The Mission San Juan Capistrano is the reason most people come — the ruined Great Stone Church and the Serra Chapel are the highlights, along with the famous cliff swallows that return each March. A short walk from the mission, the Los Rios Historic District preserves the oldest residential street in California, with original 18th-century adobes still standing alongside the Amtrak tracks.
The historic downtown along Camino Capistrano has a compact collection of antique shops, cafes, and galleries in old buildings. San Juan Capistrano makes an easy half-day or full-day excursion from Los Angeles or San Diego by Pacific Surfliner train — the station is a two-minute walk from the mission entrance.