San Juan Capistrano, California is a town that sprung up around the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, which was established by Father Junipero Serra in 1776. The catholic outpost was known as the Jewel of the Missions. Built to help colonize California for the Spanish and to ease the local Indians into the Spanish culture, the San Juan Mission became a hub of commerce as well as religious worship. It is open to the public and is today a major tourist attraction

San Juan Capistrano, CA is also known for the annual migration of the Cliff Swallows that migrate each March from Argentina to the Mission San Juan Capistrano. SJC has an annual festival to mark the event. The 1940’s song, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano” has been recorded by the like of The Ink Spots, Pat Boone and Glenn Miller.