This is one of the lesser mission outposts so not a main of the full 32 California missions. It is a sub-mission or an adistenzia mission. I was thrilled to find this. It was a surprise down in Pala. It is located about 20 miles away from the Oceanside Mission, St. Louis Del Rey. It's a small area located on a Native American reservation in Pala. The grounds and gardens are very lovely. Serene and peaceful. The original cemetery is still there. The chapel was open on this Saturday that we visited. They had beautiful frescoes and their stations of the cross were really spectacular. There's a Bell tower which interestingly is one of the few that is separate from any building. It has two bells in it both made in Mexico. The stillness and serenity and opportunity for meditative reflection were exquisite. Sadly, the museum is only open on Saturdays and we were not there on the correct Saturday as it is only twice a month. If you want to go to the museum and gift shop, then you will need to plan ahead and call to make sure that they are open. But the church and mission were really the main thing that I wanted to see. What a treasure! read more

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I made it a "mission" to visit all 21 missions & noticed in my passport that included mission San Antonio de pala. So I called during the week to confirm museum & gift shop hours/times. Was told it was open only the 2nd & 4th sat of the month 10-4pm. So I prepared to go the 2nd sat. Which is today. We only saw one car in the parking lot, but still walked around to the museum & gift shop. Door was locked. Knocked. No answer. Tried calling the number. No answer. I understand that it is one of the smaller missions but still they should have something written/updated on the door, website, &/or voicemail. Would love to give them another try, because I need this last stamp. but I'm afraid if I come on the 4th Saturday I would just be setting myself for disappointment. Please be more accessible. People would love to see this quaint mission! read more

Nice big church loved it! They gave enough space . I recommend they get new sitting chairs. read more

Growing up as a kid and in elementary school here in So Cal we had to do reports on all of the missions this one however wasn't on the list. We really enjoyed visiting and learning the history of it. Maybe I'll go back home to Arizona and do a report just for fun. Thank you to the city of Pala for preserving a beautiful piece of history to Southern California. read more

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This was the first mission in California that I visited. There's not much to see except the simple church interior with lovely hand-painted walls and timber ceiling. Since it's near the casino, you can weep to your god in one of the pews after you've lost all your money at the slots. read more

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Amazing place. Connects with local tribal patrons too. Well worth going. Stepping into the chapel was absolutely spiritual and moving.

Call in advance to visit the gift shop. Just like other industries, after the pandemic there is a shortage of staff.

On our way to Julian, we stumbled upon this Mission church in Pala, CA. Mission San Antonio De Pala! It is a branch (asistencia) of Mission San Luis Rey. Founded in June 13, 1816. It is a Catholic Historical Site. There is a museum, gift shop, gardens, cemetery, and a chapel. Masses are still celebrated at the adobe chapel to this day. Interesting fact, the (belltower) campanario is believed to be the only freestanding one of its kind among all the California missions. We were able to see a few areas of the mission. The cemetery and gardens are situated behind the campanario. The chapel was open so we were able to say a prayer inside. Unfortunately, both the museum and gift shop were closed the day we passed by. Those two places are open Wednesday through Sunday from 9am to 4pm. Mission San Antonio De Pala is not a destination for most folks unlike the Pala Casino close by. Still if you are in the neighborhood, drop on by. Learn a bit about the history, and say a prayer. Amen! read more

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Like Michael G. next door, I am also not a dedicated Catholic, more of a cafeteria Catholic if the truth be told. My husband is Agnostic but we greatly enjoy visiting old churches and cemeteries for the history, old beauty and art. The mission is not a disappointment and our visit to the cemetery first was humbling and then the church itself, was pretty amazing. I have posted several pictures of the various grave sites and it's humbling to see how many people died at such ages. There are several priests that are buried together and oddly enough, they all seemed to have died within a few years of each other. Perhaps they served all over the country and came back home to be buried. The cemetery itself has many weather worn mementos by the loved ones of the folks who have passed, even the really old headstones.It is as well taken care of as it can be I suppose, out in such a dry place but it is peaceful. Before we left, we stopped in the church and that experience in itself was lovely. The chapel is small but very well maintained, quiet, gently lighted and there was holy water in the entrance so that even an old cafeteria Catholic like me could bless herself. The altar is a gorgeous homage to native art and native saints and it just smelled and felt like heaven must feel like. The ceiling is made of handhewn timbers and he walls look handpainted. I sat there for several minutes enjoying the ambiance and praying quietly. Visit if you can, you won't regret it. read more

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While I am not your most dedicated Christian, I can tell you that this place is a great place to visit even for those of us whom may need to brush up on our sacraments. Situated on an Indian reservation, only a few minutes from the Pala casino, the Mission San Antonio de Pala is a well maintained relic of a spirited and storied past. The mission itself is wide and sprawling, and has many areas to be seen. When you enter the parking lot, there is a school area that houses several classrooms, a play ground and even an "historical jail" To the left is the burial ground that dates back to the 19th century. Contained therein is a beautifully maintained bell tower. Around the corner from the cemetery is the church. Narrow but long, rich with history, not gaudy or embellished with gold like most other churches. Wooden pews, and adobe walls, it remains comfortably cool even amidst the hottest weather. There is a beautiful garden area contained beyond the gift shop, which is definitely worth a visit. read more

Mission San Antonio De Pala - Churches Near Me - Pala, California

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A small church located a stones throw from Pala Casino. An extension of the California Mission system, it is a quiet place to visit when your questioning that really bad decision made over at the casino. The church is still in use but most of the time, it is really quiet here with most visitors stopping by because they were passing through. The church is small with a low ceiling and a small grave side attached to it. It takes about 30 minutes to visit the whole sight. It is well worth the visit if your in the area. read more

Stopped by to check out this mission which is not considered to be apart of the 21 Missions of California, but is considered to be an asistencia to the San Luis Rey Mission. It is located in the middle of Pala. Admission is only $2 for Adults and $1 for Children. This mission is small and takes appx. 45m to observe everything. read more

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Catholic-guilt made me stop. I ran into the Mission when I decided to take a short detour to Pala, on my way to Fallbrook (the other side of the I-15). I drove past it and explored the community and realized that in Southern California, the Mission had most of the information about the local history. So, though I stopped because it felt like an obligation (I started hearing my mother's voice in my head), logically, it was a great way to learn about the Pala Reservation. The Mission is probably the most historically rich building in Pala. Actually, most of the other non-residential buildings are basically casino-owned or built and fairly new. The mission, on the other hand, has been there since late 1800s. The floor is still the same flooring as back in the day. The Mission is still a functioning church, as the service is listed outside. There is also a school connected to it. Some of the classrooms are near the garden. The $2 entry fee gets you into the garden area and the two small rooms with historical displays. The rooms are very small. One room has old artifacts like baskets, while the other had religious figure. I always have mixed feelings when I go to missions (you know, Crusades and basically colonialism stuff) but, whatcanyado? The Mission is worth visiting if you are in the area as it's a great way to learn about the area and the Pala Indians' history. Not a destination place but worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood. It's just 5 to 6 miles east of the I-15. read more

Built as an extension of San Luis Rey, one of the only remaining missions that support the local community. Just around the corner from Pala, it's a well worth stop. read more

Mission San Antonio De Pala - Churches Near Me - Pala, California

This church is very very old and it's a historical building. What a great place to visit to get the character of the old churches. The garden is very beautiful. I really enjoyed my visit. read more

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This is a tiny Mission compared to the one in San Diego and we discovered it accidentally when we went to a concert at the Pala Casino and Resort, but I find all of the Missions fascinating and this one is no exception. I asked a few of my friends and most people aren't even aware this Mission is there. If you are into history it's worth the drive up to Pala. It's pretty up there anyways. read more

Nice piece of history. Very close to pala resort and casino. It's a great place to come with the kids, there is a playground right outside of the mission so the whole family can enjoy themselves. Also this little town is surrounded by mountains. So you can sit and enjoy the beauty of nature while the kids play after you have visited the mission. read more

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Place was suppose to be open till 4:00 on Sunday. Drove for 2 hours to get here and it was closed at 2:45 when we got here. Thanks for nothing, try honoring your own hours you chose or change them publicly so no one one else waste there precious time. read more

I wouldn't drive too far out of your way to visit this place but if you are interested in the CA missions and happen to be in the area, it's definitely worth a stop. It's extremely small, the bell tower that is shown in most photos is not connected to any church building but stands alone. Don't set your expectations too high and you will enjoy a stop. read more

Very clean but very disappointing. The gift shop/museum was locked even though a sign posted it was open. Not a soul in sight to explain anything. We spent maybe a total of 10 minutes there. read more

We recently learned that Mission San Antonio de Pala is an asistencia to Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. We attended the 11:30 mass, which was packed--standing room only. The chapel is small, but beautifully kept. The cemetery and bell tower are pretty but nothing like the larger cemetery at San Luis Rey. The gift shop has a very small selection of rosaries, books, etc. We left to have lunch and when we returned the gift shop and museum entrance were locked even though it was still about half an hour from the posted closing time. Nevertheless, it's still worth stopping to see this part of California history! read more

Disappointed with our visit here. The grounds are more or less unkept and there is no direction or educational content to allow for a self-guided tour. Rather, you seem to be intruding with some unlocked rooms being active living quarters. Uhhh...whoops...sorry! Some rooms I walked in just had rubble and were in disrepair. The main church, the main exhibit, was locked and inaccessible. I inquired about this, and they had locked it while doing some "cleaning." This was during their opening hours. I spent an hour exploring the grounds and they never reopened the church, even for me to take a peek. So after the long drive out here in the middle of nowhere, I couldn't even see the church during opening hours. That is just pure bologna. The attached museum was similarly in poor state with no lighting, paintings in need of restoration, cobwebs, and silly items on display for no reason like a conch shell with no explanation. Overall, it is a mess. read more

The smallest of the Catholic Missions,after visiting Carmel Mission the week before, the crown of the missions, I got spoiled and at the beginning it seemed to liitle for me. IT is small but does not lacks character. I have to rescue the museum that shows the indians artifacts, some real treasures like San Luis del Rey hidden sculpture and the explanations in the walls that tell the story of the indians living in Pala, they not always lived there, they were exiled to PALA in times of the Spanish conquer. This is the only Mission dedicated to its original mission: serve the souls of the indians of the region. There was a beautiful painting with the indian tribes as mural and the garden like in the other Missions was very peaceful, a place where you can pray, get inspired and meditate. The bell tower was not as big as the one in Saint Michaels Archangel Mission, but stils impress you,. The people in the gift shop are helpful,friendly and there is a regular mass service like in other Catholic Missions. When you drive in the windy roads to get over there, you can understand the spirit of the indian people transplated to Pala, now a Casino land, before a place where they were forced to emigrate. A important place to visit not only for the catholics but also for anybody interested in American history, Is a small mission but with a big spirit. read more