San Juan Bautista State Historic Park Day Trip

San Juan Bautista State Historical Park has a lot to say, but by the same token, San Juan Bautista offers a lot to see. San Benito County, San Juan Bautista Park is rich in history with museums and a beautiful California Mission.

San Juan Bautista is a beautiful day trip if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are not from the Bay Area, you would be well served to include it in your travel itinerary to enjoy a refreshing switch to a simpler time.

What will you see? Here are a few popular sites to consider: Starting at the State Park, where the rangers are most helpful, you can learn about what happened there during the mission era. Adjacent to the State Park is the actual San Juan Bautista Mission. This name and site may be familiar for many elementary school students in California.

Missions and California history, in general, are a fourth-grade standard in California elementary schools. It is an excellent experience for students to see firsthand what life was like and how buildings and towns were in that era.

There are four leading historical museums in the park. There is the Plaza Hotel, Zannetta House, The Plaza Stables, and the Castro-Breen Adobe. Additionally, you can see the historic jail, a blacksmith shop, and an early American settler’s cabin.

If you find yourself at San Juan Bautista State Historical Park on the first Saturday of the month, you can enjoy Living History. This event better displays life in these times with demonstrations by park docents in such skills as spinning, candle making, dancing, and loom weaving.

Throughout the year, there are other activities at the park, including The Early Days Celebration, which happens in June on Father’s Day Weekend. While in the city of San Juan Bautista, you can browse the shops, which include antique stores, clothing, home furnishings, and art galleries.

San Juan Bautista has several eateries. The best in town are Dona Esther Mexican Restaurant, Vertigo Coffee Roasters (coffee and pizza), and JJ’s Homemade Burgers (lovely patio). Hollister offers a more extensive selection of dining options and is only a fifteen-minute drive from the park.

On Sundays from 9 AM to 4 PM, you can visit the San Juan Bautista’s Farmer’s Market, which offers the best central coast produce you can get your hands on. The Farmer’s Market is downtown on Washington between Second and Third Streets.

If you enjoy Farmer’s markets, consider visiting Pinnacle Organic Farm and Farmers Market at 400 Duncan. Hours are 8-1 every Saturday year-round. They offer from season to season, but it’s always amazingly fresh and tasty.

San Benito County, the home of San Juan Bautista, has wineries that offer great tours and wines. Consider visiting any of them for a memento bottle of wine from your day here, or snag one to enjoy this evening at one lodging establishment while you relax and recall your day.

Schedule your time at San Juan Bautista as a full day. There is much to see and do, and the pace is relaxed, so you won’t want to rush through any part.

The park is at 19 Franklin St, San Juan Bautista, CA, 95045. Three miles east of Highway 101, 7 miles west of Hollister, and south of Gilroy. Plan on a two-hour drive from San Francisco.

More San Francisco Day Trip ideas

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Northern California Hidden Gems