Part of San Francisco for 227 years

The church's neighborhood, the aptly named Mission District, is one of the city's most vibrant and diverse communities. In this warm, central valley between Potrero Hill and Twin Peaks, recent immigrants from Central America live next to middle-aged activists and young artists.

On nearby Valencia Street are a handful of thrift shops and myriad restaurants, which run the gamut from Vietnamese to Mexican to French. Independent bookstores and coffee shops pepper the always-bustling street.

Dolores Park - located two blocks south of Mission Dolores - is a 14-acre paradise in the middle of the cramped concrete jungle. From the top of the long, sloping park, the views of the skyline and the Berkeley hills are awe inspiring.

Many visitors to San Francisco stick to the familiar tourist spots in Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf, but those willing to venture into the Mission District will be delighted by the neighborhood's charismatic charm and the mission's many treasures.

• Misión San Francisco de Asís, 3321 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114; Telephone (415) 621-8203.

An interesting way to absorb California history is to visit some of the state's 21 missions. Here are eight of the most notable, along with the dates that they were founded.

1. San Diego de Alcalá, the first of the California missions; 10818 San Diego Mission Road, San Diego. Phone: (619) 281-8449. Founded July 16, 1769.

2. San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, burial site of Junipero Serra, the priest who was a driving force in colonizing California; 3080 Rio Road, Carmel. Phone: (831) 624-3600. Founded June 3, 1770.

3. San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, considered one of the more beautiful missions; 782 Monterey, San Luis Obispo. Phone: (805) 543-6850. Founded Sept. 1, 1772.

4. San Juan Capistrano, one of the most popular missions, known as the Jewel; located at the Corner of Ortega Highway and Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. Phone: (949) 234-1300. Founded Nov. 1, 1776.

5. Santa Bárbara, Virgen y Mártir, known as the Queen of the Missions, was rebuilt after an 1812 earthquake; 2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara. Phone: (805) 682-4713. Founded Dec. 16, 1786.

6. La Purísima Concepción, said to be the best-restored mission; 2295 Purisima Road, Lompoc. Phone: (805) 733-3713. Founded Dec. 8, 1787.

7. San Miguel Arcángel, the least-altered mission, having never been repainted; 775 Mission Street, San Miguel. Phone: (805) 467-3256. Founded July 25, 1797.

8. San Luis, Rey de Francia, the second and largest of the missions; 4050 Mission Avenue, Oceanside. Phone: (760) 757-3651. Founded June 13, 1798.

• For more information on all 21 of the historic missions in California, see http://missionsofcalifornia.org/missions/ index.html; www.californiamissions.com; and www.ca-missions.org/links.html.

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