being there
by karen solomon

San Juan Bautista

WANT TO LEARN a little local history without emptying your pocketbook or driving all the way down to Mission San Juan Capistrano? Then head to San Juan Bautista, a little town just two hours from San Francisco. It's an oasis in San Benito County that's nestled off Highway 156, three miles east of Highway 101 on the Central Coast. A stone's throw from the pancake rocks of the awesome Pinnacles National Monument and the astronomical observatory of Fremont Peak State Park, San Juan Bautista offers beautiful nature walks as well as a glimpse of California as it was 200 years ago.

The big draw is San Juan Bautista State Historic Park, with its Spanish mission and perfectly preserved buildings from the 19th century. The mission, founded in 1797, has been in continuous use since 1812 and is still owned and operated by the Catholic Church. Formerly home to about 1,200 Mutsun Indians, plus a few Spanish padres, the building looks out onto a graveyard with more than 4,300 inhabitants. Take a stroll and soak up the amazing architecture and displays of artifacts. Don't miss the very cool barrel organ. Also of interest are the portions of the 200-plus-year-old mission that haven't been restored, especially given that it sits on top of one of the most active fault lines in North America. Oh, did I forget to mention that? The mission and the entire San Juan Bautista community of buildings (offices, homes, blacksmith shops, hotels, etc.) are built directly on top of the San Andreas Fault – which was also a surprise to the padres who founded the church, and who've been forced to rebuild it several times since.

This is the only one of the 21 original missions built in California that still maintains a plaza courtyard and its historic gardens, including breathtaking, well-aged rose bushes and a thriving wisteria so large and old that two arms could barely fit around its trunk.

The Plaza Stable is a real highlight for history buffs. Formerly the depot for a bustling town, the building has awesome old wood-plank floors that used to see a lot of traffic from travelers spending the night there on their way between Los Angeles and San Francisco – up to 7 stage lines and 11 carriages passed through daily. Today, there's a whole garage displaying old coaches, carriages, and wagons, all restored to sparkling, trail-ready condition.

If the old West gets a bit dusty for you, San Juan Bautista also has a very modern side. On the weekends downtown's Third Street is packed with a history of its own. Leather-clad biker folk overflow from the neighboring town of Hollister – location of classic biker film The Wild Ones, shot in 1953 – and fill the local watering holes and excellent Mexican and Italian restaurants. While you're there, don't miss having a drink at any of the lively bars with hogs lined up out front and certainly don't bypass the chile relleno and fresh hibiscus juice at Jardines de San Juan. The restaurant's amazing outdoor patio is a perfect relief from the hot, dry weather, and motley free-roaming pet chickens peck at grains of rice on the floor. To avoid a guilty conscience, we thought it best to order the beef, fish, and vegetarian fare.

Even anti-shoppers are sure to ooh and aah over Third Street's collection of übercute art stores pushing glassworks, textiles, clocks, jewelry, and, dare I say it, Christmas ornaments year-round. But don't let this touch of latter-day cute scare you, as the historical monuments and cool community far outweigh the touristy T-shirts and coffee mugs. The town proudly proclaims that no strip malls or fast-food restaurants are welcome.

If you're staying the night, camping is available at Pinnacles and Freemont Peak, but it's best to reserve a spot in advance, especially in high season. Several hotels are in Hollister, but in San Juan Bautista there's only the San Juan Inn (410 Alameda, 831-623-4380; rooms $89 a night on weekends) and the Posada de San Juan (310 Fourth St., 831-623-4030; $108 a night on weekends for a room with a gas fireplace and a whirlpool tub).

San Juan Bautista State Historic Park buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information call 831-623-4526 or go to www.parks.ca.gov.

Karen Solomon is a writer who lives in San Francisco.