A Member of the National Park Service

Five centuries of history. Four active mission churches. One National Park. And the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America, a living landmark where 18th-century architecture, Indigenous heritage, and active Catholic parishes coexist.

Admission is free, no reservations required, and all four mission churches are open to visitors during regular park hours.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

In San Antonio, we celebrate our real heritage, and we hold our city’s true history in the highest regard. One of the many beautiful aspects of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is that, though it is a site steeped in history, it remains a thriving, active community today.

Along with the Alamo and Mission Espada’s off-site livestock operation in Floresville, Rancho de las Cabras, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park was named the first World Heritage Site in Texas by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and includes the city’s four southernmost Spanish colonial missions: Concepción, San José, San Juan, and Espada.

In the 18th century, Spanish priests established these five Catholic missions along the San Antonio River to serve as the center of an ethnically diverse society. Today, the missions, walled compounds that encompassed a church and buildings where priests and local Native Americans lived, represent the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America.

Plan Your Visit

Explore the San Antonio Missions along the River Walk’s Mission Reach, an eight-mile stretch with recreational trails, pedestrian bridges, pavilions, and portals to four Spanish colonial missions: Concepción, San José, San Juan, and Espada.

Admission & Hours

Admission to San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is free, and no reservations are required. The park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with outside grounds open from sunrise to sunset. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

The National Park Visitor Center

Start your visit at Mission San José, home to the park's main Visitor Center. Pick up a trail map, talk to a ranger, and catch "Gente de Razón,"  a rotating orientation film on the missions' history, shown every hour on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in English and Spanish. If it's your first visit, this is the right place to begin.

Suggested Order of Visit

Begin at Mission San José, then continue south to Mission Concepción, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. This order follows the Mission Reach trail naturally and puts the Visitor Center orientation at the start of your day rather than the middle.

How Long to Visit

• One mission: 1–2 hours

• Two missions: 2–3 hours

• All four missions: 4–6 hours, or a comfortable full day if you're biking the trail

Getting There

The missions are located along the San Antonio River, roughly 3 to 8 miles south of downtown. You can reach them by car, rideshare, on foot, or by bike along the Mission Reach Hike & Bike Trail, an 8-mile paved path that connects all four missions along the river. 

More About the San Antonio Missions

Mission San José

“Queen of the Missions.” Established in 1720, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo is the largest mission in San Antonio. Spanish designers built the mission using Texas limestone and brightly colored stucco.

At its height, it provided sanctuary and a social and cultural community for more than 300 Indians. In 2011, it underwent a $2.2 million renovation to refinish interior domes, walls, and the altar backdrop. When visiting the church, be sure to look for flying buttresses, carvings, quatrefoil patterns, polychromatic plaster, and the famed “Rose Window,” a superb example of Spanish Colonial ornamentation.

In 2024, Mission San José was officially added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Since 1998, the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, made by Congress and run by the National Park Service, has been honoring spots and activities linked to the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network used by enslaved people to escape to freedom. New research, performed by the National Park Service with help from groups like the San Antonio African American Archive and Museum, has uncovered more about the people who escaped slavery by traveling south through Texas to Mexico.

Mission Concepción

Dedicated in 1755, the church at Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purisima Concepción de Acuña remains true to its original design, look and feel. In fact, the church stands as the oldest unrestored stone church in the United States. Exterior paintings have faded, but if you peek inside, you can still see original frescos in some of the church rooms.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Established in 1731, Mission San Juan’s fertile farmlands used to allow for a self-sustainable community, and its surplus helped supply the region with produce. Today, the chapel and bell tower are still in use. When visiting, don’t miss the typical Romanesque archway at the entrance gate. For outdoor fun, take a self-guided tour on the nature trail that begins at this mission and leads to the river.

Mission Espada

The southernmost mission in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Mission Espada, was established in 1731 and boasts the best-preserved segment of the area’s original irrigation system that was used to bring water to the fields. In 1826, a fire destroyed most of the mission buildings at Espada, with only the chapel, granary, and two of the compound walls remaining.

Today, part of the original irrigation system still operates the Espada aqueduct and dam. Guided tours of the property are available on the first Saturday of every month. Self-guided walking tours are available during park hours.

Be sure to explore the installation near Espada, the massive Arbol de Vida, or Tree of Life that displays the personal stories and tales of San Antonio locals. And, visitors should note the unusual door and stone archway – they make for great photos!

Tips for a Better Visit

• Mornings are cooler and less crowded, which is especially important in summer.

• All four mission churches are active Catholic parishes. Check parish schedules before visiting if you'd like to attend a service; visitor hours run outside of service times.

• Rangers at Mission San José lead free guided tours daily with no reservations needed. Arrive at the top of the hour to join one.

• Bring water. The Mission Reach trail is exposed, and distances between sites add up quickly on foot.

Plan Your Stay

Make it a day of exploring the San Antonio Missions, then stay the night! The missions are best explored without a clock. Stay in San Antonio and take the time to see all four, plus the Alamo, the River Walk, and everything in between.

Additional Resources

Learn More about San Antonio Missions National Historical Park:

• Bexar.org
• NPS.gov
• SanAntonio.gov
• WorldHeritageSA.com
• TheAlamo.org