully preserved and daily audio tours are offered of its beautiful grounds. You will be amazed at the flowers that are in bloom even in the middle of January! Michaela’s Dad was a docent and led group tours of the Mission for over ten years and would be happy to share with you his love for this special place.

The El Adobe Restaurant has its own place in the history of SJC. It is one of the oldest buildings in town (1797); It was originally built as a hospital to house people injured in the earthquake which took down the first San Juan Capistrano Mission.  The outdoor chapel space was actually used to say Mass while the Mission was being rebuilt so the altar has been consecrated by the Catholic Church.  It became a stagecoach stop, courthouse and even a town jail, which the El Adobe has since turned into a wine cellar and private dining area.  We hope you will enjoy the beauty and rich history of San Juan Capistrano as we do!

There are many other fun things to do in town such as visiting Zoomar's Petting Zoo, a handful of different wine bars and shops, The Tea House Restaurant, The Ramos House, and The Swallows Inn Bar.  San Juan Capistrano is also about a ten minute drive from the Dana Point Harbor and fifteen minutes from the Pier in San Clemente.  If you are planning to extend your stay and venture out of San Juan, there is a train station right in the center of town that can take you anywhere up or down the California Coastline.

The “new” parish church, Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, is adjacent to the “old” historic Mission. (You can even go to a Latin Mass at the historic Mission chapel at 8 a.m. on Sunday, if you happen to be up that early!)  All of this is within a one-mile area, with the El Adobe right in the middle. If the weather cooperates, you can easily walk the area. Otherwise, the Best Western shuttle remains an option.

Be sure to visit www.visitsjc.com, an excellent resource about the city, past and present. You can read the detailed history, the legend of the swallows, and find a lot of very useful and practical information like walking tour guides and local maps.