San Juan Capistrano is located in Orange County, 23 miles from downtown Santa Ana. It was built in 1776 around Mission San Juan Capistrano, which was named after the Franciscan saint, Giovanni da Capistrano. The Spanish settlers hoped to convert the Acjachemen Native Americans.

San Juan Capistrano was inspiration for the first Zorro novella, The Curse of Capistrano. It is home to California's oldest neighborhood, Los Rios. The Serra Chapel is the state's oldest building and the location of the first winery and vineyard in California.

The city is famous for its cliff swallows that migrate from Argentina to Mission San Juan Capistrano annually.

San Juan Capistrano is a charming place for a wedding, with resources to help you find everything on your wedding checklist. We found romantic wedding venues that provide the perfect backdrop for your big day. You can have your ceremony by the fountain in Sierra Plaza or in the stone courtyard of The Villa San Juan Capistrano. El Adobe restaurant, which is considered a historical landmark, has a unique menu and a garden patio perfect for rehearsal dinners. 

In your leisure time make sure you tour Mission San Juan Capistrano. O'Neil Museum, Blas Aguilar Adobe, and the Museum of Architecture are also worth a visit. 

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