Any fan of California history should have the Los Rios Historic District in San Juan Capistrano on their bucket list. It’s the oldest neighborhood in California, incidentally reaching its 250th anniversary this year (celebrated with free trolley tours) at the same time as the United States’ semiquincentennial.
Founded in 1776 by Junípero Serra, Mission San Juan Capistrano was the seventh of California’s Spanish missions, with the town and the historic Los Rios Street growing alongside it.
To this day, the street is still lined with original adobe homes from the late 1700s, three of which date back about 230 years, and the rest of which were built in the early 1900s by European immigrants.
One of the adobes, called the Rios Adobe, is the oldest continuously inhabited home in the western United States. It was constructed in 1794 by Santiago Rios and is still occupied by his descendants. You can see the home at 31781 Los Rios Street, but it is a private residence, so be sure to keep a respectful distance.
More historic homes in the Los Rios Historic District
In addition to the Rios Adobe, here are a few other historic homes to keep an eye out for. Many of them are public museums or cafes that you can see up close.
- Montanez Adobe (31745 Los Rios Street): Dating back to around 1794, this adobe once served as a site for religious gatherings and is now a small self-guided museum. An original jail cell from 1896 is located next door.
- Silvas Adobe (31861 Los Rios Street): First constructed in the 1790s, this single-room adobe was later rebuilt in 1868 by Jose Maria Silvas.
- Lupe Combs House (26711 Verdugo Street): Built in 1878 and relocated here in 1882, this former constable’s residence has also functioned as a store, post office, and gift shop over the years.
- Ramos House (31752 Los Rios Street): Originally built in 1881 as a family home, it was transformed into a charming café in 1995.
- Garcia/Pryor Residence, O’Neill Museum (31831 Los Rios Street): Constructed in the late 1800s by saloon owner Jose Garcia, this home now operates as a public museum with a $1 admission fee.
Some more popular stops include Zoomars Petting Zoo, The Tea House on Los Rios, and the River Street Marketplace.
Visiting San Juan Capistrano
🚗 By car: You can reach San Juan Capistrano by car via I-5 in about 1-1.5 hours from L.A., depending on traffic.
🚂 By train: The Metrolink Orange County line gets you from Union Station to San Juan Capistrano station in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
