Walking

Take a Walk Through History

Enjoy San Juan Bautista's rich California heritage at the perfect pace, one step at a time on this self-guided walking trail of historically significant sites. Home to California's largest Spanish era mission, nationally recognized State Historic Park and Downtown National Historic District, as you walk through San Juan Bautista you will gain an appreciation of California's people, from Native Americans to the Spanish and Mexican influences, to the early American period of the 19th century.

Your adventure begins at our name-sake, Old Mission San Juan Bautista, whose vast central plaza is surrounded by the San Juan Bautista State Historic Park. It then leads you through our downtown to visit adobes, stone, wooden and western false front early California structures, and then in the outlying areas of the city, to notable historic homes and sites of importance to our rich cultural history, each with its own captivating story.

A full walking trail brochure is available at the Welcome Center inside the San Juan Bakery at 319 3rd Street.