Which mission to see in CA?
 

Yes, DH is going up the coast with a friend from AL. Purpose of the trip is to relocate to OR, but they plan to stop and smell the poppies along the way. They are going up the 101 most of the way. Not too many stops going Palm Desert to San Jose the first day. Then, stay the night with some family (for the good free meal with lots of laughs), then for day two, up through San Fransisco, across the golden gate then up the road to maybe, Crescent City for a quick look at the Redwoods.

So the question is, on that route, which mission would you recommend for a quick visit, just so AL friend can get a good idea of the mission history. Thanks all Fodorites...

I think anyone who drives that route would want to stop at Capistrano. Not that the mission is that spectacular compared to others, but just because.

We also enjoyed the mission in Santa Barbara.

Not a mission, but a good Santa Barbara stop is the courthouse. It is often used for movie/tv courthouse scenes in CA and is a really interesting building. DH and I walked around, peeked in courtrooms that were idle and climbed the stairs to the tippy-top viewing the rose window as well as the vistas. The employees were very friendly and gave us much interesting information.

San Luis Obispo is a good one, and it combines with the nice downtown area there for a break.

San Luis Obispo would be a good choice as it is in center of downtown with good restaurants around. If you're there on a Thursday--have a great Farmer's Mkt.with many food booths and crafts for sale & produce and flowers..
Wonderful history on Mession's web site.
Also only 12 miles over Morro Bay to Highway one which goes up the coast to Carmel-Monterey. Of course since Monterey was once the capital of California it is FULL early CA history..
Good luck.

San Antonio de Padua is the most isolated mission but Mission La Purísima Concepción is also in the countryside and has been reconstructed with its outer buildings, giving a good sense of how the missions functioned.

the carmel mission if pretty neat too

Since they're traveling rapidly up 101, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, or Monterey missions would be the best options.

I'd probably choose SLO for the reasons mentioned.

I like San Antonio for it's remote location, but with the drive from Palm Desert to San Jose, I wouldn't really want anything too far off the route - I think San Antonio will at about 30 minutes to the drive.

I like San Juan Bautista a lot - not just for the mission, but the town itself. This is very close to San Jose, so it doesn't make that great of a stopping point.

Mission Carmel is good too - again it is closer to San Jose though, so by the time they get that far, they will probably just want to get to their destination.

We've been to all 21 of them, some take more time than others, and once to SF you run out of missions. I like the idea of SLO, not my favorite since it's a working parish church, but it's right there, easy to see, and back on the road.

"and once to SF you run out of missions"

What about Mission Dolores? It's IN San Francisco!

And continue north - Sonoma Mission.

Hey, we never run out of missions :))

Yes - Junipero was quite prolific - LOL.

Personally I like La Purisma near Lompoc the best.

Not only is it the best example of mission architecture but it also much more restored than some of the other missions like San Juan Capistrano. You can get a really good sense of what the missions were like in their heyday at La Purisma; something that I didn't find at any of the other missions.

Here are a couple of links to help you decide which mission your DH would like to visit:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=22722

http://www.missiontrailtoday.com/code/mission21.htm

Finally an area where I feel some degree of expertise. As a fourth grade teacher I teach the missions every year.Two summers ago I visited all twenty-one California Missions.
If you are going up 101 I feel that San Juan Bautista would be the best bet.
It's only a few minutes from 101. The setting of the mission is unspoiled and surrrounded by historic buildings. It features the largest church in the mission chain. It is situated next to a segment of the Camino Real and next to the San Andreas fault.
San Juan Capistrano is the most beautiful but is not on your route.

I've been to most of the missions.
I love the one in San Diego but it is not on your route. Maybe another time.

I love San Antonio in Hunter Ligget (used to be incorporated on a Military Base).
It is wonderful because it is surrounded by mountains, hills, rolling countryside, streams, in other words like it was probably 100 years ago.
It is far off the beaten track so unless you are REALLY into missions I would opt for one in a city on your route.