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September 2023 by Diane Morgan
Came to the mission for a Candlelight concert series, featuring Beethoven’s works. Beautiful set-up and beautiful music!
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July 2023 by Alvin Ligh
After 35 years of teaching kids about the missions, and having visited all 21 missions. I am now visiting the missions again. This is one of the nicest to visit. Take the time to watch the educational video at the end of the tour. I wish visitors were allowed to visit the pepper tree and the back tower. Adults $8; Seniors (65+) $5; Youth (ages 6-18) $5; Ages 5 and under, free of charge; Active Military and dependents, free of charge.
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July 2023 by El Rah
A beautiful California Mission in Oceanside. A nice place to visit or attend Sunday 7 am mass. Come early to make sure you get a seat. Plenty of parking. Museum and Gift Store are available with reasonable prices. The mission church is open and free to pray or light a candle which is Available at entry of church for $4. Beautiful statues and paintings to take in the glory.
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July 2023 by Ruvalcabaphotography LLC
Beautiful place rich History, clean, inexpensive, great to know history.Love to take pictures there.
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July 2023 by Devlin Day
Relaxing and historic. Cool artifacts as well
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June 2023 by Cora Jackson
Can someone help me. Im looking for a mission in the Oceanside area. I thought it was this one but this doesnt seem to be on a plateau and was pretty close to a school. I used to walk to it from my home when i was like 13. It had a nice garden and path ways to walk around the facilities even had like a bench with a view of the valley below. I thought it was by Oceanside high but it may of been a elementary school. I searched google maps and havent found it yet im thinking it may of been torn down.
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May 2023 by andy flick
Beautiful historic Spanish Catholic Mission. True piece of old California. A must visit for anyone interested in pre-20th century So Cal.
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April 2023 by Kathy B.
The museum provides a great history lesson. The grounds were beautiful and well maintained (crew is friendly and do a great job). Very nice statues. It also includes a functioning church and cemetery. Staff was very friendly and helpful.
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April 2023 by Zoey Smith
This is a financially driven church that has proven to care less about giving to the poor people! They do not assist those with drug and substance abuse, elders, or children without paying a ridiculous amount for services! All of their programs are for profit, and they are a non-profit religious organization! Not only is this legally questionable, but it defies the religious values of a Catholic Church. There are so many donors, and they are not giving to those in need without financial obligation. This church does not even give holy water to those who ask for it. The monks and volunteers complain for simply asking for holy water. Apparently, the monks complain about blessing the water, and the volunteers are too scared to ask.... before the very eyes of God..... seriously?! All for the money, what a shame!
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April 2023 by Beth Lyons
Drove to Mission San Luis Rey yesterday and were very disappointed to discover that the museum had closed at 4:00 rather than 5:00 as is posted on your website. The grounds were lovely, and the gift shop was nice, however, we were most looking forward to the museum. I’m sure it is unintentional to mislead visitors, but the website information should clarify the different hours for the activities offered. Hoping to visit another time.
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April 2023 by Gizele FS
A big piece of California history right in lil ol Oceanside. It’s does not take that much time to self tour. Check out the delicious breakfast and pastries at O’side Bakery not far from the mission.
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February 2023 by david stein
Very interesting to learn the history of this mission. Museum had many artifacts
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January 2023 by Edy Rod
Amazing place. Museum is a must kids had a blast. I could be here all day.
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November 2022 by Cerena P.
This place was absolutely beautiful. The church and cemetery are free to roam, the museum is $8 an adult plus $3 for audio if you wish. The church was huge and gorgeous, they have candles available for purchase. The paintings were incredible to see and the architecture was stunning. The museum was great, I learned so much. They had tons of things to look at. Roaming the grounds were some real life friars! It was absolutely incredible to witness. There is also a gift shop at the end of the museum that had a lot of wonderful things. Including holy water that they fill themselves. There is also a cute coffee shop on the property with great drinks and a nice patio with a view of the courtyard. Really beautiful and educational place, it's definitely a must-do when in the area.
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June 2022 by Matt R.
Sometimes you find yourself in North County SD, belly full of food and beer, freeways full of cars, and you've had your fill of the outdoors. Ain't it nice to have the ole mission right there to round out the day?The history of the arrival of Catholicism to California is not really one to be celebrated, but the physical legacy of these old structures is really terrific. San Luis Rey isn't among the more famous. In fact, lovely as it is, it feels like it's getting swallowed up by development on all sides -- an understandable consequence of the overdevelopment of this area. But the grounds are still lovely, and even where the grounds are a little more dilapidated, the place shows character. Much as I liked our brief self-guided walk through the museum, I especially liked hanging outside, where one can enjoy a ground squirrel metropolis adjacent to the garden of drought-loving plants. Places like this survive thanks to their appeal as wedding spots -- the manicured courtyards, the old pepper trees. But they also are a nice monument to a California that briefly was, and never will be again.
