Giveaway ~ San Juan Capistrano Mission

See bottom of post for Giveaway Contest.

An amazing jewel sits quietly on the coast of San Juan Capistrano. Home to the oldest building and the first inhabitants of Orange County lays a pristine piece of history that we can see and touch. The Mission of San Juan Capistrano has such a unique presence in today's modern world. As we live our daily lives in a place where there is not much remnants of past, the building blocks of a world that began what we enjoy today, sits quietly waiting to tell you its story. The walls of these buildings have seen so much. My experience at The Mission San Juan Capistrano was incredible. I usually travel to far away places to learn about and see incredible monuments with historical relevance and impact but I have realized that our native land has much rich history to absorb and appreciate.

The staff at The Mission was warm and friendly as we arrived. We were greeted at the entrance by a gentleman who gave us the handheld device we could use for our self-guided audio tour (which is available in 5 languages). They have adult and children's audio tours available, which make the experience interesting on each level of attention span. The greatest part was being able to hear the basic information on the landmarks and displays and then if a particular spot of interest was more appealing to me, I could hear a more in depth story by a push of a button.

The South Wing exhibit, which houses museum rooms that replicate the dormitory, kitchen, pantry, guest bedroom, Padre's dining room and The Rancho Room has only been open for two weeks and we were lucky enough to be able to see it. It really gives you a feel for how life was during this time over 200 years ago.

The Mission is a large compound with so many areas to visit so plan to spend a couple of hours and enjoy this at your own pace. The Mission San Juan Capistrano is featuring its upcoming exhibit "Gold Fever" which will give the opportunity to relive the California Gold Rush through the stories and exhibits from this time. Learn about the legacy that lured frenzied gold seekers to California. This exhibit will run from October 15 ~ March 30. There are so many family events that take place at The Mission so be sure to check their calendar of events. You an visit their website directly by clicking here.

The Mission San Juan Capistrano was gracious enough to offer 2 free admission tickets to one lucky OC Fun Guide Winner! Just leave a comment here by Monday, October 5th and you will be automatically entered into the contest for this giveaway. The Winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 6th.

For more information on free or low cost activities in Orange County visit www.ocfunguide.com or click here.

Happy Exploring!