Downtown Is Rich in California History

A walking tour of a two-block area of downtown San Juan Capistrano offers visitors a primer in California history and a variety of family activities throughout the holidays.

At the center of the city is the 220-year-old Mission San Juan Capistrano, where parents and children learn about the old West, Native Americans and the people who came to the mission and settled in south Orange County. It includes a museum, exhibits and tours led by mission docents.

The mission will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day during the holidays except New Year’s Day. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and children. For information, call (714) 248-2048.

From the mission, residents can easily access the historic downtown, which includes many specialty stores, restaurants, movie theaters and an Amtrak station. From the Capistrano Depot to Ruby’s Restaurant, parents and children can find everything from cappuccinos and chili dogs to straw baskets and Native American souvenirs.

Alongside the railroad tracks and the depot is the Los Rios Historic District, a neighborhood that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The district is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhoods in the state and includes the Jones Family Mini Farm, the Rios and Montanez adobes and about 10 other homes dating back to the late 18th century.

The Jones farm will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, depending on the weather. Admission is 50 cents per person. For more information call, (714) 831-6550.

In addition, the San Juan Capistrano Regional Library, designed by architect Michael Graves, will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and on Friday and Saturday. The library will be closed New Year’s Day.

Starting Jan. 3, the library will be closed Fridays. The library is at 31495 El Camino Real, near the Mission Church. For more information, call (714) 493-1752.