Vizcaíno was born in Seville, Spain. In 1596, he was sent on an expedition to the Americas with the intention of establishing a colony in the unexplored California region. This marked a turning point for the Spanish exploration of the Americas, which had been focused mostly on the Caribbean and the east coast of North America.
His first exploration of the West Coast, carried out between 1596 and 1603, was funded by merchants and investors from Seville. Vizcaíno sailed north from Mexico and made land at Baja California. He then sailed along the coast of California and Oregon, and even as far north as present-day Alaska. He provided many geographic details about the newly explored territories.
In 1602, Vizcaíno returned to Spain and published a detailed account of his voyage, which was widely disseminated throughout Europe, generating curiosity and interest in California and the Pacific Coast.
Vizcaíno's journey was significant because it gave the Spanish a clearer idea of the extent and riches of the Pacific coast of North America. This knowledge paved the way for further Spanish exploration and colonization in the region, including the establishment of missions and the growth of the Spanish colonial presence. Subsequently, other European powers, such as England, France, and Russia, also began exploring the west coast of North America, leading to the eventual colonization of the region by multiple European powers.
One of the most immediate impacts of Vizcaino's explorations was the establishment of the first successful European colony in California, at Monterey Bay, in 1602. This marked the beginning of the Spanish colonial period in California and the expansion of Spanish influence in the region.