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Small-Group 90-Minute Tour by Trolley, Santa Barbara

4.5
(649 reviews)
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Visitors who want a quick, fun overview of Santa Barbara's highlights will love this 90-minute trolley tour of the American Riviera. Drive past landmarks like the courthouse, the zoo, the Mission, and the Museum of Natural History. Learn about the town's culture and history from live commentary and note places that you might want to return to independently later.

Overview

Visitors who want a quick, fun overview of Santa Barbara's highlights will love this 90-minute trolley tour of the American Riviera. Drive past landmarks like the courthouse, the zoo, the Mission, and the Museum of Natural History. Learn about the town's culture and history from live commentary and note places that you might want to return to independently later.

Itinerary

  • Stearns Wharf

    Enjoy the seaside sights and sounds of Stearns Wharf, one of Santa Barbara’s most iconic landmarks. Named for builder John P. Stearns and located at the end of State Street, it is California’s oldest working wharf and the perfect spot to soak up the sun, salty breezes and stunning views of the impossibly blue Pacific. The Wharf was completed in 1872 and served the passengers and freight shipping needs of California’s south coast for more than 25 years. Today it’s one of Santa Barbara’s most visited attractions and a mainstay of the Waterfront district.

  • East Beach

    East Beach is a favorite spot for locals for volleyball (including pro tournaments), skating, paddle sports, art shows and just plain relaxing. It also has a great panoramic view of the Santa Barbara mountains.

  • Andree Clark Bird Refuge

    Andrée Clark Bird Refuge is a 42-acre open space park that includes a 29-acre lake that is an artificially modified estuary that supports brackish wetlands. Three islands are located in the lake. The park provides passive recreation opportunities such as bird watching, hiking, and biking. Boating and fishing are prohibited, as is feeding the wildlife. The Bird Refuge is a scenic resource with views to and from scenic highways (East Cabrillo Boulevard and Highway 101) and provides a view of aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

  • Butterfly Beach

    Located in the chic and laid-back village of Montecito, Butterfly Beach is a favorite among Santa Barbara locals. The beach’s pristine shoreline is ideal for swimming, surfing and sunbathing, and its unique east-west orientation makes for some truly spectacular sunrises AND sunsets. Spend the better part of your day lounging with a good book, or venture into the ocean and take on the waves in a kayak. Keep your eyes peeled and you might even see a star or two—Montecito is home to several celebs. Whatever activities you include in your day by the sea, Butterfly Beach is the perfect setting.

  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

    The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has a rich history dating back to 1876. Exhibits and collections change throughout the year to educate and entertain children and adults alike. Make sure to check out the iconic 73-foot Blue Whale skeleton displayed out front!

  • Old Mission Santa Barbara

    Old Mission Santa Barbara is a community of many parts, but one spirit. The Mission has served as a gathering place and spiritual home for many since its establishment in 1786. Today the Mission operations include a museum, gift shop, cemetery and mausoleum, and several historic gardens, as well as being the home to a community of Franciscan Friars on about 15 acres. The Mission is also home base for Saint Barbara Parish, which operates under the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library, a separate Franciscan-sponsored non-profit, and a Novitiate which provides the first year of education for Friars in training from across the United States.

    10 minutes
    Admission Included
  • Santa Barbara County Courthouse

    or a firsthand look at one of the country’s most beautiful public buildings, look no further than the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Designed in the Spanish-Colonial style and completed in 1929, the fully operational Courthouse is an iconic Santa Barbara landmark with its distinctive four-faced clock tower, red tile roofs, elegant arches and verdant sunken garden and grounds. Through the self-guided tours, visitors can get a visual history lesson from the elaborate hand-painted murals, marvel at ornate wrought-iron chandeliers and climb to the top of the clock tower for an incredible panoramic view of Santa Barbara and beyond.

  • El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

    Located in downtown Santa Barbara, El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park (El Presidio SHP) is a 5 1/2-acre park that preserves the site of the last Spanish fortress, or presidio, founded in Alta (Upper) California in 1782. Two of the fort‘s original adobe buildings still exist and are open to the public — El Cuartel and the Cañedo Adobe.

  • Santa Barbara Waterfront

    At Santa Barbara Harbor you will find interesting stores, delicious seafood restaurants and the occasional celebrity yacht. Naturally sheltered by mountains and islands on a southward facing coastline, it is one of the best harbors in the world.

Location

Meeting Point Map

Address

1 Garden St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA

Open Google Map

Experience

Highlights

  • Learn more than you would touring by yourself
  • Enjoy the convenience of a narrated guided tour
  • Ideal for first-time visitors to Santa Barbara
  • This is a small-group tour, for your comfort
  • Inclusions

    • Narrated Tour

    Exclusions

    • Food and Drinks

    Additional Information

    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
    • Service animals allowed
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

    Guide Languages

    • English

    Cancellation Policy

    No refund is possible if you cancel.

    Traveler Ratings

    See how travelers have rated this attraction. Check out the average rating and read what others have shared about their experiences

    4.5 / 5

    4.54 out of 5 stars

    Based on 649 reviews

    Review histogram

    5

    74%

    4

    15%

    3

    5%

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    Traveler Reviews

    Discover what other travelers have to say about this attraction. Read their reviews and get insights into their experiences

    nickamc80
    We were visiting Santa Barbara for the Film Festival and wanted to find a tour of the area. I searched online and found Santa Barbara Trolley Tour and so glad we did. Our tour was the guided 90 minute...
    Q9207MPrachelh
    This was nice. My mom was celebrating her birthday and she had trouble walking long distances. This was great for her. The guide, Tim, was very knowledgeable and friendly. I learned a lot about the a...

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