DMBTraveler

T&T,

What a great idea! I am jealous for two reasons. One, I used to live in S.Cal and your posts brings back some great memories.

Two, you are probably gonna have a movie made about this, "Mission Possible" and I am not going to be able to play Tom Cruise (Because I am booked until I am 139)

logandog

Well you have seen the most beautiful in my opinion.The ruins of the old stone church and the Serra Chapel make Capistrano hard to beat.
San Juan Bautista is my second favorite, close to 101 but located in a scenic spot.
Soledad is an odd one. Located all out by itself in the Salinas Valley it had a sad lonely vibe.
You can hit Ventura,Santa Barbara,Santa Ynez,Purissima,San Miguel and San Luis Obispo all in one trip and enjoy some wineries too.

nanabee

I've been to a most of the Missions.
I love San Diego de Alcala - I think it is still in use for services (we went to a lovely wedding there). San Antonio (as logandog mentioned) is on an Army base but very unspoiled without subdivisions, freeways, burger joints or any other signs of civilization - it seems very much like it would have been 200 years ago.

There were missions in baja in Mexico but have never been to any. Anyone else been?

maitaitom

DMBT - "I am not going to be able to play Tom Cruise"
I am going to play the old Martin Landau part and be disguised as Junípero Serra wearing a San Diego Padre uniform.

logandog, "You can hit Ventura,Santa Barbara,Santa Ynez,Purissima,San Miguel and San Luis Obispo all in one trip and enjoy some wineries too."
That's a great idea. I see a road trip in my near future.

I don't know how I missed out on those fourth grade Mission trips. Of course, I am so old that when I was in fourth grade, a lot of them hadn't been built yet.

sarge56

Tom, when the MaiTais are done with the CA missions, you might want to continue on to the Texas Missions. All 35 of them.

Just to get you started: http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/h...missions-texas

Happy travels. I love your trip reports! You may inspire me to do my own Texas mission tour! (I've been to the Alamo a couple of times. So, 1 down- 34 to go!)

maitaitom

sarge, I'll be lucky to get all 21 here in California before I join Bob Hope six-feet under (now there's a "Road" movie for you). I took time out from my Mission visits to go to the Getty last weekend, so am working on that report. Might be able to sneak another Mission in this weekend if I'm lucky. So sarge, get crackin' on those Texas Missions.

bardo1

T

socialworker

We will probably be moving to CA sometime next year and you gave me a great idea for a travel to do list when we get there.

We saw San Diego back in '85 and San Luis Obispo, altho only briefly, in '02 but there are so many others to see. And of course we have seen Nuestra Reina de Los Angeles.

I find them to have a strong spiritual aura and who knows, that may help to reawaken my previous faith. We will see....

Did your recent experience influence this choice of travel? (If that is too personal, feel free to ignore the question!)

maitaitom

"Did your recent experience influence this choice of travel? (If that is too personal, feel free to ignore the question!)"

No, it really didn't. It was more my curiosity about history and going to places I had never been before. But my "recent experience" obviously messed up a lot of plans. It made me think about my mortality, so this was more a spur-of-the-moment idea to get me off my butt and start traveling again and seeing as many places as possible before I go to that cozy "bed and breakfast' in the sky.

Giovanna

Sarge: Tom, when the MaiTais are done with the CA missions, you might want to continue on to the Texas Missions. All 35 of them>>

We visited San Antonio some years ago and after touring the Alamo (originally a Mission) went to the four nearby. It was a great way to spend the day. We found them similar to those in California, but different in some ways.

I didn't realize there were that many Missions in Texas. That might be a future trip for us.

maitaitom

So our brief Mission interlude (ok, it was eight months, but who's counting) was over, so we finally ventured out and hit a couple of the San Diego area missions in late April. First up is Misión San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside. Luckily, we picked a picture-perfect day, so Tracy, Mary and I (poor Kim had to work) took a little trip to see this mission (the fourth on my quest to visit all 21). Here is the report with photos. We liked this one a lot. Very pretty mission. We also visited the Mission San Diego de Alcalá on this trip, and I will get that one up with photos in the near future. It will be interesting to see if I can get in all 21 before I join Junipero Serra at that big bell tower in the sky.

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/...8_Entry_1.html

sassy_cat

I missed this last year but I've caught up.. sounds like an interesting mission and I love the photos of the gardens.

Will there be a Mission mission for the big 6-0 or are there bigger plans for your special day this year?

maitaitom

"Will there be a Mission mission for the big 6-0 or are there bigger plans for your special day this year?"

I don't think there will be any Mission visits on my birthday, but not too long ago 6o looked like Mission Impossible for me, so whatever we do should be fun.

sassy_cat

maitaitom, I'm glad you're still with us with plans to have fun

I've googled and found that I'll miss the Festival of the Bells by a few days but I still hope to visit one of the two San Diego Missions next month. Which one did you like best?

maitaitom

" Which one did you like best?"

Definitely, Misión San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside.

Otis_B_Driftwood

Yes, San Luis Rey is a beautiful mission. However, you have not finished your quest because the missions of Baja California beckon. These are the first of the California Mission chain.

maitaitom

Otis, I still have 16 more missions in California to see. I have a long way to go.

suze

Oh yeah!!! Does that ever brings back memories. Born and raised in southern California in the 50/60's. I LOVE the missions, what a great project to pursue, maitaitom and tracy.

maitaitom

Today's installment of Mission Possible takes us to the very first mission, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá . We also pay a visit to The Presidio. Only 16 more!!!

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/...9_Entry_1.html

tomarkot

Maitaitom, we really enjoy your reports on the CA missions, as well as other wonderful places to visit in your area. Being midwesterners, we've been to only a few of the missions. Our latest was San Juan Capistano. We were staying in Delmar, and enjoyed the train trip there. Not only do we enjoy visiting the missions, but capping off our visits with some good vino and/or a nice meal really completes the experiences! Thanks for sharing the wealth of wonderful attractions in your area of the country! We feel like "Californians at heart!"