Founded in 1797, Mission San Juan Bautista is the largest church in the mission chain and the only one in continuous service. Located just off Highway 101 between Salinas and Gilroy, the town of San Juan Bautista retains a 19th-century village feel with cute shops and restaurants. The mission complex, a short drive or easy walk from town, sits above a picturesque farming valley, surrounded by the restored buildings of the original city plaza.