mission nuestra senora de la soledad

chrisbB4011RC

A must see. One should visit all of the California Missions. Was there in October for the annual fiesta...BBQ Ribs, craft sales, live auction, wine, and grape stomp. The grape stomp alone is worth going to see!

ldeflores

This is one of the few we had not been to out of the 21 CA Missions. We went before but they were closed and they secure the place with a gate at the road so we couldn't even explore the grounds. So be sure to find out hours before you head out there. This time, success and we had it all to ourselves. They only have mass 1x per month. We wandered the grounds to see the archeological dig happening to uncover some of the older mission ruins. The chapel is small and simple, perfect quiet place to say a prayer and you can light a candle or buy and leave a milagro. And....the garden out front is gorgeous especially for such a hot climate. Abundant Citrus trees and fragrant Roses blooming in November! If driving on the 101 past Soledad, worth the stop. We drove to Carmel Valley from there, taking River Road through the wine region. Gorgeous drive!

Diver911

The history of the mission was good, but wished we could have had someone there who could have been a bit more helpful with questions. Not amuch to really good at from a building standpoint, but the church was amazing to see. It's a few miles off of the 101, but if you have an hour, its worth the stop.

kevinlortie

What we most enjoyed about the mission was the chapel which was both interesting and moving. The various rooms which made up the restructured mission had many interesting items from the original structure.

Perkadventures

Visited this Operating Mission/Church. This is the second church on this site, the first destroyed by flood. The church is open to visit and does have a museum within to visit to include the chapel. There are other ruins on the property to see also.The mission is located in a farm area off highway 101. Check the web site for information, very nice to talk to.

C7746VLrobertc

Just as we entered the church we realized it had just closed :(... But we still drove in and admired it from outside, looked beautiful, maybe we can get a your on the way back

cookbookguy

This was a nice place to gather my thoughts and take a break during my travels. The California Missions are all unique and this one is no different. This Mission is a re-construction but he historical information about the area is very interesting. The visitor center and gift shop are both very good and the staff is super helpful. my goal is to see all of the Missions. I went to several wineries in the area and this was a nice break to the day.

CacheOn

We were traveling from Atascadero to Monterey/Carmel and checking out missions along the way. We missed this one in Soledad, but caught it on the way home. It was hard to find as we were expecting something much larger like the other missions we had visited. That being said, this one has a nice gift shop staffed by friendly and knowledgeable staff and free displays. Some missions have charges. The mission was destroyed by floods and rebuilt. There are original foundations and walls still left onsite. It is a small mission, but one worth visiting.

kk572

To really appreciate this mission you have to first stop in the Visitors Center. They have an excellent display that summarizes not only the Mission saga, but also the restoration of the mission, using authentic processes (e.g. using mud, clay and straw to build bricks) by the California Conservation Corp during the depression years. THEN tour the grounds. It's an entire mission, not just a mission chapel.

BrianS510

I have visited almost every mission in California, and this was one of my least favorite, but it wasn't the worst.The location is ugly, since the surrounding area is all fields. The grounds, and the mission itself aren't very nice either. There is also an Indian cemetery, and remains of an Indian mud wall. What I liked most about this mission, is that it's in a really rural area, off the beaten path, so not very many tourists know about it, so you can have the whole place to yourself, and let your imagination run wild. We got there early morning, and the mission was closed, so we didn't get to see the interior, but we got to walk around the grounds.I wouldn't recommend a special trip here. I would just stop here if you are passing through Soledad or King City.

KCJ44

We arrived after closing but the grounds were still open so we looked around. The outside is nice and in the back they have some of the original walls of the old mission. They also have original grave sites that they have fixed up and placed plaques on.

Sjoerddd

Small, but one of my favorite California misions,with La Purissima and San Antonio. All of them very different structures, but what they have in common: they're not located in a city or a park, but out in the country. Mostly in not very much developed surroundings, which gives them a very authentic feel. Nice warm breeze over the mountains at this one helps too. You can forget time and just sit or wander around. The lady that worked here, loved it, and we did too. By the way, remote as it may seem, it's safety-controlled by camera.

Frisco_Roadrunner

One of the smaller and less busy California missions, set back from main roads. The grounds and historic exhibit area are not huge, but have a tranquil feeling that sometimes gets lost at busier missions. Staff was very pleasant and welcoming to the 2-3 parties of visitors during my visit.

bbb57aolcom

Very nice mission....we are starting to visit all 21 missions and this happened to be the first one that we visited. I don't want to repeat, but MBbrandt said it all. "This mission has been restored and carefully preserved. Located in the middle of a large agricultural area, it is very relaxing. The ladies in charge are very helpful and pleasant, nice little gift shop. I would reccomend visiting."I especially liked the old paintings that have been accumulated for the chapel. There is a nice set of "stations of the cross" paintings.

MBbrandt

This mission has been restored and carefully preserved. Located in the middle of a large agricultural area, it is very relaxing. The ladies in charge are very helpful and pleasant, nice little gift shop. I would reccomend visiting.