San Juan Capistrano

A couple of weeks ago I made a day trip down to San Juan Capistrano to see the beautiful Mission. I had been wanting to see the Mission for awhile and finally was able to make the trip down to see it! I was totally blown away by how stunningly gorgeous the Mission is. It is truly breathtaking and a must see! I went on a Sunday so the church bells were ringing which added to the beauty of the area.

Not only is the Mission itself breathtaking with its gorgeous stone walls but the area and gardens around it make you feel like you have stepped into a different world. It almost has an Italian or a Spanish feel to it with arched doorways, colorful flowers and an amazing view everywhere you turn. Below are some photos I captured while visiting.

When you walk into the Mission (after paying and getting a map or automated tour if you like) you step into the first garden area with the gorgeous Mission and bells right ahead of you. An American flag was hung on the day that I went but I don’t know if it is always hanging there.

There is a huge Koi pond with gorgeous water lilies (like the one above) floating in it. Everywhere you look, flowers are in bloom! I am a huge fan of desert plants and it was lovely to see cacti and flowers side by side!

Walking up to the Mission was so breathtaking. It looks so ancient (it is 239 years old!) and this makes it all the more amazing.

Walking around the back of the Mission offered great views of the palm trees growing in the back right by the tiniest of windows! I had to share my slightly distorted vertical panoramic photo (below) making the palm trees look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

The garden around the back of the Mission was so beautiful; I found the prickly pear flowers (below) to be particularly interesting to photograph!

There was what looked to be another chapel alongside a cemetery behind the Mission where the most amazing bright pink flowers were blooming! This led into a little area behind the bells which was so lovely and decorated with tons of potted succulents! (Photos below).

The buildings on the rest of the grounds were so unique with their arched doorways. I found this particular building to be so amazing with its ivy-covered walls. It was near the old wine vats – yes, the Mission has its own grapes and made its own wine!

Below are more photos of the flora and fauna of the Mission! Gorgeous flowers and amazing cacti at every turn, plus I even saw a couple of lizards hanging out in the sun!

If you would like to learn more about the San Juan Capistrano Mission and its history, visiting hours and more head to their website at www.missionsjc.com and start planning your visit! I would highly recommend this amazingly beautiful place.