Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

The mission is a very beautiful building in downtown San Luis Obispo. You have an option of paying a small entrance fee to tour the church and the mission museum. We enjoyed walking around and looking at the architecture and learning more about the past of the mission.

Beautiful mission, very relaxing, and well-reserved they had some construction in the front area of mission. The shop was not open or a museum inside. I just got to visit the chapel and back garden area.

As a true landmark of San Luis Obispo, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa stands as a testament to the city's origins and growth. This ancient structure, with its weathered crosses and the echoing strains of sacred music, effortlessly draws visitors away from the surrounding hustle and bustle. During our visit, we noticed grapevines already heavy with fruit – a beautiful sight that reminds you of California's unique charm. It's truly a magical place where devout priests reside, yet just across a traffic light from the mission, you'll find an LGBTQ+ pride bar. The proximity of these two seemingly disparate elements, existing without conflict, speaks volumes about the power of inclusivity that defines this city. The church itself is ancient, housing a small museum and gift shop that closes at 4:30 PM. While the overall architecture is old, evidence of later restoration work is visible, blending the past with careful preservation. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa offers a profound sense of history and peace, making it a must-visit for anyone in the area. It's a place that beautifully encapsulates the spirit of SLO.

This is a fun historical location for both locals and travelers. There are always activities and entertainment on the weekends in the park. They have daily tours of commission. Plus the mission is still operational mass services daily. The garden is cute, and the people are very friendly and knowledgeable. Stop by the gift shop to pick up a little smack to help support 200-year-old building.

Large and impressive mission with an active congregation. A very large wedding occurred while we were there. Great tour occurs daily. Nice garden to tour. Free parking on site is limited. Paid street parking is plentiful. A very large museum area is free to tour. Great collection of mission and Native American artifacts.

This place was small but free. They accepted donations and it was a nice calm place. Very historical

Beautiful mission. Lovely grounds. Beautiful murals on the walls. There are guided tours given by domiciles. We filled a donation box for the needy and one for the church repairs. My Daughter and I enjoyed our selves and plan to return soon.

Beautiful location in a beautiful town. The history of this place is extremely sad - please do your research. The abuse and violence done to the Native / Indigenous people was horrific and has a lasting impact to this day.

We had a fantastic tour with Joan. She is extremely knowledgeable about the mission itself, the history of the land, and the surrounding communities. You can tell she loves what she does. The church and grounds are beautiful and well maintained. I love the artwork inside the church and the flower garden. The mission has a parking lot and there is plenty of street parking surrounding the mission. Plus you're in the heart of downtown, so plenty to see in walking distance.

This was my second time actually visiting Mission San Luis Obispo. The first time that I came, I didn't check the hours and I got there about 20 minutes before closing so my tour was very quick. This time I allowed myself hours of extra time to make my way through the mission. The tours begin in the gift shop. The tours are donation only you could either make a cash donation, or you can go online and make a donation, which was nice. This mission is located in downtown San Luis Obispo. So parking can be tricky. There are a few parking spots on the mission property. If you decide to park outside of the mission along the street, you will have to pay for parking. The mission itself is very well upkeep, this church is the only mission church of its kind with its unique L shape architecture. So it's definitely a must see if you are a mission lover, like myself or just appreciate California history. The staff was friendly, and there are plenty of items in the gift shop

I had just been to Mission Santa Barbara a couple days before and was so incredibly happy to see that Mission San Luis Obispo offers free tours. They also have a great little museum that you can walk through for free. We enjoyed their cute little gift shop as well. It's a great location and very cool to visit.

Nice mission in the center of town. We were there just before mass, and got to hear the piano and soloist practice. Nice grounds, friendly staff and an interesting history with tales of hidden gold and secret tunnels.

First and foremost, let me just start by saying that the tour guide lady, Angela was beyond kind and informative. When she found out that my daughter was in 4th grade and we were there to learn about the mission she chose for her project, she made sure my daughter had the info. She would give tidbits of information and let my daughter ask all of the questions. The grounds are beautiful and we were able to tour most of the areas. I didn't expect it to be right in the middle of downtown, but it was convenient as my kids and I were able to walk and get some ice cream after. I did get a parking ticket though as I parked on the street near the mission, across from the children's museum. I actually parked there because there weren't any signs in plain view I saw stating that you had to pay for parking. Lesson learned. I'd highly recommend taking a trip here for any age group.

Very cool. The Mission and the museum and the grounds reek of history. The free tour was perfect: informal, not crowded, and quite informative with lots of little tidbits and trivia. The docent who guided our small group around the interior of the Sanctuary and the exterior grounds was very personable as well as knowledgeable. We learned the history of Cali started with these Missions. A most enjoyable few hours. Well done.