California Missions
 

Driving from Los Angels to Sonoma. Want to see 4 of the most interesting missions in that area. Have already been to Carmel, Ines, Santa Barbara. Any advice?

San Miguel and San Juan Bautista.

San Juan de Compostela.

San Antonio de Padua

San Juan Bautista.

Check out the famous Vertigo fall, interspersed with other video of the Mission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zno4nlLWY8

The full movie scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjPCk494e5Q

I'm assuming you have the Mission in Sonoma covered.

You can check out the other missions on youtube.

San Antonia de Padua. It is still surrounded by fields, so it seems like you are back in 1700 or so!

No love for La Purisima?

San Miguel is very nice and very close to 101. It is the least renovated of the list and has a lovely chapel with native American artwork
Bautista is also just a few minutes from 101 and is in a nice setting with vintage buildings. It has the largest church of all the missions.
Purisma is a bit of a drive but has an authentic feel and surroundings.
Padua is also quite a few miles off 101 and is located on an army base so make sure your car's paperwork is in order.
Both Purisima and Padua are greatly reconstructed.

San Miguel is very nice and very close to 101. It is the least renovated of the list and has a lovely chapel with native American artwork
Bautista is also just a few minutes from 101 and is in a nice setting with vintage buildings. It has the largest church of all the missions.
Purisma is a bit of a drive but has an authentic feel and surroundings.
Padua is also quite a few miles off 101 and is located on an army base so make sure your car's paperwork is in order.
Both Purisima and Padua are greatly reconstructed.

La Purisima is interesting because it is an attempt at a historical reconstruction (rebuilt by the CCC), with outer buildings and a setting that gives an idea of what missions originally were.

http://www.lapurisimamission.org/

La Purisima is also worth a stop and has nice little historical display. The tour info is very useful for,a self tour and sometimes docents are available.

A little off 101 is Mission Soledad. Very small but in a quite, rural setting.

Should be 'quiet'

Hope you have already visited San Diego's 3 Missions. :)