The Soledad Mission is a beautiful place to stop and explore CA history. I especially enjoyed the gardens and old trees. The ruins in the back were fascinating. My only suggestion is that they clean the fountain and add water plants so that the koi fish can survive. The Santa Barbara Mission did that with their koi fountain and it looks beautiful & healthy. read more

Soledad Mission - The front entrance rose garden. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Soledad, California

I really enjoyed my visit Mission Soledad. Although this mission is much smaller than many of the other missions in California, there is still plenty of beauty to see along your visit. I also wanted to mention that the two women that worked the gift shop works extremely welcoming and treated my wife and I and our son like family. The view surrounding the mission was also breathtaking hills and mountains of luscious California farmland. It definitely made me proud of being born and raised right here in the central Valley of California. read more

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Missions have a rough history. No doubt about it. And it's weird to review something like this. But as a pit stop / historical site it's definitely worth the 10 minute detour from the freeway. The views of Santa Lucia Highlands are worth it. And on a clear day, you can see for miles up and down the valley. Most of the sites are rebuilt and not original, but the history is worth the stop. The gift shop was closed on our visit, but the rest of the mission open for visitors. read more

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This is an interesting piece of history. We taught all about the missions in my 4th grade class. All my students made diorama of many of the missions This place embodies the feel of the old days. Very authentic. It's so sad the original building was destroyed.. Thankfully, people took it to restore this wonderful piece of California history. The gift shop is small but has some interesting items. The lady working there is so friendly. The museum is quite interesting. A definite must stop if you happen to be driving down the 101. read more

I love this mission. There's only one caretaker who is doing a wonderful job keeping the place clean! We came at exactly 10am she was cleaning the church minding the gift shop and making sure the church was ready for mass. It's smaller compared to other missions but certainly not lacking in charm! And the location of it i love! Its in the middle of the fields and you can really feel the history. read more

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Mission Soledad is indeed a place of Solitude, peace, beauty & tranquility. A Holy place for prayers and meditation. The Altar and the Blessed Sacrament and the Image of Nuestra Senora De Soledad all draw ones spirit to the loving mercy of God the Father, Jesus our Lord and the Holy Spirit. The museum takes one back to the mission days and ranchero days. The gift shop is filled with unique and artisan style religious items and home decors. Thanks to the Store Keeper and Museum volunteers for their great work and service. read more

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Volunteer staff is super helpful went above and beyond to provide information. The site is beautiful and you absolutely get a sense of peace when visiting. Mission Soledad is a beautiful place. read more

So driving down the 101 making our way down to Solvang as our next stop we start seeing the sign for the Soledad Mission next exit. So I tell my sister Detour!! Lol, we got of the exit & pulled off on the side of the road we kinda expected it to be right in front of us, well it's not. You still need to drive a little distance to find it. But we finally found our #2 visit, Nuestra Señora De La Soledad Mission. Walking up to the back you can see the whole site of the old church destroyed by floods. We weren't sure if this one had a museum, good thing we stopped in at the gift shop because the entrance is on the right side. Really glad we didn't miss this one. They have all 21 detailed replicas of the missions created by Elsie Jennings, those were pretty cool. #13 of 21 read more

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I've visited all but one of the California missions. This small structure, in ruins since 1874 then rebuilt in 1955, is one of my favorites. It doesn't compare architecturally to the grand missions elsewhere but I enjoy the humble simplicity of Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad and the views of the surrounding area. read more

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An interesting museum and catholic spot in the middle of farms. The natural landscape is breathtaking. I am referring to the landscape as it is in its environment and not comparing it to forests and the such. I dont necessarily find farmlands beautiful neither do i enjoy the fertilizer smell however the surroundings within its ethos is pimp. This mission has all the shabangs common with "missions" from 300 yrs ago. The cathedral made of stucco and wood is georgous. The artifacts/ruins are preserved to the best of their abilities. Signs everywhere that explains stuff. The gift shop i must say is puny compared to other highly commercialized missions. This isnt a testament to catholicism, by all means no since i view catholicism as heresy. But thats neither here nor there. The mission as a museum, pieces of time gone by and the support/security they provided for weary travelers should be recognized. California and western expansion (imperialism/colonization/genocide/diaspora as some may call it) would have been almost impossible without all these missions back in the 17th century. I am glad that catholics have made a huge effort to preserve these relics. Compared to other missions, soledad's exterior is quite large with plenty of trees and public benches to take a break from traveling, stretch your legs and enjoy some self provided food. The mission isnt visible from the 101. Some manuevering is necessary. Dont be surprised if you get stuck behind a tractor. Drive safely because the road can be rough and incomplete at times. read more

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This mission is plainer than many of the other California missions, but it's surrounded by farmland and seems to belong to the land it is sitting on. It was restored in 1950s and is well worth the short drive off highway 101 to explore. There is an Our Lady of Sorrows statue behind the altar; she is wearing a black dress and veil. I think she is beautiful in a Day of the Dead way. read more

Soledad Mission - Courtyard - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Soledad, California

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A very small mission, the woman running the gift shop was so friendly! Quaint museum and grounds. read more

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The World According to Noelle ~Allergic Girl's Guide to Life~ Issue 250 Father Lausen dedicated this Chapel to Mary, the Mother of Christ as Our Lady of Sorrows, on October 9, 1791. This was the 13th Mission built out of the 21. The founding President of this Mission was Father Fermin Lausen. The Founding Missionaries were Mariano Rubi and Diego Garcia. Nuestra Senora de la Soledad Mission is in a remote part of California only 20 miles southeast of Monterey. The name Nuestra Senora de la Soledad is named for Our Lady of Solitude referring to Mary, mother of Jesus, left in sorrow and loneliness after His crucifixion. Out of all the Missions in California I have ever visited- this is the smallest and most simplistic. According to its history winter floods destroyed the Mission three times. The last missionary left in 1835 and the Mission was almost abandoned for 100 years. Its always been a dream of mine to visit all of the Missions in California. As a child of an interfaith marriage (Catholicism and Judaism) I have always been interested in the history of religion and matters of faith. I was raised as a Catholic but also celebrated Jewish holidays. I feel most at peace within the walls of a Catholic Church or Jewish Synagogue- Holy places where people come to express their faith in God. There is a long road to this Mission. We pulled up and parked. We took pictures of the roses. Unlike most of the other California Missions this one was simple even in its land scape design. It was rather cool and dark in the Mission. There was an area to light small votive candles for $1, I lit two- one for my mom and the other for my grandmother (both who had rare forms of cancer). I went into the gift shop and purchased a $3 large candle to light for my mother. I also knelt on a wooden kneeler and said a prayer for my mom's upcoming surgery. I explained to my friend a few things about the Mission- the holy water, the sign of the cross, the wooden kneeler with no padding, who my patron saint is (St. Jude). In the gift shop I purchased my mom a rose scented rosary, bottle filled with holy water and a picture of the Mission. From this point and into 2009, but before 2010 I plan to visit all of the 21 California Missions. In true Noelle fashion, I will Yelp my visits to all 21 Missions along with a local review of the restaurants in the surrounding areas. Cancer has humbled me in ways I could not imagine. Seeing my mom go through chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries to remove tumors has forever changed me. Like my favorite author C.S. Lewis, I too have had battles with my faith in God. Looking back, I have learned an important lesson- its the people you love in your life that matter most- as money, a career, the next great restaurant, vacations are just icing on the cake. In my quiet reflections, through my moments of great clarity I have found the core of my life is comprised of the people I love and all else pales in comparison. Noelle's Notes Open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM Admission is: FREE, Donations are encouraged. Mass is held each first Sunday of the month Lovely gift shop with helpful staff. Noelle's Post Secret http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsCET8oQyuA read more

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This is the Soledad entry for the California Mission trail-Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, this one mostly restored in a very rural location. The parking lot is huge. More then enough room for any sized group or vehicle-with the possible exception of when they throw their yearly anniversary fiesta in October. That's a really popular community event and also the only time that lot will get close to being fully utilized. Not all missions are created equal, and this one is no exception. It's located in a very rural area surrounded by a lot of nothing except fields. Unlimited views to the hills, but dusty and at times the fertilizer smell will be strong. While the surrounding area is barren, the grounds themselves are impeccably landscaped. A very welcome floral oasis. The bathrooms are decent, and if you are so inclined there are outdoor grills and pic nic area. If you are looking for nice outdoor space to have a reunion, wedding, whatever this is a perfectly good spot. This mission was completely destroyed due to flooding and er, re purposing, so the building is a restoration. A really good restoration with particular care taken to make sure it's as accurate as possible to the original. The chapel is not in regular use-but worship will be held here on special occasions. The museum is free which is nice-many of the mission sites charge small fees-and while the store is not as large as some it does carry items unique to the soledad location. I especially liked the t shirts for sale here. Very colorful, and you can't get them anywhere else. Many of the exhibits are kept or preserved by dedicated parishioners but some parts are not well curated. The back of the mission contains what's left of the original site, and it's more or less an archaeological excavation-although some of the original grave sites have been identified and marked. Step carefully when in back as you may literally be treading on history. If you are out passing through, this is totally worth a stop. Bonus points awarded for picnicking, and I strongly recommend coming on the first Sunday in October for the annual fiesta. read more

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I'm not very religious nowadays, but sometimes it's good to sit, close your eyes, and just be. This place is good for that. It's simple, clean, and well-cared for. The statue of the weeping Virgin in the black lacy veil and dress behind the altar kind of creeps me out, but otherwise it's a good place to meditate. This mission has been welcoming to many people of different backgrounds and is a gracious host to the AIDS Life Cycle participants who trek from San Francisco to LA on their bikes. When I got to the mission three days after the cyclists had finished passing through, the mission still kept the altar mantel with the prayers of hundreds of cyclists written on it for others to ponder. Set on a historic road close enough to highway 101 that it's convenient to access, but far away enough to gain a sense of calm, it offers a nice respite for weary travelers. The agricultural fields and hills around it were inspiring. read more

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So size wise this is a small mission compared to the other popular ones, like Santa Barbara, San Juan Capistrano or even the 1 in my old hang-out, the San Gabriel Mission, but that's not to say this is an inferior mission. Look up it's history online, you'd be impressed. I could tell from touring it that this was a working man's mission. Its location is pretty isolated now so you can imagine how it was back in the day. Anyways, the whole sordid history of the missions is fascinating to me. 1 day I will take a driving tour to see all the existing missions in our state. read more

Charming California Mission that has been totally reconstructed. The mission sits in the midst of farms and orchards so one gets a feel for what it must have been like during the mission era. The gift shop and museum are quite well presented and the docent is very pleasant to chat with about the mission's activities. One of the more charming aspects of this museum is the set of models of all 21 missions. They were constructed in the late 1990s by an older woman who had never done anything like this. Her work is well done and the museum has done a good job in presentation of the models. read more

Soledad is Spanish for "solitude"-and it's fitting for this solitary mission surrounded by farmland off Highway 101. It gets very windy, one of the reasons why padres disliked this particular assignment. The mission very much has a family feel to it- it attracts a lot of locals. A recent Good Friday Way of the Cross service was an occasion for locals to get together. Sadly, this beautiful mission only has monthly Mass. It's a beautiful, melancholy chapel, appropriate for Good Friday with a depiction of the Sorrowful Mother over the altar. At other missions, kids tend to be boisterous, but this one has a solemn air. The Daughters of the Golden West did an amazing job of restoring this mission in the 50s. There's ongoing archeology at the site, so you learn a lot about the area. While Soledad is currently touting itself as Gateway to the Pinnacles, the mission is its hidden treasure. read more

Nice, clean, well-maintained. We saw two ladies cleaning and sweeping outside when we visited. The chapel also looked like an active church. read more

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The Soledad mission was a forsaken outpost that even the padres tried to avoid serving at. They wanted to go to Carmel or Santa Barbara, and why not! But, the smaller missions had their own story and perhaps their impact on the local inhabitants was a more gentle one based on persuasion and example rather than brute force or awe-inspiring shows of wealth and technology. It is interesting that the last padre, a man who loved the place and died in the middle of a service, was the only one who wanted to be buried there, and was. I was prepared for disappointment because the original mission had all but disappeared by the time it was rebuilt in the 1950s and that pretty much means it is a modern building. Still, most missions were destroyed and abandoned and themselves are not exactly original and so I can look past that. It was simply rebuilt later than the more popular missions. The grounds have the remnants of the original walls and foundations, there are trees and some nice landscaping. The museum has the simple remains of a simple place. It is all good, always interesting. And, it serves a devout local community. The chapel is still used, there is the obligatory giant barbeque pit for hosted events, and there are people there who still care about the place over 200 years later. It is out in the middle of agricultural fields and that gives it a more authentic perspective than some of the more urban missions All the missions have their history and their story and are all worth a visit. There were maybe a dozen visitors when we arrived late in the afternoon, but the there is no turnstile and ticket seller here! The small missions need a donation to survive and I hope they all do. read more

This is one of our favorite missions. It's off the beaten path, and feels more quaint and serene than others. We stopped here to have a picnic lunch, and found the gardens to be lush with flowers and well kept. In the back, you can see original foundations of some of the buildings, and even see an original adobe wall that is being preserved under a corrugated roof. It's fascinating to think that you are viewing something the Padres and local Native Americans built nearly two centuries ago. Inside is a chapel that is similar to other mission chapels, and a small gift shop and an informative museum. It's a few miles off the 101, so it is quiet and peaceful. The mountains to the west are majestic in their own way. Happy we stopped here. read more

I love this mission, it may be my favorite one I've visited yet. It is smaller and kind of out of the way, so there were hardly any visitors present when I came. The church is quiet and simple, but full of warmth. Visitors can leave a prayer and light a candle, sit and contemplate or pray with few disruptions. I was overcome with emotion while sitting in the chapel. read more

Soledad Mission - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Soledad, California

Wonderful mission that is practically in the middle of nowhere. I love the secluded feeling of it. All you see is farmland behind it and the mountains. Wonderful backdrop. The mission itself isn't big. There are ruins of the original mission you can walk through. Won't take much more than 30-45 minutes to take it all in. read more

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The Native Daughters of the Golden West have done all of us a great service in re-establishing this mission and having a local museum which captures the history of the area, so well. This is a simple mission, but well worth the visit. Very close to 101 hwy, so stop in and slow down from your driving. read more

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Came here last week with my boy. Was greeted by two older custodians who were carefully guarding the sacred place and very cheerfully. They seemed to truly enjoy each other's company, and just seeing their joy and genuine friendship restored faith in humanity. Faith in God; however, will remain strong or be renewed walking in and seeing the Mother Mary mourning for her son in statue form. You will stand in awe at the history of the mission and knowing lives were changed in this very building. There is a cute gift shop that you may want to shop at to get a little souvenir. Beautiful tiles if you're into that. It's a nice to place to stop and play and escape for a moment. A good place to stand in your faith. read more

A 3 mile drive off of 101 takes you to this historic mission surrounded by farmland. This is one of the smaller of the 21 California missions but it really feels authentic to walk into the rustic small chapel with wooden ceiling or the other rooms of this 18th century building. I did visit on a Monday and I loved the serenity of the building and the grounds. read more

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Out of all the missions we have visited. This must be the saddest one of them all. We are grateful that this has been rebuilt, but you start to feel sorry how this is so small and not much to look at. Just like the other missions, I am glad we took our time to come here. This is a very important part of history of our state. This is actually one of my wife's favorites. Please take some time out of your weekend and take the family there to visit. read more

Very wonderful Christmas Eve mass at 9pm. Old fashioned tree with white lights on star and tree had me reminiscing of my childhood with quainter church environments. Thanks to talented singers whose voices celebrated the season. read more

The mission although not very big has lots of interesting artifacts and things on display. The staff was wonderful which made visiting this mission my favorite from the previous missions I have visited. read more

Small, but the history breathes here. If you are in the area, stop in! Nice people and you'll be able take a breath. Nice place!

This mission is small but fabulous. We arrived a little early so we parked and waited until they opened. There is a big parking lot and the views are BEAUTIFUL. The grape vines out front are huge, they must have been planted a really long time ago. They are so beautiful. They have a small orchard of olive trees as well. Someone comes to harvest the olive trees and they make olive oil, which they sell in the gift shop. The woman who was there when it was opened told us to pick some loquats on the trees out back. The trees were full of fruit and they were going to be pruned soon. So she gave us some paper bags so that we could pick them and take them with us. She said they would go to waste if we didn't pick them. Delicious. She left and another woman came in. The woman that came in was the volunteer that worked 2 Fridays a month. She is a retired teacher but life long learner. She was a wealth of information. Meeting her made the visit hands down. She told us so many interesting facts which were all things that she had learned by doing her own research and listening to oral histories of the people in town. If your visit coincides with her volunteer day, you are in for a treat. She told us about the beautiful black dress that Mary was wearing in the church. The woman who lives on the property sewed it during Covid shelter-in-place. It was stunning. She told us a great place for the kids to take a picture. The visit was a gem. I recommend it. read more

All the California Missions have flavor. Some are larger - in the larger cities of course - some are well protected and original - some have had problems over the years. The Soeldad Mission was washed away in floods and abandoned for some time. The reconstruction of the mission and preservation of the few stubs of walls is the work of people dedicated to saving history. The mission reconstruction is excellent. The small simple chapel is unique in that Mary is on the altar instead of Jesus. The grounds have a lovely rose garden that is very well maintained. (i wish mine was in such good shape) I enjoy stopping at the mission to contemplate the past and dream about the future. the location is wonderful for me as I love to cut across the roads through the fields to get to river road and on to Monterey, bypassing Salinas. There are rest rooms to the right as you enter and the ruins on the right just before the church. it is always a nice stop for me. read more

Mission Soledad totally lives up to the name, being the loneliest, and most remote of the missions in my opinion. This reproduction building is made more sad by the fact that the original had been allowed to sink into disrepair beyond salvation. All in all, a sad sight, but worth it if you've got pleeeenty of time to kill. Small, short trip. read more

One of the more out-of-the-way Missions on 101 and honestly, there wasn't that much to look at. My boyfriend and I got there at 3:45PM and by the time the elderly docent kicked us out at 3:59PM we had seen the entire museum. By the way, the museum is actually more of a museum rather than a look into actual ways of life in the mission (a la Mission San Miguel). It was nice of her to at least let us stragglers in. read more

While on vacation a couple weeks ago my wife and I decided to stop by as many of the California Spanish Missions that we could make it to (between Sacramento and Santa Barbara). We made it to five and this was one of them and also the hardest to get to. Without a doubt the humblest of the missions that we visited with just a reconstructed chapel and work building. Very pleasant care-taker there. read more

This mission is the smallest of the 10 or so I've been to. I also believe it was originally destroyed hence this is rebuilt. The museum is nice but as previously stated its much smaller than its counterparts. read more

Enjoy coming here every now and then. Very small but peaceful. If it's your first time, it won't take more than r5 min to walk threw. Great views but windy in the afternoons. read more