If you have ever been curious, my dear Yelp Review Reader, in visiting a "California Spanish Mission" then the Old Mission Santa Ines might be just "the ticket" you're looking for. It is listed as the 19th of 21 Spanish Missions in CA...founded in 1804 , completed in 1807. The mission contains a working Catholic Church, a chapel (closed on the weekends), beautiful gardens, cemetery, museum and gift shop. There is plenty of parking available. To take the self guided tour...enter the Gift Shop and pay the fee. Once paid, the Attendant will present you with a map and general directions and off you go! If you're there when there is a "service" in the Church, the museum door to the Church is locked so you'll need to enter the Church from its main entrance. The museum has lots of interesting items, but the collection of 15th century Vestments is stunning (a must see). The beautiful gardens have walking paths along which there are several small stone structures (Shrines) that are very picturesque and worth visiting. We spent at least 2.5 hours "taking it all in" and enjoyed this visit and the conversations it inspires tremendously. On this occasion...in this Yelper's opinion, the Old Mission Santa Ines surpassed expectations and delivered a powerful look in history past...truly earning this "if you have an interest, then take the time to see this" 5 Star Review. read more

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Unfortunately, we were there too late to do a tour or visit the gift shop but that was okay too. We walked around the property to make the most of our time. The garden and grounds are pretty and well maintained. Since everything was closed, we weren't able to see inside any of the buildings. We'll plan a visit the next time we're there. I look forward to seeing and learning more about the mission and it's history. read more

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Old Mission Santa Ines (est 1804) is one of the church missions by Franciscans in California. This is located in Solvang. It has a very rich history and an important cultural landmark. During that time the land was inhabited my Chumash, natives of the area. Today, it has a museum, a gift shop and Sunday service. Overall, it's a wonderful Mission. read more

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As an avid Art History buff, I am on a mission to see all the missions in California, as they contain some of the oldest artifacts in the state. Santa Ines Mission, near Solvang, is set off on its own grounds at the head of the Santa Ines valley. The mission commands a beautiful view through the heart of this valley. We stopped by on a sunny afternoon and made our way in through the mission gift store. The admission was a modest $6.00 each for seniors and the very sociable lady behind the counter helped explain the self-guided tour. We progressed into a row of three small rooms chock full of interesting mission artifacts and paintings. A native American grinding stone caught my eye, evidencing the presence of the indigenous culture here. An ancient wooden statue of a madonna graced one of the display cases. The last room, set up like a vestment room, held fascinating artifacts like brocade chasubles and silver and brass vessels used in the church service. We wandered outside to see a lovely square garden with a fountain in the middle. A path led to a portico draped in wisteria, and a brick path led further to the cemetery behind the church. The church interior is undergoing renovation right now, so lots of the pews had been moved around, but the painting on the wall behind the alter glowed. Like most of the California missions, the floor plan is a simple hall or basilica type floor plan, with an altar at one end and the choir loft at the other. We both remarked on how cool the adobe construction kept the interior of the building on a hot day! We strolled along the outside arcade and admired the reservoir on the way back to our parking place. Turning back to look at the mission, we felt as if we had just stepped back in time for a moment. read more

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Mission Santa Inés is a true hidden gem nestled in the town of Solvang. It's the 19th of the 21 Spanish missions in California and offers a peaceful, reflective atmosphere combined with rich historical significance. It is, in fact, an active parish today. The grounds are beautifully maintained, with gorgeous views of the Santa Ynez Valley that make it easy to stop and take in the beauty of the area. The mission church is simple yet elegant, with original artifacts, religious artwork, and a calm ambiance. There is a museum on site that provides background on the mission's founding, daily life during the mission era, and the impact of colonization on local Indigenous communities. The cemetery and gardens are especially peaceful and give visitors a sense of reverence for those who lived and worked here centuries ago. Informational plaques throughout the site help bring the mission's story to life, and the gift shop is worth a stop for unique souvenirs and educational materials. If you are exploring Solvang or just looking for a quiet place to connect with California's past, Mission Santa Inés is absolutely worth the visit. Take the self-guided tour, available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Adults (13+): $8.00 per person, Seniors (64+): $7.00 per person, Youth (6-12): $5.00 per person, Children 5 and under: Free entry, Veterans and Active Military with ID: Free entry). read more

Beautiful mission. You can really feel the energy here if you take the time to. Very peaceful experience and lots of history. Check the website to see when the chapel is open. Sometimes there are also private events like weddings so you might want to double check on that as well. read more

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Beautiful inside and out for a well maintained mission. A nice stop for a prayer or two when passing by. If only the staff was just as gracious. Minus a star for that. read more

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I hope to one day update this review, but as of right now, because they are doing some massive retrofitting to the original church, there really isn't much to see here beyond the grounds. You can explore the garden and walk around the church, but if you were hoping to go inside and see things, you will be disappointed. We came here since my son will be learning about the missions during California history in school and he was really looking forward to this unexpected opportunity. Unfortunately he will have to come back another time. read more

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One of my passions is to visit every Mission in California. Naturally, I made this a top priority during our weekend getaway to Solvang. The drizzly, cold weather that day added a stunning charm to the experience. The Mission, one of the first sights as you drive into Solvang, stood out, welcoming us in. The rose garden outside is something you'll want to take in and of course stop and smell... which I did. After that, we checked in at the gift shop where the tour begins. I believe my husband paid $7 or $8 dollars while I browsed the items for sale. Once inside where the actual tour begins, you'll be surrounded by historic artifacts that will amaze you. You're welcome to press the buttons that are on the wall where a voice will give you information and such. I did briefly, but we opted out quickly as the voice sounds like the teacher from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The self guided tour inside is fairly short, even if you read all of the documents. But it is worth it nonetheless. Once you step outside the Mission, you'll pass through an authentic door from the original Mission, stepping right into a piece of history. The garden is exquisite, and the paths are made to be in the shape of the Cross. Makes for a picture perfect moment. FYI, the restrooms are located outside behind the rock wall. After spending time near the glorious fountain, we made our way towards the old graveyard. We so enjoyed our visit to Old Mission Santa Ines. Lastly, the hourly chime of the Mission bell makes you feel like you stepped back into the past. read more

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Small mission located in downtown Solvang. This is a small mission with a modest museum and and nice garden referred to as a "quadrangle." We paid a small fee for the self-guided tour. Although there is not much to see, there is much history here. There is a cemetary here as well. It is sad to see that some of these anonymous graves have no names attached to them but was also nice that flower still get placed at some of the graves. Three stars! read more

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We went to visit the mission and was told we had to pay to enter and see the mission. 8 for adults, 7 for seniors, and 5 for youth and children under 5 free. They charge to go in. I thought the church is free to get in. We chose not to visit. read more

Mission Santa Inés is a beautifully preserved and well-loved part of California's rich history. Definitely worth a visit while exploring this charming and delicious part of the central coast. read more

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Old Mission Santa Ines is a fantastic piece of living history. The views are absolutely incredible. A little difficult to navigate. Nothing posted guiding to the small gift shop where you then can pay entrance for self guided tour. Unfortunately main portion of the church is undergoing ongoing renovations and repairs and thus only small museum inside can be seen in addition to the gardens and cemetery. Still definitely worth checking out. read more

The structure of Mission Church in Solvang is stunning; it is not just a peaceful place to worship but also a historic landmark in the community. The church's historic significance and beautiful architecture make it a must-visit destination for those interested in local history. The building is well-maintained, with a sense of peace and tranquility. Since we had our dogs with us, we decided to say our prayers outside the church. There was also a petition box outside the door where we could send our prayer requests. Never miss this out when visiting Solvang! read more

Old Mission Santa Ines - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Solvang, California

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A wonderful example of the preservation of California's Spanish period can be found at Mission Santa Inez. The mission is just outside of Solvang if exiting the Danish town and heading east via the aptly named Mission Drive. Unfortunately, the mission's main church was not open on the weekday we visited. The entire complex is still a functioning arm of the Catholic church, so we were a little disappointed that this area was closed off (though there appeared to be no special events, ceremonies, nor similar religious kfunctions at the time). The gift shop (which was open) offers a self-guided tour, but the price advertised seemed a little high ($12 per adult / $6 for children over 5 yrs.), and it was unclear if purchase of said tour would even allow entrance to the main church or chapel alcoves. I have little problem with providing a "donation" for entrance, but I thought the advertised charge was a tad bit excessive when this "tour" did not even involve a guide. (And it seemed a lazy way for our Catholic hosts to liberate several dollars from my Protestant pockets). Besides, there was plenty to explore and enjoy on the surrounding grounds. Ironically, my frugality may have stirred the ire of the property's occupants (dead or alive unclear), as I encountered a snake slithering my way in the grassy area near the guest parking lot before leaving. (Thankfully, it was harmless and appeared to have no interest in offering my wife a bite of apple! :D) But seriously, folks, the mission is definitely worth a visit whether for devotional purposes or just for a little historical sightseeing. The grounds are beautiful and its significance to early California history is unquestionable. Especially if staying near Solvang, a trip to Mission Santa Inez is worth adding to your itinerary. read more

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Old Mission Santa Ines was founded in 1804 and named after St. Agnes of Rome. I was in the Solvang area and decided to check out this mission which was close by. They have daily mass at 8am and also have self-guided tours and a gift shop. They also have masses in Spanish. There's tons of parking at the church and I liked walking around the exterior and checking out the grounds. read more

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1804 Old mission Santa Ines has beautiful grounds and the best things to see are outside of the walls. Before you enter the gift store to start the tour, visit the grape vines from 1769, the beautiful view across the parking lot of the valley, the old reservoir, stations of the cross walkway and the beautiful mission building. The self guided tour ( adults $8, kids $5) goes through a few rooms with artifacts, the church, courtyard and cemetery. If you like mistiming the historic missions this is a good place to visit. read more

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Beautiful mission! Highly recommend the docent-led tour. Ask for Ted - he was amazing and patiently answered every single question from our 4th grader in prep for his California mission project! read more

I absolutely LOVE going to Missions and to cathedrals It's my dream to follow the Rose Line I'm so glad I was able to visit this mission My first time here Small but mighty This mission like most is impressive The history (good and bad) The immaculate grounds and landscape The inside or the church/alter is amazing My favorite part of this mission was The Calvary 14 steps It's outside 14 crosses outlining the steps Jesus took Plenty of private parking available Gift shop closes at 4 There is a museum as well read more

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The grounds are very lovely. It was a treat to see the longstanding architecture and the beautiful holy gardens. The gift shop also had beautiful original architecture. What I didn't appreciate was the staff... a young woman and young man were very rude towards me. They assumed something that wasn't true and was not very welcoming... quite ignorant and small minded. For that, I'd prefer to spend my money elsewhere. Skip the interactions and the tour and get great pictures of the landscape and gardens. Those activities are free... the way God intended it. read more

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This is my favorite Mission in California. It feels very peaceful, and is absolutely gorgeous. For a place that was built in 1804, it's been kept in great condition. It has a beautiful rose garden, and the surrounding area is wide open. The building itself isn't as big as the Mission in Santa Barbara, but outside area is bigger, or at least it feels that way. Even though it's close to Route 246, there's still enough space in between to keep traffic noise and view out of the way. There are several benches and walking trails around the perimeter. Haven't done the self-guided tour, nor been inside the Mission itself, but I enjoy just being outside and looking over the valley. It's within walking distance from most of the major hotels in the area. If you are staying at one of the hotels on Alisal Road (south of Route 246), there's a shortcut walking route behind the post office. It has a gate to keep out vehicles, but there's an opening right next to gate for pedestrians. read more

It was ok. Not as beautiful as Santa Barbara, San Juan Capistrano, or some of the other missions I have visited. The museum rooms are pretty small. Nice that it is just a short walk from downtown Solvang. read more

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This is a stunning Mission located in the heart of Solvang. The views are incredible and they have beautiful grounds with unique features that are representative of its wonderful allure. I wholeheartedly recommend this mission to anyone visiting the Santa Ynez area! read more

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We stopped by this mission when we were in Solvang for a day a couple of weeks ago. You can tour the mission for a small fee, and it's worth stopping by if you're in Solvang. There's a small museum and a very pretty chapel. Don't miss it when you're in the Danish Capital of America! read more

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Views were incredible but this place is very difficult to navigate. We finally found the gift shop- where I had asked to use the restroom- before our tour. The girl at the front desk requested that we use the closest bathroom in town. We walked about 10 minutes to the nearest restroom. It took about 40 minutes- waiting in line. Finally, we come back to find out that there's a restroom for tourists. When I notified the same girl, her response was "I specified that only tourists can use our restroom". We told her that we were going to buy tickets but needed to use a restroom. It was a huge miscommunication but she was very rude. What a way to waste an hour of our time. Not coming back again. read more

Old Mission Santa Ines - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Solvang, California

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My daughter and I visited Solvang and we took the opportunity to visit this Mission before we departed. We chose to purchase our families souvenirs prior to our self guided tour. The employee at the gift shop was very helpful and friendly (which is different to past yelp reviews). I was disappointed by the push buttons not working in more than one area. The church is being renovated too. read more

Came here 5 years ago,when visiting most missions up the coast, Here again! because as Californians y'all know studying the missions is a big part of 4th grade curriculum. My little 4th grader was given mission Santa Ines for his project. When we brought him 5 years ago and even though we have pictures he claimed he didn't remember! Good grief! However, because of weather games are canceled so here we go. We decided to bring boyz back to see the mission Santa Ines, and of course a nice day to walk through the beautiful Solvang city. First of all, the 2 .5 hour drive is breathtaking, when driving up the coast! Especially right now that it has been raining. So much green everywhere I feel like we were back in Montana. The mission... It is a self tour for $16.00 per person. So much history to read and learn. Beautiful gardens and full of tranquility. We've visited 13 missions and this is one of the fews that is not overly crowded. You may enjoy the gardens, the cemetery, the corridors and chapel without heavy crowds. Lastly, it has a few trails (my cup of tea) and today was such a beautiful! PERFECT DAY! to walk the easy trails. read more

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Every couple has their thing. Our jam is visiting California missions. We find them all so interesting in architecture and history. While we stayed in Solvang, visiting Mission Santa Inés was our priority. There were a fair amount of people visiting when we arrived but everyone was spaced out and they were mostly outside. The grounds and valley views here are incredible! After taking our time exploring outside, we entered the gift shop to gain access to the self-guided tours. Groups are limited and spaced out due to COVID-19. Everyone was mindful and respectful of not only others but of the mission itself. The chapel and gardens are great to see in person. If you're near Solvang and want to have a nice peaceful afternoon, I highly recommend checking out the mission. read more

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Mission Santa Inez, founded in 1804, is the 19th of the 21 California Missions. I took the self guided tour ($6.00 per person), which was very interesting, taking you through the gift shop, museum, Madonna Chapel, Church, gardens and cemetery. The brochure says it should take about 25-minutes, but I took about 45. For 218-years-plus, Mission Santa Inez is in amazingly great shape, and I highly recommend a visit. Five Stars. As an aside, restoration and ongoing maintenance is funded by visitor's donations - no State or Federal funding involved. read more

It is in such great condition, it is being well taken care of and I do appreciate it. Such an amazing peaceful place across some . With lots of street parking. It was a beautiful peaceful place. Lots of history and great populace to walk and enjoy the views. read more

Old Mission Santa Ines - Front - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Solvang, California

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Beautiful place to take the family and walk around the Mission. The landscaping was just beautiful. The church was going through renovations so we were not able to go inside. But the gardens made up for it. read more

Yelp 100 Challenge 2019 - 80/100 This is the 19th of the 21 California Missions established by Franciscan fathers under the Spanish crown. Founded in 1804, the church caught on fire in the 1824 Indian revolt against the soldiers for mistreating them. Restoration of the Mission started in 1904 by Fr. Buckler and his niece Mamie Goulet. They rebuilt the bell-tower that collapsed. Since 1924 the Capuchin Franciscans fathers were assigned to the mission. More renovations began in 1947. They have been serving the community since then. Self-guided tours are $6 otherwise $1 more if led by a docent. I love the prayer room/chapel in the back. It was so serene, you can be attuned to the surroundings and your own thoughts. read more

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This was a very cool looking mission. The gardens were amazing and to walk around the property was beautifully maintained as well. Didn't go inside of the church however we got to go inside of the gift shop and got to see all the little trinkets that were for sale. Quiet and peaceful experience. Definitely worth a visit read more

Old Mission Santa Ines - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Solvang, California

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there are 2 entrances! if you followed Google maps, it'll take you to the rear entrance and appear to be closed. tour starts inside the gift shop read more

Old Mission Santa Ines - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Solvang, California

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While attending the annual greyhound convention here, I ventured to the mission to check it out. What an incredible piece of history. Wonderful little museum with so much to see. Incredible pieces of art, clothing from the era, and tools used in the time of the missions. The interior of the mission is so very old yet immaculately taken care of. You can really feel the spirit of the indians who built this place from hand and not using giant machinery..A definite must see on you visit. read more

May 2019 I love touring the old missions, so much history to uncover and appreciate. Some of my favorite things to discover are; the mission bells, the beautiful gardens and the statues. The tour at Santa Ines is self guided for a mere $6.00 per person, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily and does include some taped narration via 'push button here' sign. If you'd like a group docent led tour they must be scheduled two weeks in advance at the gift shop and cost $7.00 per person. Sitting outside in the courtyard area the scent of roses filled the air. It's nice to see our history preserved and not torn down as it often is. They do an excellent job of caring for this mission. Santa Ines Mission is the 19th of 21 California missions. Saint Agnes (Santa Ines) was a person of Roman descent who dedicated her life to Christianity. She is considered the special patroness of bodily purity and chastity. A full renovation of the mission started in 1947 headed by the Capuchin Franciscan Fathers from Ireland. A second story was added to the convento and a museum was created. Cataloging began for all important art and artifacts discovered. This mission boasts an impressive archive dating back to 1804. However it is not open to the public and can only be accessed by special request. For more information visit: https://missionsantaines.org/old-missions-santa-inés-archive read more

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I had a peaceful and beautiful time walking trough Old Mission Santa Ines last weekend. Late post. Will definitely come back. Their was mass on Sunday and was not able to see inside the church. Next trip will definitely have more time. read more

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Definitely another destination if you're in the Solvang-Buellton area. The Mission is at the edge of Solvang and the price of entry is a few bucks. The church is well preserved for its age and of course, there is a Catholic-centric gift shop attached. Because if it's age, it's very small with no thrills. Ample parking but definitely not a day long adventure. read more

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We visited the mission this past weekend. It's a nicely kept mission and the garden area was pretty, but the museum rooms are pretty small. We were rushed because the church service was going to start, so we only got to see the church for about 2 minutes. It was very pretty inside the church, and even thought was very hot outside, it was cool in there. The thick adobe walls are good insulators. We spent the most time out in the garden area enjoying the landscape. I've attached a few pictures from our visit. read more

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This mission contains beautiful grounds and gardens and I highly recommend taking a stroll here on a nice day. However, I do wish, as with all CA missions, that the history they tell would more accurately represent Native American lives. Often, the plaques and pamphlets seem to forget the forced labor and colonization they endured. Instead, glorified narratives like "The Legend of Pasquala" are endorsed. As for those creepy pro-life signs on the front lawn...really? read more

Old Mission Santa Ines - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Solvang, California