Santa Barbara Funk Zone Food and Photo Tour

Overview

Eat your way through the Funk Zone - Santa Barbara's hip, new 'hood - while learning about local culture and how to take great food photos.

This food & photo tour starts on lower State Street and will walk you through the Funk Zone neighborhood where you will taste what Santa Barbara is known for with bites of fresh seafood, gastropub creations, Mexican food, artisan beer, and locally grown wines several different locations. Along the way, you’ll get immersed in the local culture and hear interesting stories about each place you’ll visit.

You’ll also learn easy-to-shoot photo tips from your pro tour guide and take your food photo skills to the next level using your smartphone’s camera app. By the end of your 3 hour tour, you’ll be eating like a local and shooting like a pro!
(Please note: we cannot accommodate shellfish allergies, vegan or celiac restrictions at this time. However, we only have one shellfish/seafood tasting on the tour.)

City: Santa Barbara

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Wine tasting

Beverages

Food tasting

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Infant meals not included
Minimum drinking age is 21 years
Not recommended for vegan or celiac dietary restrictions. Shellfish allergies cannot be accommodated, but will only miss out partially on one tasting.
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
We are still adhering to all current guidelines for Santa Barbara County. Please do a quick online search for "mask mandate Santa Barbara County" so you can stay in-the-know for your trip! We will also be updating all our guests on any COVID guideline changes as is needed.

What To Expect

Funk Zone

Begin your 3-hour Santa Barbara walking food tour at a central location in the Funk Zone, located near lower State Street. This region once housing warehouses and scuba shops — now revitalized into a bustling neighborhood of hip eateries, wine-tasting rooms, and artist studios — is where you’ll meet your guide for an afternoon food tasting and photo tour. Set out on foot at a moderate pace as your guide shares insights into Santa Barbara’s history and burgeoning art culture. Keep your smartphone ready so you can practice the helpful photo tips your guide offers along the way. You'll have many opportunities to take food photos and colorful portraits in the lively Funk Zone. Along the way, your guide stops for food & drink tastings (all included) at restaurants, a wine bar/bakery, & one microbrewery. Learn how to properly position your food for the best photos as you sample local fare. After your tour you can continue to explore and capture this fun & funky neighborhood on your own.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (93)

Roy S

Feb 2018

Our funk zone tour was fantastic! Delicious food and a great variety of tastes of local booze. A tour guide is really the critical part of any tour and Abbie hit the mark. She's super fun and very attentive to our needs. We only came up for the afternoon, but this is a great thing to do if you are staying in SB and want a sample of what the Funk Zone has to offer. We recommend Enterprise fish House and Shalhoob Meat Co. for good eats!

Response from Host

Apr 2018

Thanks for the review, Roy! So glad Abbey was able to show you such a great time in one of our favorite neighborhoods!

TravelnLinda

Jan 2018

Last week Abby took my granddaughter and myself on the walking tour of the past industrial zone, now upgraded Funk Zone of Santa Barbara. Besides being a knowledgeable and quite fun guide, it was interesting on how so many restaurant owners eagerly welcomed her to their establishments. She took extremely well care to travel at our pace, seeing we promptly were served our food and or drink, while at the same time supplying us with interesting background information. Having been to SB numerous times in the past, what a breath of fresh air it was to take this tour. Thanks Abby for the fun, humor and great time you gave this Grandma and Granddaughter for a memorable time together.

Response from Host

Feb 2018

Thanks for the great review, Linda! And glad you had a good time! Glad to hear you had a good time with Abbey--we think she's pretty great, too. :) Hope to see you both again soon!

DevinaDivecha

Dec 2017

Abbey took us around the 'funk zone' in Santa Barbara for a few enjoyable and completely engaging hours. We walked around the area and sampled a variety of food and drink, all peppered with lots of information from Abbey about the area as well as the venues we frequented. I really loved the range of restaurants we visited, and it was great to hear the local stories behind each one. All the food we tasted was delicious (genuinely cannot think of something I did not like), and we were stuffed by the end of the experience. Definitely wear comfy shoes, even though it's not a huge area that we walk through, and have your phone all charged so you can take many pics. Special shout-out to Abbey again - she was the best guide we could have hoped for. As someone who 'collects' food tours nearly everywhere I travel, I'd highly recommend this, and cannot wait to try the other tour the next time I'm in Santa Barbara.

Response from Host

Feb 2018

Thanks for the awesome review! So glad you had a good time with Abbey and enjoyed all the stops, too! Looking forward to seeing you on our wine tour soon :)