San Juan Bautista, California, is a charming town with early California history landmarks. It is home to one of California’s most scenic and well-preserved Spanish-era missions, Mission San Juan Bautista. Surrounded by Galilan Mountain Range and Flint Hills and located on San Andreas Fault, San Juan Bautista has a nationally registered historic district, a quaint Main Street, and historic adobes. It’s a true gem for history buffs and architecture enthusiasts!
We absolutely fell in love with the little town and had the pleasure of visiting it multiple times throughout the years. We think it is a perfect destination for a day trip from the San Francisco Bay Area and one of the towns not to miss when you are in that part of California. In this blog post, we will highlight the top 10 things to do in San Juan Bautista.
Location
San Juan Bautista is located in San Benito County in Central Coast California. This little town is about a 2-hour drive from San Francisco, California, and 1 hour from San Jose, California.
💡 Good to Know
San Juan Bautista sits right on San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas Fault runs along the historic “El Camino Real”, just down the stairs from the Mission San Juan Bautista.
What are the Top Things to do In San Juan Bautista?
1. Visit Mission San Juan Bautista
The main attraction of San Juan Bautista is undoubtedly Mission San Juan Bautista. This beautiful Spanish mission was established in 1797 by Fermín Lasuén and was named after Saint John the Baptist.
It is the 15th out of 21 missions established in California. Interestingly, the city of San Juan Bautista is named after this mission.
Every Sunday, the Mission San Juan Bautista has a Weekend Mass at 8:30 am and 10 am in English and at 12:00 pm and 1:30 PM in Spanish.
2. Explore San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park is a nationally recognized historic area next to Mission San Juan Bautista. This location was once considered the “town square” for a town in Central California and a popular gateway for travel between the north and south.
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Within the park, visitors can explore various structures from the 1800s. These days, the Plaza Hotel, the Plaza Stables, the Zanetta House/Plaza Hall, and the Castro-Breen Adobe are serving as historical museums.
Additionally, the park has a blacksmith shop, a historic jail, and an early American settler’s cabin.
💡 Good to know
Fun fact – Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Vertigo was filmed in San Juan Bautista State Park and Mission San Juan Bautista. Hence, the State Park organizes free movie showings right on the Plaza lawn, where it was filmed. This year the Vertigo Movie Night is on September 30th at 8 pm!
If you are lucky to visit the park on the 1st Saturday of the month (from 11 am to 3:30 pm), you can enjoy the Day of Living History at San Juan Bautista Historic Park.
On this day, you can experience a day in an Old West town, with docents dressed as the characters of early San Juan Bautista life. We enjoyed different demonstrations, such as how to start a fire or pan gold.
3. Stroll through Historic Downtown
If you happen to be in San Juan Bautista, make sure to visit the quaint Main Street. With historic, colorful buildings, little shops, antique stores, and restaurants – Main Street has something to explore for everyone.
4. Visit the Juan De Anza House
You shouldn’t miss the Juan de Anza House located on San Juan Bautista’s Third Street. This adobe house is one of the oldest buildings in the area, dating back to 1834. It is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and was built during Mexico’s reign.
4. Visit Settler’s Cabin
Visit Settle’s Cabin, a rustic log cabin dating back to 1835, located on the corner of 2nd and Mariposa Streets. You can even peek inside to see the attributes of early pioneer living.
A spacious yard around the cabin is filled with lush greenery, making it an ideal spot to relax and take a break or even have a picnic.
5. Dine at Jardines de San Juan
One of our old-time favorite dining spots in San Juan Bautista is the restaurant Jardines de San Juan. It is a family-owned restaurant that has been operating since 1977. Not only will you be delighted with authentic Mexican Cuisine, but you will also be amazed by the beautiful, lush garden patio this restaurant has.
Dining outside at Jardines de San Juan is like having an experience where you savor your delicious food and enjoy the colors of blooming flowers and the succulent-cacti collection.
6. Have Ice cream at Margot’s Ice cream Parlor
Who does not love a good ice cream on a hot (or not) day? Margot’s Ice Cream Parlor in San Juan Bautista is a place to go if you crave sweets. It is a small ice cream shop with a great ice cream and handmade chocolate/cookie selection.
7. Take a picture with giant Agave Americana
Spot a giant Agave Americana located not far from Downtown San Juan Bautista. It is amazing how tall these amazing agave plants can grow, a really impressive size!
9. Spot the street-roaming chickens
Chickens and roosters are definitely locals here in San Juan Bautista, roaming the streets unbothered. Our girls thought it was hilarious to spot them and spend some time watching them peck some grains and worms from the ground. Once, we were even lucky to see some chicks!
10. Go Hiking
If you have ever wondered if you can hike on those beautiful hills surrounding San Juan Bautista, the answer is yes.
We took the San Juan Bautista De Anza Trail. It was a relatively easy, not busy hike with gorgeous views.
Trailhead: Salinas Rd. and Old Stage Coach Road intersection
Round-trip Distance: 5.2 miles round trip
Time: 2.5 hours
Level: easy to moderate
Elevation: 833 feet
If you are up for more serious hiking, consider visiting Pinnacles National Park, located within a 50-minute drive from San Juan Bautista. You can read more about visiting Pinnacles National Park here.
