San Juan Bautista, CA

We highly recommend this small town as a daytrip from San Jose and the San Francisco Bay area. It was named after Mission San Juan Bautista, located adjacent to the downtown commercial district. This Spanish mission is the largest in California. The San Juan Bautista Historic Park can be found between the mission and downtown. The park includes several structures built in the 1800s. The four main historic museums are the Plaza Hotel, the Zanetta House/Plaza Hall, the Plaza Stables, and the newly reopened Castro-Breen Adobe. The Juan Bautista de Anza House, the General José Castro house, and the San Juan Bautista Plaza Historic District are National Historic Landmarks. Interest in California history is not the only reason visitors are drawn to this small town. Since 1971, live theatre performances have been conducted at El Teatro Campesino, located at 705 Fourth Street. Several retail shops and restaurants also cater to the needs of visitors.