San Antonio Missions Historical Landmarks! A Great Place to Visit, Convenient to Fort Sam Houston!
As a military wife, mom and sigh REALTOR, I have learned to stretch a budget. The San Antonio Missions are a nearby destination you can spend a day exploring at virtually no out of pocket expense!! Hope you enjoy!
With Monday (yesterday) being Columbus Day, and a day my hubby, the girls and I could all spend together, we took a day trip to visit the San Antonio Missions. In the eleven years we have lived in San Antonio, I am ashamed to admit, we have never visited all the San Antonio Missions. Sure we have visited the Alamo and Mission San Jose but that was all. So since it was the day set aside to celebrate Columbus discovering America, as a family (less one crabby 13 year old that just wanted to veg) we set out to visit four of San Antonio's most historic landmarks.
We started our adventure at the Mission San Francisco de la Espada. Originally located in East Texas in 1690, then relocated, Mission Espada was established on the banks of the San Antonio river on March 5, 1731.
Today most of the buildings are gone but the church still stands as a testament to the quality craftsmanship of the native Texas people who built it. The Church at Mission Espada still offers a place of worship to the nearby community.
Next we visited Mission San Juan Capistrano. Also relocated in 1731, Mission San Juan was a regional supplier of produce to local settlements and a nearby fort.
Mission San Juan also offers a nature trail that runs along a remote portion of the San Antonio River.
Our third stop on our tour of San Antonio's historic Missions took us to the Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo. Established on February 23, 1720, Mission San Jose is breathtaking still today.
Mission San Jose, aside from Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Alamo, is the most intact of San Antonio's Missions. The grounds offer a glimpse into San Antonio history and the people that built it.
We ended our day at Mission Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion de Acuna. Mission Concepcion is one of the country's oldest original stone churches. It is Amazing! Many still come to kneel and pray here today!
We had a wonderful day, all within an easy drive, and costing only approximately $20 for the picnic lunch I packed at home and brought with. If you have a chance to visit one or all of these historic San Antonio Missions do so, it is well worth the time.
