Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
add photosFounded in 1772 and still in operation, the mission is the fifth in the twenty-one-mission chain of parishes founded by Father Junípero Serra. Take a self-guided tour through the Life at the Mission history exhibits and pause in the adobe-brick chapel constructed by the native Chumash people. The mission is named for a thirteenth century saint, the bishop of Toulouse, often called “Prince of the Missions.”
There is a suggested donation for the museum, but (unlike many missions in California) entrance to the sanctuary is free.
10 Reviews for Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
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1 family found this helpful
"Beautiful gardens, fun fountain, great for teaching about homelessness."
I remember when I was a child, visiting the mission every other Friday to get free donuts from the nuns inside the chapel and then heading back to school. I'm not sure if they still continue that tradition or not, but for my kiddos, it's the bear fountain that's now the big hit. Out in the courtyard of the mission, there's a small fountain where you can toss in your change and make a wish. On hot days my kiddos splash their hands in the water while I sit back on the bench and reflect on the passing of time and the changing of the small city. In the distance, homeless men and women lay out on the grass and it's a great opportunity to teach my children about service and the misfortunes of others. Inside the mission's inner courtyard is a garden that extends the length of the mission and is fun to walk through.
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1 family found this helpful
"SLO Mission"
We love the downtown Mission in San Luis Obispo. The landscape is beautiful and my 3.5 year old is particularly fond of the fountain. We spend almost each and every Friday evening (during the summer months) at music in the plaza. We pack a picnic dinner and enjoy some family time listening to music. I recommend that families sit in the back lawn area as this tend to be the "family zone" and kids are able to run freely. The event is free and it is a great way to get out with friends. The creek is also a lot of fun and of course we love to visit County Culture Yogurt for the best SLO yogurt around.
1 family found this helpful
"Smaller than expected"
The gift shop was nice. The kids weren't begging for everything in the store. Which is a nice change. But there was little for them to ask for. We got magnets. The grounds were fun, the kids got to see a HUGE cactus, which we don't see in our neck of the woods. The statues were interesting and a man was painting, so the kids peeked over his shoulder for a while. The Chapel is beautiful, a little dark for pictures, bring a tripod, a good flash and a blue filter, and be creative with your settings! I got some great photo's and some not so great. The cemetery behind the church was interesting, the kids spent a lot of time looking at the old headstones and the migrant workers in the fields behind the mission. The museum was fun, the kids found that the most interesting, they loved the miniature of the mission, it put things into a new perspective for them.
1 family found this helpful
"Fun"
I love this mission. Does a bunch of good things for the community and good festivals there too! Have gone to a couple of their festivals, always fun. good people. cute landscape. Pretty mission. right by a creek which is fun for the kids to play in.
1 family found this helpful
"wonderful summer concerts!"
the mission is home to many great fairs throughout the year, but the summer concert series are always fun to attend. We spent nearly every Friday night this Summer in beautiful, downtown slo. The bands are generally wonderful, the kids love to dance, the atmosphere is fun but still calm. Everything about a Friday night in the Mission screams picnic dinner!
1 family found this helpful
"Nice mission, the creek is much more fun though"
This is a very nice mission as far as California missions go. They have a beautifully painted worship hall and a small gift shop. The museum is a classic small-town museum.
I hope this doesn't damn me to hell but the best thing about the mission, is the adjacent creek. From the courtyard in front go across a narrow bridge and then down and to the right. Our kids love playing in this creek. They city has built very nice sidewalks and benches and put in great rocks to jump over and play on. Once we even saw a really big steelhead trout! My boys love "racing" sticks and leaf boats down the rapids! There is also a conveniently located yogurt shop right there too for after-worship/after rock throwing/stick racing treats.
A couple things about the "Concerts in the Plaza", they get pretty loud. Too loud in my opinion for children under 10 but that's just me, a guy who wears ear plugs to night clubs and concerts. Also, the crowd can get pretty large so we keep our kids close, and towards the back where it isn't as loud and further away from the beer and wine.
0 families found this helpful
"Beautiful part of CA history"
I love all the old CA missions. The SLO Mission is right in the middle of downtown SLO. There is a nice museum at the mission that older kids will enjoy. They have a beautiful garden in the courtyard that kids will enjoy playing in. The sanctuary is beautiful. This is still a real church so be aware of service hours and weekend weddings if you want to see the church sanctuary.
1 family found this helpful
"History and Exploration"
The Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa is a fun place to explore. It is rich in history and had been preserved wonderfully overall. They have a beautiful garden behind the mission in the courtyard and a bear statue fountain that my kids love to splash and run their fingers in. Many events are held at the mission year round. On Friday nights, in front of the mission there are concerts and different activities. The mission sits above a creek that is a lot of fun to go creek walking in and explore the different creatures that you can find in creek habitats. The only downside to the mission is that out front there are often homeless people laying on the grass taking naps, so if you're not into showing your kiddos how homeless people live, you might not like that.
1 family found this helpful
"Nice mission"
THis is a nice mission to visit although my favorite is still the Carmel mission. A must go if you are in the area, especially if you have a 4th grader (they study California history that year).
The surroundings are really pleasant and you will spend a nice day visiting the mission and the rest of the city.
3 families found this helpful
"A beautiful mission"
We've been here a couple of times and it is a really nice mission compared to a few others I've visited. It is an active parish and so there are often weddings on Saturdays. The surrounding plaza is a beautiful place to hang out by the fountain or down by the creek. There are great creekside restaurants nearby and lots of fun shopping too. But back to the mission....if you have a CA 4th grader who needs to learn about missions, visit this one, and the La Purisima Mission near Lompoc. Your family will learn a lot about California history while enjoying beautiful weather in a beautiful city.
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