Come join us in honoring the life and holiness of St. Junipero Serra by walking in his footsteps along El Camino Real (The Royal Road) from Mission Santa Barbara to Mission Basilica San Buenaventura for this first annual event July 25-26, 2022.

This 35 mile stretch of the California Mission Trail is considered one of the most beautiful and pleasant mission-to-mission treks. The route for the pilgrimage was selected to balance safety, beauty, and the opportunity for a public witness to our faith and the goodness of our beloved saint and "father of California."

This event is fully supported with your camping gear transported, a following support vehicle, meals supplied along the way, and hydration and snack breaks provided. This allows you to focus on the beauty of your surroundings, prayer, singing, camaraderie, and time with the friars and priests as you walk. We will be camping in Carpinteria at St. Joseph's Church with an evening meal, Eucharistic Adoration time, confession, and singing around the campfire.

Even if you are not planning to walk the entire 2 days, all are welcome to join us for any part of the trip. We especially recommend the departure from Mission Santa Barbara down State Street to the ocean at the foot of the pier, approximately 3 miles of gentle downhill walking. We also recommend joining us for the final walk and glorious procession from Surfers Point through downtown Ventura to the San Buenaventura Mission.

Only those officially registered will have access to the meals provided. For more pilgrimage details see FAQ.

Our chaplain is Fr. Nathan Cromly, CSJ of Eagle Eye Ministries. We will be joined by Franciscan Friars of the Renewal from their new friary in Oakland, San Junipero Serra Friary!

Click here to learn more or register

Sister Mission Covenant

Recognized as the Head and Mother of all Missions in Alta and Baja California, the faithful parishioners of Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó, founded in 1697 in Baja California Sur, and the faithful parishioners of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura, founded in 1782 in Alta California, commit to support each other in prayer to: witness the Gospel, cultivate our religious heritage, provide temporal resources and encourage pilgrimage to all the missions in the Californias in fidelity to Holy Mother Church, the Holy Father, our respective bishops and dioceses as Sister Missions.

For centuries Loreto was inhabited mainly by pericúes Indians, who lived from picking fruit, hunting and fishing. The arrival and unsuccessful colonization of the Spaniards in 1533, and the subsequent successful Jesuit missionaries in 1697, who established in this locale the first mission of the Californias led by Father Juan Maria Salvatierra, Loreto became the historic capital of Alta and Baja California until 1777. Loreto is the starting point for the historic El Camino Real corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions from Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó to Sonoma, in Alta California.

From Loreto, Franciscan Friar now Saint Junipero Serra planned the missionary expedition north to Alta California. In 1782, he established Mission San Buenaventura among the native Chumash Indians who inhabited the coastal areas for centuries and were known as "bead maker" or "seashell people" who as hunters, gatherers, and fishermen, recognized their dependency on the world around them. The Mission by the Sea across from the Channel Islands became the ninth and last mission founded by Saint Junipero Serra.

In 2015, our representatives in civic government adopted a Sister City relationship. Respectively, the two national parks off our shores have inaugurated a Sister Park/Sister Reserve Project: Bay of Loreto National Park-Channel Islands National Park and the University of California Natural Reserve System.

These initiatives will benefit the greater Loreto and San Buenaventura communities by creating new economic opportunities, facilitate cultural exchange and expand education opportunities for residents. With extended outreach and ecotourism programs, the business network and social fabric of our communities will be strengthened, benefiting present and future generations.

Unique to this relationship is the religious history of our missions, which is the foundation and very fabric of our mutual heritage that has sustained our communities for centuries.

These Sister partnerships may also support each other during natural disasters or other emergencies by raising funds or collecting needed-supplies. By sharing each other’s cultures through sister relationships, communities can gain insight into the history, values and spirit that make up their sister mission, sister city, and sister national parks and reserves.

Click here to lear about the Official Sister City Charter

Click here to learn about travel to Loreto

October 22-27, 2017 Travel Information

UNESCO: Mexico-USA Mission Preservation

Acuerdo de Hermandad de Misiones

Conocida como la cabeza y madre de todas las misiones de la Alta y Baja California, los feligreses fieles de la Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó, fundada en 1697 en la Baja California Sur y los feligreses fieles de la Misión San Buenaventura, fundada en 1782 en la Alta California, se comprometieron en apoyarse mutuamente en rezar a: ser testigos del evangelio, cultivar nuestro patrimonio religioso, proporcionar fuentes temporales y fomentar la peregrinación a todas las misiones en las Californias en fidelidad a la Santa Madre iglesia, el Santo Padre, nuestros respectivos obispos y diocesis como Misiones Hermanas.

Por siglos, Loreto fue poblado principalmente por indios pericues, quienes se sostuvieron recogiendo fruta, cazando y de la pesca. La llegada y fracaso de la colonización de los españoles en 1533 y la exitosa subsecuente llegada de los misioneros jesuitas en 1697, quienes establecieron en este lugar la primera misión de las Californias, guiada por padre Juan Maria Salvatierra, Loreto se convirtió en la capital historica de Alta y Baja California hasta 1777. Loreto es el punto de inicio del historico, El Camino Real, que continua hasta el norte junto con la ruta antigua de la misiones españolas desde la Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó a Sonoma, en Alta California.

Desde Loreto, el padre Franciscano, San Junipero Serra, planeó su viaje hacia el norte de la Alta California. En 1782, el estableció la misión de San Buenaventura junto con los indios nativos Chumash quien habitaron las areas costerias por siglos y fueron conocidos como “fabricantes de cuentas” o “gente de concha” quienes como cazadores, recolectores y pescadores, reconocieron su dependencia en su entorno. La Misión San Buenaventura fue la novena y última misión fundada por San Junipero Serra, la misión del mar, frente a las Islas del Canal.

En 2015, nuestros representantes en un acto cívico de gobierno realizaron una relación de ciudad hermana. Respectivamente, los dos parques nacionales inauguraron un proyecto de hermandad entre parques marinos: Parque Nacional Bahia de Loreto, Parque Nacional de las Islas del Canal y el sistema natural reservado de la Universidad de California.

Estas iniciativas beneficiarán las grandiosas comunidades de Loreto y San Buenaventura creando nuevas oportunidades económicas, facilitando intercambios culturales y expandiendo oportunidades educativas para los residentes. Con el alcance logrado y los programas de eco-turismo, la red de negocios y social entre nuestras comunidades serán fortalecidos, beneficiando presente y futuras generaciones.

Unica en esta relación es la historia religiosa de nuestras misiones, la cual es la fundaciòn y nuestra mutuo patrimonio que ha sido sostenido a nuestra comunidades por siglos.

Este hermanamiento puede también apoyarse, uno al otro, durante desastres naturales u otras emergencias, recolectando fondos o viveres. Al compartir la cultura del otro, a través de relaciones hermanas, las comunidades pueden obtener una perspectiva mas profunda de la historia, los valores y el espíritu que componen la misión hermana, ciudad hermana y parques y reservas nacionales.

EXPLORE VENTURA'S SISTER: CITY, MISSION and NATIONAL PARKS: LORETO, MEXICO

The Ventura/Loreto Sister City Committee invites Venturans to travel our Sister City to explore Loreto in Baja Sur.  Watch "Our Ventura" to learn more: http://ourventura.com/tv-shows/

October 2017 travel orientation meeting on Thursday, May 18 at 5:30 pm at O'Brien Hall, Mission San Buenaventura.

Click here for October 2017 Travel Application

Biannual visits to Loreto including hotel and non-stop flights from LAX, are meant to promote and strengthen the sister city relationship between the cities, and the cost of the trip includes a donation to support the Ventura/Loreto Sister City Committee whose objectives include collaboration on tourism, culture, education, environment, and business initiatives. The committee brings together representatives from the City of Ventura, Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau, San Buenaventura Mission, Santa Cruz Island Foundation, Consulate of Mexico, City of Loreto, Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto, Eco Alianza, and Sister Cities SOCAL among others.

Loreto is a small city of approximately 17,000 people that sits on the east coast of Baja California, facing the Sea of Cortez. It was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja California Peninsula and is the starting point for the historic El Camino Real corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions from Mission of Our Lady of Loreto to Sonoma, California. From Loreto, Father Junipero Serra, who established the Mission San Buenaventura, planned his journey north to Alta California. Part of our tour will be of the mission, the first developed on the El Camino Real corridor going north along the ancient route to Sonoma, California. Where the past meets the future, this tour not only offers a peek into history, it also offers the opportunity to meet community leaders, learn more about the government and politics of Loreto and the Sister City relationship.

Loreto is also home to Loreto Bay National Park where Coronado, Del Carmen, Danzante, Montserrat and Santa Catalina Islands are home to over 800 species of marine life. With breathtaking cliffs, spectacular beaches and dramatic rock formations, these islands are a perfect landscape for the ecologically-minded or those who delight in a vast array of marine life. There are efforts to create a sister park relationship between Channel Islands National Park in Ventura and Loreto Bay National Park, that will provide extensive opportunities to share science, research conservation and eco-tourism programs, and sustainable growth efforts.

Trip inquiries should be directed to Stephen Joyce with Ventura Travel Professionals at 805-218-1962.

For more information on or to join the Ventura/Loreto Sister City Committee contact Fiorella Calderoni at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit visitventuraca.com/sistercity.

About Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau
Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau (VVCB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Ventura as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the Ventura Inspiration Guide, the public can write to the Ventura Visitors Center, 101 S. California Street, Ventura, CA 93001; call (800) 333-2989, or (805) 648-2075; visit www.visitventuraca.com; email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow VVCB on Twitter @VisitVentura or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/visitventura.