There was not a free walking tour scheduled during the 2 days we were in Santa Barbara so we…read morearranged for a paid private one. It was totally worth it! Our tour guide David was a truly enthusiastic and friendly companion and we learned so much that we wouldn't have otherwise. I was a little tired from a previous week in LA and was somewhat apprehensive about a 1 and 3/4 hour tour but there were ample rest stops with opportunities to sit down. We took the water side tour and I would have liked to take the other two, had we had time. Highly recommend!

Knowledgeable, interesting and full of visuals and well planned stops. Really enjoyed meeting Craig…read moreand felt the walking tour was very worthwhile. Good timing to grab breakfast and get lunch suggestions (and wine tasting coupons) as well. Cheers!

What: - Walk along 22 historic places in the Santa Barbara…read moredowntown More Info: - Free admission inside a few historic landmarks - Free parking on the streets - Check out the map of the Red Tile Walking Tour here: http://www.santabarbaracarfree.org/pdf-files/redtile.pdf The Red Tile Walking Tour is a walk in the Santa Barbara downtown, along the historic places. We totally underestimated the amount of time that it would take to complete the tour. It covers about 12 blocks and we did not have sufficient time to cover all the 22 historic places. After parking the car on the streets, we started the tour from Presidio Avenue, the oldest street in Santa Barbara. The Spanish style architecture of the buildings and shopping malls impressed me a lot. I could not help but keep staring and admiring the beautiful Santa Barbara downtown. Our next stop was at the El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. It was founded in 1782 and was built by the Spanish along the coast of Alta California. There is a $7/adult admission fee to explore this historic park. A map serves as a guide to explore the park and the placards in several rooms educate one about the history of each room. One can easily spend at least an hour exploring this park and more time if you are a history lover. We then walked to the Santa Barbara County courthouse. I was looking at the courthouse for a very long time thinking how beautiful a courthouse could possibly look. Designed in a Spanish style with an 80-foot clock tower, the courthouse seemed to attract a lot of people. One is allowed to go to the clock tower for free We entered the courthouse and were amazed to see the interior décor, murals, tiles, painting, etc. A 360 degree of Santa Barbara invited us when we walked up to the clock tower. The ocean could be seen from one end, the Santa Ynez Mountains could be seen from another end and several other landmarks. After enjoying the magnificent view, we walked down and ended our Red Tile Walking Tour.

When I was researching for someplace for my wife and I to vacation on our anniversary, I was having…read morea hard time choosing Santa Barbara as I was unsure of what all we would do. Then I came across the Red Tile Walking Tour and we decided on SB. The walk is flat and only a couple of miles that winds around and near State Street. Download the podcast by John O'Hurley (Seinfeld's J. Peterman) that gives a nice audio/video spin to the walk. You can also pick up a small pamphlet at the County Courthouse (where the walk starts) that gives a little synopsis of each location on the walk. Take the time and actually go into the places that you can (some locations are not open to the public) it is worth the small fees to visit the museums.

This was hands down one of the best tours I've ever had of any city. My father and I took a private…read morewalking tour of Santa Barbara with Ellen, owner of Santa Barbara Walking Tours. Originally slated for 90 minutes, the tour lasted a full two hours. What's more, Ellen was perfectly willing to keep on going. We only stopped because my father and I were worn out and hungry, our brains full while our stomachs were empty. Ellen showed us no shortage of historical and cultural and artistic sites while narrating a bevy of fascinating back stories, from a park that was originally the site of a hotel, to a church that had been rebuilt and moved, to a gorgeous old historic movie theater with an auditorium built to simulate the inside of a mission, to Charlie Chaplin's sometime residence. And so much more. And did you know Santa Barbara had literally no trees at all when the Spanish missionaries first arrived? Ellen also offers customized tours tailored to particular interests (e.g. the Sue Grafton murder mystery tour). Next time you're in Santa Barbara, be sure to reach out to Ellen through her website (http://www.santabarbarawalkingtours.com) to arrange a walking tour of this awesome and beautiful city.

Cute and funky tours of Santa Barbara... a bit of art and history (but keep in mind this isn't an…read moreancient European city by any means ;). I spent a couple decades in SB growing up yet saw and learned many new things I had no clue about which was cool. Quirky, funny and informative guide.

One of the greatest experiences with any company I've had in quite a while! Flawless from start to…read morefinish!!! The staff is extremely knowledgeable and very very accommodating as well as encouraging! I took my wife on two days of hiking, the first day I went with her on a shorter two hour hike with a normal/average difficulty and then the following day she went back again for a challenging/difficult hike. She said it was one of the most wonderful experiences she's ever had. And I can occur the first day was amazing! I think the attention to detail and information provided by our guide Kelsey was just incredible. From the moment I booked the two days of hiking for myself and my wife through the end of the hikes everything was smooth as could be. I would highly recommend this company to anyone thinking of hiking in the Santa Barbara area. I am looking forward to using the Santa Barbara Day Hike Company again! As most of you know I don't give out five stars lightly in my reviews and I only wish I could give the Santa Barbara Day Hiking Company more! Treat yourself to a day hike with this awesome company! It will be an afternoon you will never forget!

Very friendly and warm-hearted guide. You can learn a lot from her! And it's a great place for an…read moreescape from stressful city life!

The original walking food tour did not disappoint! Our guide, Linda, was informative and friendly,…read moremade us feel comfortable the whole time. The food was really good, had some amazing bites from local places. My only feedback for the company would be to offer a few more drinks with the food. Also- we had tacos with amazing salsa but no chips!! We had 2 of us and were with a group of 5.. it was pretty intimate having to sit at a table with a group of people you don't know, so thankfully they were very nice, chill people. Thank you Linda for making our experience and day wonderful!

After being super excited to walk, explore, eat, and drink with friends.....we were all totally let…read moredown by the amount of actual tastings provided. Out guide was Nancy, and she was super sweet, thoughtful, and insightful, but my review isn't based on her. It's based on experience and value. What did $270 plus tip get us over 4 hours? 2 regular sized margaritas, one small one and a total of 5 Street sized tacos and some very unathentic churrros. I would have loved to have options of some kind, we were served whatever meat they wanted to serve. These tacos were not authentic and definitely were not filling, we all were starving when we left. We definitely did more walking and talking than eating and drinking. Would definitely say, for the price, you're better off bar/taco hopping yourself. I gave 3 stars since I went with good friends and Nancy was sweet.

We attended Market Foray's cooking class in January, and it was one of the most enjoyable and…read moreeducational experiences I've had in the kitchen. We started with a trip to the farmer's market, where Laurence pointed out different items and talked through the differences in different types of food (green garlic was new to me!). We later met at her home, and the cooking began. She did a good job of rotating the tasks throughout the group, and explaining the techniques as she went. We got to taste as we went, and after all the chopping was done, wine was served. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the other participants were friendly and engaged, making it a fun, social experience as well. And, of course, the best part was sitting down at the end to enjoy the fruits of our labor. The dishes we prepared were full of flavor and creativity, and I walked away feeling incredibly satisfied and inspired to keep cooking. I highly recommend this class to anyone who loves food and wants to expand their culinary horizons. Whether you're looking to learn new techniques, discover fresh ingredients, or just have a fun day out, Market Forays is a fantastic choice.

Amazing experience! It was great shopping and cooking with Laurence. She opened the group up to a…read morewhole new world of ingredients from the local farmers market and fish market. We made a whole array of dishes and they all were so simple to make yet so delicious. I would highly recommend taking one of her classes and I would happily do it again

@ Chuck our driver was amazing and was extremely knowledgeable about the area. The ride was…read morepleasant and relaxing. It's a great way to discover other parts of Santa Barbara

This was our first trip to SB and this was a great way to get a peak at all that there is to do…read more The weather was beautiful and our guide Joey was entertaining enough.

I think there's some confusion between companies here, so just to clarify this is a wonderful tour…read moreled by a local guide named Julie. Julie was incredibly warm on our tour, and offered fascinating stories of local ghost lore, history and even architectural tidbits about the buildings we visited. She is extremely knowledgeable about Santa Barbara and has a curious, open-hearted and respectful approach to the ghost stories she tells. This was a very engaging tour and we learned a lot about the area!

My husband and I were looking for something fun, unique, and a bit out of the ordinary--and we're…read moreso glad we found the *one and only* original Santa Barbara Ghost Tours! After reading their glowing reviews, we knew this was the company to go with, and they did not disappoint. We opted for the **Paranormal Pairing Tour** and couldn't be happier with our choice. The experience was fantastic from start to finish. Our guide, Allison, was absolutely brilliant--her storytelling was captivating, and the ghost stories she shared felt so real and engaging. Walking through Santa Barbara after dark, we were immersed in its history, eerie tales, and hauntingly beautiful sights. The flow of the tour was perfect, with just the right balance of history, mystery, and atmosphere. We enjoyed every minute of this unforgettable evening and can't recommend it highly enough. If you're looking for a fascinating way to explore Santa Barbara's spookier side, this is it!

Jacob was professional, efficient, friendly. Everything you could ask for as he navigated shuttling…read moreguests at our party. The van was comfy and clean. I highly recommend this company!

By far the best tour company in town! Great day horseback riding and visiting the spectacular wine…read morecountry. If I could give them 6 starts I totally would :)

I came here for an event today so really my review is tailored more towards the events that Casa is…read moreholding but also to acknowledge the fabulous grounds and building though I admit I don't have full context for the history or background. I would definitely come back here to learn about the house and to take the guided tour. This wasn't the purpose for me coming today but the gentleman who works here noted that it's a great tour and I know friends who have enjoyed learning about the family and the history of the house, getting a deeper dive of information. I came here with some friends for their first hosted event Sound Bath. A wellness day if you will. From start to finish everything was very organized and thoughtful. The staff hosting the event and the spiritual wellness guide and sound healer was wonderful. Everyone was nice and you felt welcomed. Not pretentious and just very positive and good vibes. We had a nice group and everyone was respectful and on time for the sound bath so it went off without issue. It was a relaxing experience and the grounds were very nice to hold this outdoor event. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, we found an area with shade, very nice. Very faint sounds of cars in the distance here and there which wasn't ideal but out of their control and once things settled in you really couldn't hear much external noise. After the relaxing sound bath we were offered tea and light pastry snacks. I opted for a water and began exploring the grounds instead of partaking in the refreshments. The grounds are lush and lovely, very zen. Loved the beautiful trees and walkways with small fountains and running water. It was green and pretty all around from the recent rains. Definitely a great location for events and to learn a little SB history. I will definitely do my research and come back again soon.

Yikes, this is an expensive tour but it is a rarity to see a period house with most of the original…read moreoccupants furnishings etc. The tours are docent led and very informative. If you like these types of tours, this one is quite worth it.