San Juan Bautista State Historic Park

On By nationalparkswithtIn California
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San Francisco Bay Area➢

In October of 2025, I flew to the San Francisco Bay Area for a long weekend to visit my cousin, who had been battling a serious illness. Her partner had spent the past two years balancing work with full-time caregiving, so we made a point of getting out for a few day trips while also spending time at my cousin’s bedside. We had originally planned to visit several National Park Service sites, but a federal government shutdown began the day I arrived, closing them all. Fortunately, California’s outstanding state park system gave us plenty to explore instead. Over the next few days, we visited towering redwoods, coastal beaches, historic sites, wildlife sanctuaries, and scenic reservoirs, proving that even with unexpected changes, the Bay Area offers no shortage of memorable places to discover.

In my rented Prius, I visited Portola Redwoods, Natural Bridges, Cowell Redwoods, Old St. Hilary’s Historic Preserve, Burlingame Shorebird Sanctuary, Lafayette Reservoir, and San Juan Bautista State Historic Park. Though I’ve visited the area many times over the years, these were all new parks for me.

San Juan Bautista State Historic Park➢

The last stop on my San Francisco Bay Area trip was San Juan Bautista State Historic Park. My cousin and I spent a day exploring this historic town and its collection of buildings from California’s early days. Although the mission was closed when we visited, we could still walk around its grounds. The other historic buildings were open because they are part of the state park.

San Juan Bautista played an important role in California’s early history. The town grew around Mission San Juan Bautista, founded by Spanish missionaries in 1797. The mission became a center of religious life and agriculture in the region. The nearby El Camino Real connected it with other Spanish missions throughout California.

San Juan Bautista State Historic Park preserves several historic buildings that show what life was like in the town during the 19th century. We explored the grounds and visited the buildings that were open, getting a look at the community that developed around the mission. The historic district includes homes, commercial buildings, and other structures that help tell the story of early California.

Although we missed seeing the inside of the mission, we still had plenty to explore. Walking around the grounds and through the historic buildings made this a worthwhile final stop on our trip. After several days visiting redwood forests, coastal parks, and other Bay Area destinations, it was a fitting way to end our visit.

Bay Area Posts➢

Location: 19 Franklin Street, San Juan Bautista, California
Designation: State Park
Date designated/established: 1933
Date of my visit: October 6, 2025

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