The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.

The Catholic Franciscan Order began establishing missions in California in 1769 with Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Eventually there were a total of 21 missions, roughly a day’s journey apart, and stretching northwards to Sonoma by 1823 – a distance of 530 miles (900 kilometers). The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific coastal region, and gave Spain a valuable foothold in the North American frontier. In 1821 Mexico achieved independence from Spain. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed an act for the secularization of the missions. By the end of 1836, the Franciscans had abandoned most of the missions, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the mission buildings for construction materials. The combination of secularization, earthquake damage and the effects of weathering left the missions in a state of disrepair and neglect. Over time all have been either rebuilt or restored and generally function as parish churches within their locality. This tour will feature three missions – San Fernando Rey de España, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara – over an 81 mile drive using much of the original route of el Camino Real. San Fernando Mission suffered badly in the Northridge earthquake of 1994 but has been beautifully restored and a welcome respite from the Los Angeles urbanization surrounding it. San Buenaventura is one of the smaller missions and is in the heart of the City of Ventura. It has not only suffered from earthquakes but was also affected by a tidal wave 1812. We will have lunch in Ventura before continuing north to the last mission we will see - Santa Barbara, known as the Queen of the Missions and the most visited of all 21 missions.