One of the most evocative of Southern California’s missions, La PurisÃma was founded in 1787 and later completely restored in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Burros, cattle, sheep and other mission-era animals inhabit corrals, while gardens are planted with medicinal plants and trees once used by Chumash tribespeople.
Start in the excellent visitor center, where exhibits tell the stories of the Chumash people, the Spanish missionaries and the work of the CCC. Self-guided visits are the usual way to explore the buildings themselves, though guided tours (1½ to two hours) run at 1pm Wednesdays to Sundays (September to June) and daily in July and August.
The mission is just outside Lompoc, about 16 miles west of Hwy 101 (take Hwy 246 west from Buellton).