California's eighteenth mission was founded on June 13, 1798 by Father Fermin Lasuen. Built on a good site, with lots of friendly Luiseno Indians living in the area, San Luis Rey soon became the... More

California's eighteenth mission was founded on June 13, 1798 by Father Fermin Lasuen. Built on a good site, with lots of friendly Luiseno Indians living in the area, San Luis Rey soon became the most productive of all the California missions. The mission reached its peak in 1831, shortly before Mexico withdrew it support and secularized the missions. San Luis Rey languished for almost 60 years after secularization, until Franciscan priests returned in 1892. The church was rededicated in 1893, and reconstruction started in 1895, making it one of the first missions to be reconstructed. Reconstruction continues today. This very active church complex today includes the rebuilt mission church, a museum and the excavated laundry and sunken gardens, a unique sight among the California missions and well worth the trip to see it.
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I've been to a majority of the missions in California, but the san luis rey mission is my favorite. Its huge! There is a lot to see at the mission, and you could spend hours just wandering through... More

I've been to a majority of the missions in California, but the san luis rey mission is my favorite. Its huge! There is a lot to see at the mission, and you could spend hours just wandering through the grounds. The mission itself is rather spectacular and is the largest mission (from what I can recall) in all of California. Its not in the middle of a busy city, so you really feel you're in the middle of "nowhere." I highly recommend this mission if you're doing a tour of California or a tour of the missions.
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This church shows off the historical aspect of our community. It is a great place to bring the family to mass. They have many different mass times. The church has plenty of seating and an overhead... More

This church shows off the historical aspect of our community. It is a great place to bring the family to mass. They have many different mass times. The church has plenty of seating and an overhead projector so you do not have to worry about the kids messing with the books. It also has tours for a fair price.
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This is the forgotten mission, the one my friends and I always bypass. But not this time. We stopped for a visit out of curiosity and loved the place. It's bigger than one can imagine...after... More

This is the forgotten mission, the one my friends and I always bypass. But not this time. We stopped for a visit out of curiosity and loved the place. It's bigger than one can imagine...after all, it's called the King of the Missions! Much of the original architecture is gone, but the first pepper tree still stands, as does the excavated lavanderia and Sunken Gardens. The old cemetery was interesting. The outdoor exhibits are worth the visit alone.
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