San Juan Bautista is a special place, coming to town feels like a step back in time. One of California's twenty-one missions, and located right on the fault-line along San Andreas fault it has both historical and geologic interest. 

But, because there is so much more to do then have a fine meal at one of our many eating establishments, and there are many, choose from casual to elegant, indoor or patio with traditional Mexican fare, Italian, Salvadorian, California or continental cuisine, and after lunch or dinner you might want to take a stroll down to one our saloons and enjoy a cocktail while you listen to some music.

San Juan is widely known for its selection of shops and boutiques ranging from clothing, glassworks, candy, clocks, Christmas ornaments, weaving, artifacts, Indian jewelry, art galleries, and antiques.

San Juan is rich with history, you can find an abundance of turn of the century architecture, showcasing interiors decorated with preserved relics of the era. You will see Victorian and renaissance revival influences through out the city, bringing to life the color and the past of old San Juan.

You can always find something going on in San Juan, like the "living history" in this event people dress like they did back in that era, or take in a theatrical presentation, performed by the famous Teatro Campesino, other yearly events include: sweetheart day, cactus and succulent show, arts and crafts, peddlers fair, Indian spring market, flea market, Cabrillo music festival, La Posada procession, candle light tour. And then of course there is the pride of San Juan and the main reason people come from all over the country to visit us, I'm talking about our spectacular mission.

The mission was named after Saint John the Baptist, which is also where this little town got its name from. A Roman Catholic pilgrimage led by the Father Junipero Serra, was to bring Christianity to the wilderness, the franciscan friars chose this area to build its 15th, and most spectacular mission, which they named San Juan Bautista. Around the mission grew a Mecca of travel and commerce and became a growing little town.
San Juan's destiny to become a landmark happened when the South Pacific Rail Road arrived in near by Hollister by passing San Juan Bautista. You can still see and tour many of the original buildings used in that era at our state historic park.