Having traveled the Oregon Trail, we were now following the tracks of another trail. If you’ve ever had the chance to travel along CA Highway 101, you’ve seen those bells marking the El Camino Real…The Royal Road…The King’s Highway! Along the western edge of California, there are 21 Spanish missions, built by Franciscan padres between 1769 and 1823. These missions were built to teach the California Indians about Roman Catholicism as well as European agriculture and trade. Our RV adventure as a whole has been an amazing leaning experience, but it’s the little field trips like these that bring all the history to life!!
First stop, San Carlos Borromeo Carmelo
At Mission San Miguel Arcangel, we were able to watch a portion of a mass being held in the beautiful ancient church!
San Juan Bautista
The coolest thing about San Juan Bautista is that you can actually walk on the REAL El Camino Real! Our feet walked the same hallowed ground!
The Mission Santa Ines is in Solvang, adding more rich history to one of our favorite little towns!
We visited the week before Easter, which was wonderful as we walked through the garden retracing Jesus’ life from Calvary to his resurrection.
A monk reading the bible in the walkway…it was a cool sight!
Check out these wonderful doors & the beautiful iron work…
While we only saw 4 of the 21 missions, they were a great piece of living history that we will carry with us always!
Ring Tales...our great RV adventure! 