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San Gabriel is a city of about 39,000 people in the western San Gabriel Valley, about 10 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It grew around Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, founded in 1771 as the fourth of California's 21 Spanish missions, which became one of the richest missions and an important early stop for travelers and settlers arriving in Southern California.
The historic Mission District around the mission preserves the stone church, its bell wall and gardens, the 1927 San Gabriel Mission Playhouse and quiet streets of older homes. Local history is also kept alive by the San Gabriel Historical Association.
Since the 1980s San Gabriel has become one of the centers of Chinese American life in Southern California, and Valley Boulevard is famous for its dense mix of Chinese and other Asian restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets, including the large San Gabriel Square plaza. Food lovers come from across the region, and Pasadena and the Huntington are a short drive north.
Founded in 1771, this mission has a fortress-like stone church completed in the early 1800s, a bell wall, a museum, gardens and an old cemetery. A 2020 fire damaged the church roof and interior, which have since been restored. Allow an hour for the grounds and museum, and check visiting hours first.
Built in 1927 to stage John Steven McGroarty's Mission Play, this Spanish Colonial Revival theater across from the mission has an ornate interior and a historic pipe organ. Today it hosts concerts, dance, theater and cultural performances. Check the schedule, and arrive early to walk the Mission District.
The streets around the mission hold the playhouse, a small plaza, historic buildings and local restaurants, forming the oldest part of the city. Interpretive signs explain the area's Spanish, Mexican and early American history. It is pleasant to explore on foot, with public parking near the playhouse.
The stretch of Valley Boulevard through San Gabriel is packed with restaurants serving regional Chinese cuisines, from Sichuan and Hunan to Cantonese dim sum and Shanghainese dumplings, along with Taiwanese and other Asian bakeries and tea shops. Go with a group to share dishes, and expect lines at popular spots.
A large shopping plaza on Valley Boulevard sometimes called the Great Mall of China, with an Asian supermarket, many restaurants, bakeries, jewelry shops and other stores. It is a good place to sample several cuisines in one stop. Parking can be tight at lunch and on weekends, so arrive early.
Located beside Vincent Lugo Park, this small nature center has trails through native plant gardens, a pond and exhibits about local wildlife and ecology, with family-friendly programs on weekends. It is a quiet green escape in the middle of the city. Check opening hours, as they are limited on some days.
Run by the San Gabriel Historical Association in the Mission District, this small museum displays artifacts, photographs and exhibits on the city's mission, rancho and early American eras. Volunteers share stories about local families and buildings. Opening hours are limited, usually on weekends, so check ahead.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: The original uploader was Lordkinbote at English Wikipedia. (Original text: Lord, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: The original uploader was Lordkinbote at English Wikipedia. (Original text: Lord, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: The original uploader was Lordkinbote at English Wikipedia. (Original text: Lord, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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