Alright California!! This Place is Cali Gold. The Historic Value of this place is Second to None. There is so Much History in its relationship to the Development of California. The grounds are very very well kept and the Guided tour is a must to get the most out of this Mission. Visit the Chapel on sight and the Ruins of the Original Chapel. Wow it's incredible. Great for Photos, a Date Day, and exploring for the whole family. Don't miss it. It's incredible and a must see for everyone!

We had the opportunity to photograph S & K's first look at Mission San Juan Capistrano, and it was truly a dream setting for capturing timeless portraits. From the soft stone textures to the iconic arches and bell wall, every corner of the Mission offered a stunning visual backdrop. The light was beautiful throughout the day, filtered, warm, and natural, ideal for both candid and editorial shots. There’s a peaceful, historic charm to the space that elevated the emotional energy of the first look, creating a moment that felt private, sacred, and cinematic. We would highly recommend the Mission to couples looking for a location that combines California history, natural beauty, and elegant architecture. It’s a gem for storytelling. — Anastasia

Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of my favorite places to visit because it holds a lot of fond memories for me. There have been many changes to the mission - especially after the pandemic. The East Gate is no longer open. You have to go through the tour to get into the original chapel. This was the side entrance we used to enter through when we went to Sunday morning Mass as a family. I love that the original Serra Chapel is still intact so visitors can marvel at the intricate details of the altar, handpainted walls, wooden pews, and the St. Peregrine Chapel. The grounds are also well-maintained and I especially love every bit of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Some of the newer things I liked was how they cleaned up the fountain and added koi fish. Overall, I love MSJC and how much of its history is preserved to this day. It’s a beautiful site to visit and to pray. I also always end my visits with a trip to their gift shop. The ladies who work there are wonderful.

What a beautiful, well maintained mission! Although there is now a fee to enter, it’s well worth the price. You can spend an hour or a day just walking the gardens and visiting the chapel. At the exit, there is a church store fulled with books, cards, collectibles, and other artifacts. It’s a fun outing! We are glad we took the time to visit!

This is such a beautiful mission. My kids had a fun time walking/running around and exploring. We were on vacation for my son’s Birthday and they gave us a discounted price because of that ❤️ Some of the areas were not easily accessible with our stroller - so my husband and I had to lift the stroller and carry it up the stairs to get around to the area on the path (the walkway was blocked due to set up for an event). Thankfully we could do that. We probably spent about 2 hours here. I do want to revisit with my kids and see the things we didn’t spend much time looking at. There is plenty of parking around - outside you just have to drive around to find it.

This is a beautiful and well taken care of Mission. Lots of stories told here about the indigenous people and how this Mission was successful and created things for trade. This place takes you back in time and explains the story of the swallow. I live in the area now and bring friends here to enjoy the beauty!

From the moment you walk, it exudes history. The landscaping throughout is lively and inspiring. Definitely gave me some ideas for my outdoor garden. Dog friendly, except inside exhibits. Preservation is top notch. Very clean grounds and not as packed as I expected it to be since it was Father's Day. Free audio guides available too! You learn a lot about history. I really enjoyed the church! It was jaw dropping.

This place is AMAZING we’ve been coming here for 3 years since my toddlers were babies. First off thank you for considering military members, children under 3 free and for the beautiful renovations that have been made. We gladly are here the moment they open for 2-3 hours, there are animals, you can feed animals, tractor ride age 3+, a train ride, excavator ride, a pony ride, lamas, a playground!!!! Like everything your child would want lol. There’s new shops & a food like 10 steps away. Great job zoomars your employees are also great!!!!

Over priced, but solid petting zoo with many cash upgrade options. We paid online, but it turns out kids under 3 are free. Sorry, all sales final. We still had to wait to get in. Their waiver is a pain in the ass… You pay to park, you pay $6 for a small container of salad to feed the animals. They have tons of add on activities, but each for a price. The petting zoo itself is pretty small. We paid like 60 bucks for my wife and I to take our 2 year old to a petting zoo the size of a classroom. On the positive side, it is shaded, and your kid will have a great time for about 30 minutes. With kids so far removed from farms, it’s a great experience in a convenient location. Also have very nice restaurant and beer options next door (since you paid to park already) Good experience, good convenience and consistently overpriced.

A bit overpriced but kids under 3 are free. Make sure to sign the waiver while in line, or they may make you turn around and get out of line to do so. It didn’t seem they had printed ones available instead. There was a very long line for the excavator attraction and not much communication as to what was taking so long - seemed like arbitrary wait times per ride. Thankfully there was a playground right by the line to preoccupy the kids while the adults waited. The petting zoo itself was nice. We pet and fed goats, llamas, alpacas, and llampacas and saw chickens, pigs, an emu, and chickens. I believe the bunnies and guinea pigs were not out today because it was too hot, which was understandable, and I’m grateful they seemed to be considerate of the animals and their diets (in addition, there was a sign by the rabbit enclosure saying they were on a diet & to only feed select vegetables).

Worth it, they are expanding too. Adult $16, Kids $13. A very walkable and clean petting zoo with a kid sized replica western town. Instead of feeding the animals with pellets they have real veggies for you to hand out.

Really nifty spot to bring the little ones to. Like many others have said, make sure you are filling out the waivers while waiting line. It will save you and everyone else a ton of time waiting in the sun. While you’ll probably come for the animals, there are loads of other things to do with a playground and makeshift western setup along the wall. There a nice jail area where you can take photos of your kiddos in jail. Beware, our kiddo got their head stuck inside the jail bars, but don’t fret, just tell them to walk forward, and they will find freedom.

My 8 year old niece and I had a fantastic time while there. My only complaint is how expensive it has gotten. I know they have to pay to take care of the animals and pay the employees but it was rather expensive to get in and nothing was included. We still had to buy food to feed the animals and do other activities. We were only there for about an hour and a half and spent nearly $100. A little too rich for my pocketbook

Clean, well organized, on the smaller size which is great if you want to keep an eye on your kids and not be overwhelmed. Train, playground and next to many food options.

The mecca of cover bands and historic singers songwriters and concert hall for all; San Juan's diamond in the rough offers bands and events of all kinds. I was invited by bass player Mikhail, to the U2 experience and boy was it an experience!!! They also included a Cold play tribute that was to die for! The lead singer was awesome and the coach house was packed! 400+ppl, not bad crowd for a Thursday date night!! Can't wait till this band plays again!!

We thoroughly enjoyed Judy Collins at the Coach House! The venue is intimate and the perfect place to see a legend. We enjoyed her stories and humor. Her voice was amazing, still has those crystal high notes. The service and food were great too!

Great venue for live music, with an EXCELLENT sound system (and a clearly talented sound crew). The food and drink are a little expensive, but I suppose that's par for the course for any establishment like this one these days. And, you're not going for the food anyway!

Let me start off by saying my husband and I go to the coach House often, we have seen some great shows. Saturday, September 6, 2025. We did a spur of the moment, buy some tickets to see Devon Allman. Almond Brothers are one of many favorites for my hubby. I went along for the ride lol. I knew nothing of him. All I knew, he’s the son of the late, great! Greg Allman. Let me say!!This was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen at the coach house. I wish I can remember all the names. The opening act was a young lady very bayou southern, Who was a one Man band. She had that sultry, Bluey, rockabilly style. Great opener for what was yet to come. Then, Devon Allman and his fantastic band started to play. All I can say is WOW. 🤯 They were all so amazing, at one point there were 11 people on stage, calling in fellow musicians Who has played with the best of the best. I can’t begin to tell you how interactive, entertaining they all are. Devon’s voice is amazing as well as all the other appearances. Such talent, All on one stage. Everyone absolutely loved what they do and it showed. Again, Can’t recall all the names. There was a black gentleman who can play and sing like nobody’s business. The new B.B. King. He sang my favorite song, soul shine.. There’s a black lady Who has the voice of an angel, When she sang, you felt it. All I can say is…if you have the opportunity to see Devon Allman.. Don’t miss it! If you weren’t a fan, you will become one. My husband and I have been to many concerts, and have paid a lot of money for some big named bands. I tell you, you can’t beat the coach House for the best intimate seating. Hoping they bring some more big names in. Hats off to the coach house for the many years of bringing great talents to our city. I have to add in… with a full house, you get great service, can be a little pricey, But we enjoy their steak dinner 😋 My cocktails were pretty good too 🥴 let’s see if I can add some clips

My wife and I have never had a bad meal yet. We’ve had the chicken, filet mignon, New York steak, swordfish etc. All meticulously prepared to order and delicious. We’ve seen Spyro Gyra, Bacon Brothers, Piano Guys, Super Diamond and others. Fantastic shows. Super service and loads of great fun. These pix are of Super Diamond on 8/23/25.

I have never seen Judy Collins before, just admired her from afar! Wonderful venue, great sound, dinner before was delicious too!

They have a good selection of bands for the area, which is the major plus for this venue! The house band is also good! The local band that played before the house band was horrible, so I don't recommend being there early. The seats are uncomfortable and there are too many people squeezed in at each table. We gave up our seats close to the stage and went back to the bar. They wouldn't have to require a minimum food purchase if the food was good.

Not much to do at this park. Fire ants always all over the place, consistently. Bathrooms are scarce. Hikes can can be an option or visiting the Nature Center. fun if you have a big group but remember to camp away from the ants.

Absolutely stunning camping spot. Beautiful views and deeper into nature while still being close to urban areas. Water is sparse, so be prepared to bring your own sources. Fire pits, tables, and grill is provided. Currently portapoopers are common since the running water is out in some areas.

RV campground with power and water hookups. Yes, it is next to the hwy but the noise was not annoying plus at night was super quiet. We could hear the owls and coyotes, the campground was super clean and park staff super welcoming and helpful. They also have wood bundles for $5.00

5 stars for convenience. You want to get away from it all but not too far? This is your place. It's one of the few OC parks which offers camping, 30 minutes from the beach, and can offer dark skies. Fire pits and firewood are offered, which I find contrary to SoCal fire prevention warnings. However, we all appreciate an open fire during a cool evening.

Even though it's right off the highway, our campground was quiet and peaceful. The trails were amazing for hiking and there is a small nature center with some absolutely amazing views. Photos are taken from the view deck of the nature center. Power and water worked in our site, and check in and out was smooth and easy. It was a wonderful campsite at a fraction of the cost and headache of booking through a state or national park.

Site #12. We have visited this OC County Park several times camping in the Live Oak Loop. The last time we were there, drought had caused the closure of restrooms and showers, but relatively clean Porta-Potties with hand wash stations are scattered around. Very friendly Rangers stopped by to chat and made us feel welcomed. Miles of hiking trails with great views of the surrounding hills. We didn't get to visit the Nature Center but will try to the next time.

If you go during the week, it can be very peaceful, with the lack of people. However, the only time the Nature Center is open is during the weekend. The nature center also has a great view. You can still enjoy the view just outside the nature center when it's closed. There is also an old windmill and coral. There are multi use trails and a campground, which I stayed at and love. Afterward, I recommend taking the Ortega Hwy (Hwy 74) to Lake Elsinore.

We stopped in for a few minutes while in town for another activity. We are so glad we did. Each of the children did Mission projects while in school. It is a blessing to be able to stop by and look at history.

Beautiful church with great art and architecture. A great place to pray or simply relax. Note: This is NOT the original mission built in 1776. For that you have to walk down the block and pay the admission fee. The basilica church is free to enter and is an active parish.

Big church in the Spanish style. Beautiful golden altar. It had a feel of Europe meeting the New World. Church is free but $18 if you want to visit the museum and old mission grounds. Lots of restaurants and souvenir shops around and more on the other side of the train tracks on River Street

And very beautiful Church. It makes it easy for praying, that is raising your mind and heart to God. The retablo is very much like one that you would see in an old European Church. You can be a Jesus Lover for an art lover or a historian an experience the greatness and the beauty of this wonderful Mission basilica

Enjoy the beautiful interior and serene ambiance of the Mission Basilica!

Beautiful and peaceful church

We came to check out the mission and saw this building from outside was beautiful, and to our amazement, the inside is even better and just feels powerful and peaceful, to say the least. Kinda speechless when we stumbled upon inside. It's free to enter, by the way. Please di yourself a favor and drop in if you are nearby!

Great place to visit with the whole family.

So, I purchased a ticket for the History Walk yesterday and the guide was a no-show. The gentleman at the ticket booth tried calling, and I walked over to the history center--which was closed. I'd still like to go. May I please have my donation applied to a future History Walk?

What a wonderful gem of local history. The Halloween ghost tour was so much fun. I look forward to the Christmas celebration there. The docents and volunteers really care and are excited about what they do.

Amazing how, when and who helped to build this now Historic site!

These photos are from years ago when I was involved in some remediation work there at San Juan Capistrano. It was really nice being there when it was closed and I had the run of the place. A beautiful experience. I highly recommend it.

A gem of a historical destination. Worth a drive from anywhere. Well-preserved, informative, and awe-inspiring. Highly recommend!

Great day trip! Lots of history. Lived in California all my life and this was my first time visiting.