San Miguel

San Miguel is California's best-preserved and most beautiful mission, barely a stone's throw from the 101 just north of Paso Robles. The somewhat psychedelic interior frescoes have allegedly never been repainted, so visitors experience the church much as the missionaries and California natives would have 200 years ago, just a little faded, perhaps. It is peaceful, fascinating, and cool on a hot day.

Here's St. Mike himself behind the altar, below the all-seeing eye.

And here's a photomechanical print of the exterior from 1898.