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San Antonio
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Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose, San Antonio: Hours, Address, Mission San Jose Reviews: 4.5/5

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Mission San Jose

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Mission San Jose
4.5
3,446
#5 of 264 things to do in San Antonio
Historic Sites • Missions
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Founded in 1720, this Spanish frontier mission, the largest of the five San Antonio missions, is best known for its rose window. On Sundays, this Texas and U.S. National historic site offers a mariachi mass.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Harlandale
Best nearby
Restaurants
324 within 3 miles
Nicha's Comida Mexicana
176
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Mexican • Southwestern • Latin
Pizza Hut
3
0.2 miPizza
Mustang Sally's
2
0.3 mi
Taqueria Nuevo Vallarta
12
0.4 mi$ • Mexican
Tequila Mexican Restaurant
5
0.4 miMexican
Subway
2
0.4 mi
Golden Corral
30
0.4 mi$ • American
Luby's
11
0.5 mi$$ - $$$ • American
McDonald's
2
0.5 mi
Church's Texas Chicken
2
0.5 miAmerican
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Attractions
144 within 6 miles
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
1,900
29 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Parks
Mission Trail
844
407 ftHistoric Walking Areas
San Antonio Public Library - Mission Branch
1
0.3 miLibraries
San Antonio River Walk
26,741
Scenic Walking Areas
The Alamo
19,428
Historic Sites • History Museums
Padre Park
1
0.5 miParks • Playgrounds
Mission Concepcion
1,009
2.2 miMissions
Hot Wells At Bexar County
4
0.6 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
PicaPica Plaza
7
0.6 miShopping Malls
Mission San Juan
354
2.4 miMissions
See all
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,446 reviews
Excellent
2,522
Very good
806
Average
108
Poor
7
Terrible
3
TimGinMN
Maple Grove, MN65 contributions
Beautiful and Historic - And on the VIA Missions Bus Route!
As others have said this is one of the must see places in San Antonio. After visiting the Alamo, we went into a tourist information shop across the street and found out they have a special city bus (VIA) route that stops at all 4 of the missions that are in a string to the south of downtown. A bus pass for the whole day (good for all city buses) was only $2.75 each and we could get off an on at each mission. A much better bargain than the "tourist" buses. Since it was the mission route their were mostly adventuresome visitors on the bus. We did ride a regular route for one leg as it parallels the mission route and the driver stopped and said it would stop at the next mission. He also made sure we knew that we had to get back on the right route number to get to the next mission or back to downtown. Very helpful.
If you don't need your hand held, this is the "route" to go!
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
wireless_in_CA
United States4,585 contributions
UNESCO Historical Site
Couples
It’s been over 20 plus years since I last visited the San Antonio missions. The National Park Service in collaboration with the Catholic Church have done a very good job maintaining the churches but also creating visitor centers to provide more information on their history. Definitely so much nicer and better maintained now than my first visit.

The San Jose Mission was the largest in size and breadth including many of the supporting structures. Inside each were more details about life in the mission as well as the efforts during its renovation. Rangers also roamed throughout and gave talks.

It was a little walk from the visitor center to the back where the church was located. Path was mostly gravel.
Written May 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Russell A
Portland, OR180 contributions
Top notch historical site
There are 4 missions you can see and this one was the best. Cool old church you can walk through with a little bit of old art, plus a walled 6 acre open area that you can explore the ruins of this mission. Best part about the missions are the San Antonio electric assist bikes you can rent for $11/day and a nice paved path between teh missions. Definitely the way to go. The path follows the river and is quite lovely as well.
Written April 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kelly B
Iowa4,162 contributions
An absolute must see
Family
Wow! I can see why they call this one the crown jewel of the missions.

We arrived around 10 a.m on a Saturday in June; although there were other people visiting as well it was far from crowded.

Near the parking lot there’s a very nice gift shop. Restrooms and water fountains/water bottle refill are also located here.

The actual church is on the far side of the courtyard. Along the way are a few rooms in the long buildings that you can go in. I believe there’s another set of restrooms as you approach the church.

The interior of the church is lovely, and the exterior very impressive. If you continue walking past the church ( you need to go through a stone arch) you’ll find an old mill. Also near the church are a few more rooms with furniture inside, so you can see what it was like. There’s also a miniature model of the mission.

Like the other missions, this one is free and there’s no parking fee. The church does welcome a small donation: there’s a donation box inside the church.
Written July 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
PurpleAnkh
Fort Washington, MD213 contributions
Architecture and history, Oh my!
I am fascinated by the historical significance and the architecture of the mission. I did the mission as part of a half day tour and the visit was awesome. I liked being able to visit the exhibits and seeing some of the original plans such as the living quarters for the residents when the mission was active.
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
volcanogirl
Texas13,429 contributions
The Largest and Most Elaborate of All the Missions
We really enjoyed seeing Mission San Jose; of all the missions, San Jose is the largest and has the most to offer. There's a large visitor center with a museum featuring period clothing and weapons. If you have time, watch the free movie about the history of this place and the people who lived here. This mission has the most elaborate architecture, the prettiest interior chapel, the famous rose window, and the most extensive grounds. It's amazing to see history so well preserved. If you only have time to visit a couple of missions, I would make this one a priority.
Written April 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The Elusive Armadillo
10 contributions
Best place to start before the rest of the missions
Upon advice from friends, we started here for our dip into the Mission history. We watched the film inside the visitor Center first which provided the context for the indigenous roots of the Mission system and the changes to indigenous culture. We then went on a 40 minute tour (free and well worth your time) which took us inside the Mission and provided information on the buildings themselves and the indigenous people who lived there. As a person who comes from The Yukon I was impressed to see the Native peoples hilighted and their contributions and struggles recognized. The Mission itself is a great place to start and was not as busy and hurried as the Alamo.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JennieB97140
Portland, OR24 contributions
Beautiful site
Couples
It was pretty hot when we got there so we made sure we had cold water with us. There is a lot of walking involved all around the complex. The main church is beautiful. They were getting ready to say mass so we just peeked inside. Take note of the carved door (it's huge) and the statues carved into the stone around the door.
Written June 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Scott_Adolphe
Kitchener, Ontario8 contributions
Ranger Dana was the best!
Couples
Visited on a Saturday and went on one of the free guided tours. Ranger Dana was probably the best tour guide I have ever had anywhere. Her energetic, passionate and friendly stories answered questions I didn't know how to ask. I appreciated honesty in the telling of the history here. Highly recommend going on a guided tour to augment the learning experience.
Written March 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TABristolUK
Bristol, UK59 contributions
Brilliant staff and a great place to visit and understand
National Park rangers are exceptional people and they made our visit to MSJ memorable, we attempted the junior ranger badge for my little one which gave our visit a focus, we watched a very moving film on how the local indigenous population sat in catch 22 between Apache attackers and European settlers that eventually killed them and their traditions off through assimilation and disease after thousands of years. We learned a lot about the Mission concept and also how the missionaries despite belief in the honour of their intent never quite achieved the control they had desired. All the missions are different but this was a good first one to start at and you can either drive or for the paltry $2.50 even less for kids, get the fantastic 40 bus to hop between the missions with great drivers reminding you that Texans are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. Thumbs up to this mission and the rangers looking after it.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Mission San Jose
Mission San Jose is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Mission San Jose tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 9 Mission San Jose tours on Tripadvisor