Santa Barbara

Private Walking Tour of El Pueblo Viejo in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, USA
El Pueblo Viejo Historic Walking Tour
  • 1 to 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Overview

Learn the stories, mystery, and intrigue of spirits living in the French Quarter, including vampires, ghosts, the supernatural, murders, suicides, and hauntings. Your guide will introduce you to the underground world of Voodoo, chilling horror stories, and murderous mysteries for a fully authentic take on Nola's dark side.
  • Walk through the French Quarter with a local guide
  • Enjoy high-quality, well-researched, and authentic storytelling
  • Learn about where Nola's dark side resides
  • Delve into the world of Voodoo

What's Included

  • Experienced Guide
  • Parking Fees

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park
    123 E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA

    On the porch East of the Chapel.

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

  • 6/21/2021 - 6/3/2025

    Monday - Thursday : 09:30 AM - 05:30 PM

    Friday : 09:30 AM - 05:00 PM

    Saturday : 09:30 AM - 06:00 PM

    Sunday : 09:30 AM - 05:30 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0
16 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-8 of 16 reviews
Fascinating Tour: Very Highly Recommended
Deborah_B, Jan 2023
My partner and I were completely blown away by Sully and his presentation. This tour is a must for anyone interested in Santa Barbara history and the origins of the current community. Sully has a wealth of knowledge and can’t wait to share it. Sully was overly generous with his time and energy. The tour was chock full of fascinating information and details. Very highly recommended.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Thanks, Deborah! I love sharing the fascinating history of our city. Now, when you come back up the coast in your car you can imagine what is was like for the Spanish expeditioners 100's of year ago...
Great tour- Sully, the tour guide, really knows history- would recommend this tour to anyone who has a interest in Calif
Christopher_P, Sep 2022
Walking in the footsteps of the founding fathers of Santa Barbara! He makes the world of the past live in the present!
Outstanding Tour!
Dianne_F, Mar 2022
We took Sullivan Israel’s private walking tour of El Pueblo Viejo in Santa Barbara and were blown away! Sullivan loves Santa Barbara and really knows its history. He answered all of our questions and more. He even brought old maps and pictures to highlight his presentation. Sullivan was very generous with his time. He also provided information about other sites to visit. This tour was so awesome due to Sullivan’s knowledge, enthusiasm, and love for his community. Sullivan is an excellent guide: friendly, informative, and engaging. If you are a history and/or architecture fan, we highly recommend this tour. It was outstanding! Thank you, Sullivan!
Look forward to bringing friends on this tour
Mary_H, Jul 2021
The depth of knowledge and interest Sullivan Israel had in leading the tour made it feel like you were a part of history. I am a Santa Barbara native but have never heard such detailed information about this town’s past. And Sullivan made it very relevant to today as well. Montecito Mom
Fascinating Tour! I highly recommend!
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!
Awesome Tour!!!
Peter_S, Jul 2021
Wonderful and engaging tour guide. Knew the history of Santa Barbra so well, and was highly interesting. A must-do if you are visiting Santa Barbara. What a bang for your buck!!!
HIGHLY Recommend
Carrie_H, Jul 2021
Wow! What a good experience. Sullivan is knowledgable, 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!
Learned so much, had fun!
Jose_A, Jul 2021
I learned so much about this town that I never knew before! Sullivan is a well of information, and has so much knowledge about hidden historical locations and little-known stories. I couldn't have appreciated some of Santa Barbara's history without this fun tour and great guide. I would recommend to anyone in town - local or tourist!

From $79.00

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Compare Similar Experiences

1 / 3
Current
No Photo
Private Walking Tour of El Pueblo Viejo in Santa Barbara
16
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$79.00
No Photo
Private Santa Barbara History and Architecture Walking Tour
47
2 to 3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$99.00

Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Explore Similar Things to Do

Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
© 1997-2024 Viator, Inc.
Terms & Conditions