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Private Walking Tour of El Pueblo Viejo in Santa Barbara

Private Walking Tour of El Pueblo Viejo in Santa Barbara

Overview

On this tour, we will peel back the layers of history to imagine what Santa Barbara, and the people in it, were like in the 18th and 19th centuries. We will explore the old core of Santa Barbara, known as El Pueblo Viejo, "the old town," centered around the Presidio, and discover what remains of the first few decades of the town. I will show you the must see sites, as well as some out-of-the-way architectural gems that only a local like me knows about. I have researched local history quite extensively and am very knowledgeable. What makes this tour unique is my in-depth understanding of local history, lore, and architecture, and my abilities to answer whatever questions you might have, as well as to show you the hidden places that aren’t listed in every guidebook. We can arrange beforehand to focus on what you find most interesting: Architecture? History? Adobe construction? Perhaps a combination of them all!
I can cater to whatever interests you have!

City: Santa Barbara

Mon 23 Jun

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $79.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Jun

Starting at $79.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Experienced Guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

What To Expect

El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

Here, guests will admire one of the oldest structures in California. Built in 1782 of Adobe brick, the Presidio includes original rooms, soldiers gardens, a chapel, and re-creations of everyday objects of the 18th century. Guests will learn how the buildings were constructed only from materials of the surrounding countryside, and get a chance to imagine life in the far-reaches of the once great Spanish Empire.

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

Constructed in 1964 of Adobe brick, the museum is a classic example of early California-style architecture. The museum contains many excellent exhibits on local history, including painting and a collection of etchings. The courtyard also features two adobe structures dating from 1817 and a gift shop, and is an excellent spot for pictures. Guests can enter to explore the exhibits if they choose.

Orena Adobe

These Adobes, which line this section of E. De La Guerra St., were built in 1849 by Jose de la Guerra, fifth Comandante of the Santa Barbara Presidio. They are a perfect example or original Mexican-Californio architecture. They were later sold to Gaspar Orena. His descendants still own these structures today!

Casa de la Guerra

Constructed in 1819 by Don Jose de la Guerra, fifth Comandante of the Presidio, as both a mansion for his family and a center for his business, this adobe remains just as impressive as it did back in the day. It was a center of cultural and political activities, back when Santa Barbara was simply a few adobes grouped around the Presidio. Today, it remains a centerpiece of the town, hosting the Fiesta celebrations each summer. It is open for visitors on the weekends.

El Paseo Building

The construction of El Paseo, from 1922-29, was the first major step in converting the architecture of Santa Barbara from Eastern US main street to Hispanic Pueblo. We will wander through the quaint passageways, visit the romantic courtyard, and meander down the famous “Street in Spain,” before emerging onto State St. proper. Great spot for pictures.

Hill-Carrillo Adobe

Built by Daniel Hill, one of the earliest American immigrants to Santa Barbara, in 1825 this unassuming in one of the oldest private structures in the town, and was once the center of its social life. In years since, it was used by the first City Council meetings in the 1850's, and was restored in 1919.

Masonic Temple

Covered in intricate carvings and frescoes, Santa Barbara's Masonic Temple is one of the most sophisticated buildings in town.

Show 4 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (16)

MontecitoMom

Jul 2021

Wow! What a good experience. Sullivan is knowledgeable, helpful, and funny. This tour is perfect for anyone who wants a fun and informative tour of Santa Barbara. My family and I loved this tour, and I would highly recommend for anyone else!

petersV4041ZH

Jul 2021

What a tour! The guide is one of the most knowable people about Santa Barbra lore I've heard. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. Sullivan is such a well-learned person, anyone that needs to have fun and learn something along the way while in Santa Barbra needs to take this ASAP.

Jackson_H

Jul 2021

I am a lifelong local of Santa Barbara with great appreciation for this town’s architecture and history. I took this tour at the fervent recommendation of visiting friends, expecting to hear the same few stories half the out-of-towners already know when they get here. I was amazed by the depth of Sully’s knowledge and story-telling ability. Walking through the Presidio district (the oldest part of town) with a binder of old photographs, he showed how the town was built, layer upon layer, first the Spanish colonial outpost, then the anarchic capital of a far-flung, forgotten Mexican territory, then the standard, street-gridded Gilded age American city, and finally the Spanish-inspired Mediterranean city from the 1925 earthquake to the present day. Sully is a student of architecture, but he also brings to life the social and economic dynamics that determined how the city’s image and character changed over time. He has a great appreciation for the people who changed Santa Barbara and built the beautiful city it is today. He has evidently read almost every book on Santa Barbara history ever published, including several first person accounts from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. He does not overlook the darker sides of our history, especially the abominable treatment of the Chumash by the mission fathers, nor does he focus on that to the exclusion of nuance. For example, he started the tour at the Presidio pointing to the rafters made of reeds. He explained that before irrigation, Santa Barbara had no trees except in creek beds, and those were Live Oaks, which twist too much to make beams with. In later examples of adobe buildings, he explained, pine beams were found in the roofs, because Chumash would be forced to collect pine from the taller Los Padres mountains many miles north. For the whole hour, I was entertained and enthralled by Sully’s stories, and I came away with a new and deeper appreciation for the buildings and streets I see every day. Thank you, Sully!