Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Big Sur → Mission San Antonia de Padua

Location: East of Big Sur, California

Time Required: 2 – 3 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Open daily 10am – 4pm, admission is $5 per adult (the mission really needs the money for upkeep so be more generous if you can). For additional information, visit the mission website.

What’s Nearby?: Wagon Caves

The mission was founded in 1771 – the third from the seemingly ever-present Father Junipero Serra – and today is an active parish church, although it is currently struggling to meet earthquake retrofit requirements and is in danger of being closed. The mission was constructed with the intention of being the center of a community, and the founders planted crops, built a water-powered grist mill, a tannery and various other buildings to support the population around the mission; the remnants of many of these buildings can still be seen at the mission, along with the very well-preserved main building, which includes the mission church, a lovely garden, and a museum.

Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Big Sur → Mission San Antonia de Padua