By Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine

Most people discover Los Rios Historic District just the way I did—completely by accident. They go to San Juan Capistrano to see the old mission, drift over to the shops and restaurants around the train station, then wander across the tracks to poke around in one of California’s oldest neighborhoods.

The flowers and fruits first drew me in: there were lavender, roses, plumbago, Mexican sage, and loquats weighed down with golden fruit. Yellow daisies grew beside red pelargoniums, while birds of paradise flocked under giant palms and peppers bordered by ancient prickly pear cactus. And behind them I found that what first appeared to be a pedestrian-friendly street lined with old houses was actually a very relaxed retail corridor devoted to eateries and shops full of plants, garden art, fountains, fabrics, and more.

Just off the main road—Los Rios Street—there's a full-line retail nursery that sells most of the fragrant, flowery treasures you see growing in gardens throughout the neighborhood. And across from it, a petting zoo.

It ends up being a great place to spend a sunny morning. You're never far from your car, so if you actually end up with some of that garden art, you can stow it while you finish your visit. And when you get hungry, you can sit by a fountain on a shady patio and have lunch. Garden shopping really doesn’t get much better.

To get to Los Rios, take I-5 exit 82 in San Juan Capistrano, go west a couple of blocks to Camino Capistrano, turn right, then immediately left into the parking lot at the railroad station. Los Rios is just across the tracks.