San Antonio Missions National Historical Park may be arranged differently than other parks you have visited. This park has four distinct visitor areas, each between 2-3 miles from the previous one. Starting 3 miles south of downtown San Antonio is Mission Concepción. Another 2½ miles is Mission San José, the location of the park's Visitor Center. Three miles beyond Mission San José is Mission San Juan and Spanish colonial demonstration farm. The last and farthest south is Mission Espada.
San Antonio Missions is a day-use park, which means the visitor center and each of the four missions close at 5:00 pm. Parking lots are open before and after park hours for the convenience of walkers and bikers of the Mission Reach Riverwalk. While public parking lots are monitored by video surveillance, dedicated church parking lots are not.
There are many opportunities to learn about the Spanish and Native American heritages, lives, and legacies in all areas of the park. Whether you have an hour or a full day, the information on this site will help you plan your best use of time.
