This was a decent ride around a small part of the city. My driver was Joe. He seemed knowledgeable…read moreabout the history and landmarks. We stopped at a church to take pics and had sufficient time to snap other photos along the tour. This was especially perfect for a warm, sunny day.

Santa Barbara Trolley Tour (Booked via Viator.com)…read more We booked this tour through Viator for $28 per person (non-refundable), and I have to say -- it's an affordable, worthwhile way to see Santa Barbara and Montecito if you're short on time. The tour runs about an hour and a half, narrated the whole way through. Our guide, Rusty, was excellent -- knowledgeable, engaging, and easy to listen to. He mixed history with fun local details, pointing out landmarks, residents, and even a few celebrity homes. His energy kept the ride interesting from start to finish. Pro tip: Seating is a bit of a luck-of-the-draw situation. There are about four or five seats where the window is completely down -- perfect for pictures. Otherwise, most windows stay up and only open a crack for air. If photos are important to you, get in line early so you can grab those open-window spots. It's two people per bench. The rest stop was at the historic Santa Barbara Mission. We had about 15 minutes to use the restrooms, pop into the gift shop, and take pictures of the Mission's beautiful exterior. (The church wasn't open during our visit, but it often is, so worth checking next time.) Along the way, Rusty also pointed out some things I never would've noticed -- like enormous fig trees scattered around town, a fossil of a blue whale, and even a giraffe peeking its head out near the zoo! The Spanish-style architecture throughout Santa Barbara was another highlight, and being able to see so much in a short span of time made this tour feel really efficient. Meeting & Drop-off Spot: The Garden Street Visitor Center (close to the Carousel House). For brand-new visitors or anyone with limited time, this is a perfect introduction to Santa Barbara. Big kudos to Rusty for making it such an engaging ride.

Bellosguardo has an amazing history to share with the world. It's a must see! The estate has been…read morepreserved for over 60 years and is truly a Santa Barbara landmark

Touring Bellosguardo was a wonderful experience. It was full of delights and surprises. The art,…read morefurnishings, and instruments are remarkable. I look forward to returning in the future when additional areas of the house are opened to the public.

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 a great tour! My husband, two teen kids and I were in Santa Barbara for the day. We signed up…read morefor the tour and were pleasantly surprised by the fun stops and interesting stories about the history of this beautiful city. A great way to spend an afternoon!

What a fun tour! We got to learn about some SB history and learn about tiles from both an artistic…read moreand historical perspective... we got a bunch of free swag with our Tile Spotter Premium tix-- a hand stamped Journal and tote featuring tile art from our tour guide, Roger Buster! I loved the energy, the pace, and all of the amazing information we received-- and I especially loved the "tile spotter" card that came with the tour-- it was like a scavenger hunt and walking tour all in one!

The tile walk was amazing! I learned a lot about the unique and beautiful tiles all over downtown…read moreSanta Barbara, including the different time periods and artistic influences. Also, we got to see a lot of beautiful local Santa Barbara architecture. Highly recommend this walking tour, whether you're a local or just visiting! Great for every one of all ages if you like learning about something new.

What a great deal--absolutely free tour, no reservations necessary, led by a very knowledgeable,…read moretrained local volunteer docent. The 1929 Moorish/Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse is both a state & national landmark, said by some to be the most beautiful government building in the U.S! Every day at 2pm, and some days at 10:30am too. Starts in the "mural room" on the 2nd floor. Takes about 1 hour, and you can join or leave at any time. Gives you a good feel for the history of the building, the town and the region, going back to the first European landing by Cabrillo in 1542. Really stunning tile work, ceiling and wall paintings, adobe, beams and arches. Still houses 6 county courtrooms, hall of records etc. The 'sunken' garden on the east side of the main archway is gorgeously landscaped with dozens of different palm varieties; you can often see weddings going on both there and in the mural room. Booth from which you can buy postcards, brochures etc (or make a donation to their Foundation, which supports the ongoing renovations). Don't forget to go up to the top of the famous tower at the end of the tour for a 360-degree view of the entire city and bay!

Just took the tour yesterday-the docent was knowledgable, personable and provided interesting…read moredetail on the history and architectural details of this stunning treasure. The Tunisian tiles, the Spanish Mudahar influence throughout, and even a "Bridge of Sighs' from the courthouse to the old jail! The Italian rosette stained glass window, conch shell archway pattern in one area and Masonic cornerstone (with a Masonic date convention!) are some of the treasures within. We lucked out, the Law Library was opened to us during the tour by someone using the library; one wall had a painted "California Island" map-I've seen some of these maps at Stanford, it was a treat to see one as part of the design here! Absolutely worth the time, this a active, historical treasure not to be missed.

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.

What a great hidden gem of a museum! Family and I stumbled here by accident because my son needed…read moreto find a restroom after shopping at Warbler Records across the street. It's somewhat off the beaten path as it's few blocks away from Downtown Santa Barbara. That's probably why the place was fairly empty during our visit. I love the adobe architecture of the building. It almost looks like a small mission turned into a museum. The front entrance to the museum faces De La Guerra Street but we entered from the side entrance through its beautiful courtyard. It was empty on the day of our visit but I can see this place getting busy if people rent the courtyard for weddings and events. The museum isn't that big but there were enough exhibits to keep us busy for about an hour. It was great seeing the history of Santa Barbara through its regular exhibits as well as some special ones. Admission is free but my wife and I felt compelled to make a donation because we loved the place so much. We saw a glass donation box by its gift shop so we put some cash in there to support the museum. Will try to make this a regular stop on our future visits to Santa Barbara.

My partner and I were looking for something to do on a lazy Saturday in town. We have already…read moreexplored much of what the Central Coast has to offer so we decided to revisit an attraction. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum came to mind after noticing their Project Fiesta exhibit was going on. It also just so happens that Yelp's "Travel Like A Local" campaign is going on simultaneously, so the timing was impeccable. This museum is a hidden gem somewhat off the beaten path. It is a few blocks from downtown State Street and two from the historic Presidio. Most tourists unfortunately miss it. Yet, this beautiful adobe building with a humongous boat anchor in front is worth visiting. Heck, there's no reason to not enter since it's completely free to the public (donations appreciated)! Upon entering, to the left is a gift shop with many local books and souvenirs. Yet it's easy to be distracted by the gorgeous central courtyard with a water fountain as its focal point. This is a popular venue for weddings, dances and other celebrations. Be sure to get a photo of an original Camino Real Bell, the marker used to connect the California Missions. There is also the Glenhill Library here. Many don't know that if you sneak out the back gate, you can step back into time with dirt ground, lush fruit trees, and La Casa Covarrubias. The museum also features a permanent exhibit called The Story of Santa Barbara. It's the perfect introduction to the Central Coast's long history of the native Chumash people, the influence of Mexico and the Spanish, the 1925 Earthquake and more. Upon my most recent visit was an unexpected discovery, an exhibit on Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community. I knew of the historic Mattei's Tavern, Inn and Stagecoach Stop after it was recently renovated and became part of a new luxury Auberge Resort in Los Olivos. Little did I know that he became a well-known artist. His first free-sketch was of Leutze's 1851 painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware at only 15 years of age! Prominent guests of the Tavern recognized his skill and sponsored his studies in San Francisco and New York. To this day you can see his art on the walls of the Tavern, but also here. Another current temporary exhibit is of Old Spanish Days/Fiesta, Santa Barbara's pride and joy. 2023 is its 99th anniversary! I had no idea that Fiesta was originally started to celebrate the opening of the Lobero Theatre. To this day, it remains the oldest running theater in California. The photos of almost a century caught by camera and shared at this exhibit are spectacular. All in all, whether it's your first visit to Santa Barbara or you're a life-long native, a visit to this museum is a must!

I had the pleasure of visiting both the Hermitage Museum and the botanical sculpture gardens…read more It's unbelievable that all of this is on one man's property in the hills of Santa Barbara. The museum is filled with fun pieces of art, some of it interactive. The giant sculptures on the property are remarkable, with the sheer quantity of them amazing. I loved the themed areas like the zoo. The vegetation is also a wonder, especially seeing rare specimens, some of them hundreds of years old. I can't wait to go back and spend more time appreciating all the detail that went into the place!

One of the most interesting and numerous place to visit. Vigorous walking up and down the hillside.read more

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.

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.