About the Waterfront Tour
An easy walk along the marina covering the city’s history from the early Native Americans to the world famous Moreton Bay fig tree.
About the Funk Zone Tour
Tour the Funk Zone — Santa Barbara’s converted warehouse district now home to wine tasting rooms, brew pubs, and art galleries.
About the Old Town Tour
Tour lower State Street including the Brinkerhoff Victorian District and three of Jeff Shelton’s acclaimed architectural gems.
All reviews
Tripadvisor
YelpPosted on Google
michael kalouche20 August 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
My wife and I, living in New York but originally from France and Costa Rica, did the Waterfront Tour with John, and it was one of the best tours we’ve ever had! John seems to know everything about Santa Barbara and clearly loves sharing the history and stories of his hometown. He made the tour both informative and really enjoyable. We only wish we’d had more time in Santa Barbara — we would definitely have done his other two tours as well. Highly recommended!Posted on Google
Alicia Ekberg8 August 2026My husband and I took the Waterfront Tour late July with Craig. Although we've visited Santa Barbara many times, we learned so much about it's history that we didn't already know. In fact we liked it so much we took the Old Town architectural tour (again with Craig) the next day. We had previously seen the Abblit house but didn't know about all the other buildings that Jeff Shelton had designed and so felt extremely lucky to meet him and see many of his models in his workshop. We highly recommend the tour and highly recommend Craig. He is very knowledgeable and a great story teller.Posted on Google
Arnav Mody20 July 2026What an absolutely incredible experience! We took this walking tour while visiting Santa Barbara, and it completely exceeded our expectations. Our guide was engaging, deeply knowledgeable, and shared fantastic historical photos that really helped us visualize the city's evolution. We were completely captivated by the stunning architecture on the route. The way the guide broke down the history of the Spanish Colonial style and the whimsical, modern designs of the city was fascinating. But the best part of the entire tour? Our guide actually arranged for us to meet the architect himself in his studio! Getting to talk to the creative mind behind the buildings and hear his inspiration firsthand was a once-in-a-lifetime treat. If you want to truly understand the charm and design of Santa Barbara, do not miss this tour! Highly recommended!Posted on Tripadvisor
Arnav M19 July 2026Verified
Perfect way to see the city! Don't miss this tour What an absolutely incredible experience! We took this walking tour while visiting Santa Barbara, and it completely exceeded our expectations. Our guide was engaging, deeply knowledgeable, and shared fantastic historical photos that really helped us visualize the city's evolution. We were completely captivated by the stunning architecture on the route. The way the guide broke down the history of the Spanish Colonial style and the whimsical, modern designs of the city was fascinating. But the best part of the entire tour? Our guide actually arranged for us to meet the architect himself in his studio! Getting to talk to the creative mind behind the buildings and hear his inspiration firsthand was a once-in-a-lifetime treat. If you want to truly understand the charm and design of Santa Barbara, do not miss this tour! Highly recommended!Posted on Google
Yolanda Garnier13 July 2026We took the Old Town Santa Barbara walking tour with John and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The tour was fun, entertaining, and filled with fascinating historical facts that brought the area's rich history to life. John was an engaging guide who made the experience both informative and enjoyable. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Santa Barbara, and we look forward to joining the other two walking tours in the future!Posted on Tripadvisor
DLS016 July 2026A great way to start your Santa Barbara visit We enjoyed a fabulous Old Town tour with John. Loved hearing about the origins of Santa Barbara and especially seeing significant historic buildings from the Spanish Andalusian era. A highlight was meeting the architect Jeff Shelton in his studio after viewing several of his Gaudi-esque buildings. Highly recommend!Posted on Google
Oxana Turbina21 June 2026John was very good, very knowledgeable and fun. The whole family enjoyed the tour.Posted on Google
Les Mar4 June 2026Craig was fantastic! We really enjoyed the informative tour—such a great experience.Posted on Google
Julie Armstrong2 June 2026John led a super-informative tour revealing the history of downtown through its changes and progress over the years. I actually thought we were signing up for a typical historic tour so was pleasantly surprised when we began heading down alleys and side streets which bore their own history. I would highly recommend this tour to both visitors and local residents.Posted on Google
andrew dobin28 May 2026Very enjoyable. Perfect length.Posted on Google
David Klingenberger27 May 2026I’m a docent myself and this waterfront tour was great. The content, the photos, the pacing, and the delivery were perfect. Highly recommend.Posted on Tripadvisor
Wander4178491802924 May 2026Five stars for Craig! Amazing tour! Craig was an incredible guide who made the whole experience both fun and highly informative. It was the perfect way to explore Santa Barbara. Highly recommend!Posted on Google
Mia Rosenfeld7 May 2026Today’s walking tour of the old historic part of Downtown Santa Barbara was really excellent. It really helped color the area for me! I would have walked right by some of these fascinating spots without ever knowing. Highly recommend.Posted on Tripadvisor
patriciakr201823 April 2026Free Walking Tour of Old Town Santa Barbara We took the Free Walking Tour of Old Town Santa Barbara with Craig today! Enjoyed learning about the history and seeing the old pictures. Craig was a great story teller and answered our questions. It was amazing to learn about Jeff Shelton’s artistic style of art! Loved seeing his office and more of his designs. We went to see several more buildings on our own! We would highly recommend this tour AND Craig!!Posted on Tripadvisor
Toby D21 January 2026Don't miss these In one week we did both the Waterfront & the Old Town tours. Both were fantastic!~Santa Barbara is rich in history & culture! We learned so many great facts & it was all very interesting. The length is just right, not too long, just perfect. The content & presentation was 10+Posted on Tripadvisor
Nancy P28 December 2025Such a fun time with great learning. Had a lovely and informative Funk Zone Tour with Craig. Learned a lot, was able to ask many questions regarding old history and he was able to answer all. Thorougly enjoyed it. I thank you all !!!!!Posted on Yelp
Janet H.28 December 2025Verified
We took the old town tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable, the detail maybe too much for general audiences. I enjoyed the stories of the neighborhoods and landmark buildings. We visited architect Jeff Shelton in his studio, spending more time than I needed. I was surprised that the tour did not mention City Hall, a must do for Santa Barbara.Posted on Yelp
Em E.30 November 2025Verified
My family and I spent a beautiful afternoon with John, the owner of SB Walking Tours. I'm a longtime local of the Santa Barbara area, and I was surprised by how many new and interesting facts I learned on the tour. We took the waterfront tour and discovered so much rich history about our city. John kept the experience fun, engaging, and informative. It was the perfect way to learn about Santa Barbara and see this beautiful place from a fresh perspective. I highly recommend taking a walking tour--whether you're a visitor or a local!Posted on Tripadvisor
Bonnie C4 October 2025Funk zone tour in Santa Barbara. This was the best tour! John was very knowledgeable, a great historian. We saw and heard so many interesting facts during our funk zone tour. The pace was great. It is hard to believe this was a free tour. It was worth $$$$$Posted on Tripadvisor
Bridget K27 September 2025A great way to spend an afternoon! What a great tour! My husband, two teen kids and I were in Santa Barbara for the day. We signed up for 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!Posted on Yelp
Bridget K.27 September 2025What a great tour! My husband, two teen kids and I were in Santa Barbara for the day. We signed up for 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!Posted on Tripadvisor
Yukiko M16 September 2025Our guide was amazing and super knowledgeable! If you’ve got a couple of hours to spare, I highly recommend joining a walking tour of Santa Barbara. Strolling through the charming streets, you get to soak up the city’s history, admire the beautiful architecture, and even stop by architect Jeff Shelton’s office to hear his stories and see his designs up close. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the city’s history, which made the whole experience even more special. Truly a wonderful way to spend a day! ThanksPosted on Yelp
Rosanne M.18 August 2025Knowledgeable, interesting and full of visuals and well planned stops. Really enjoyed meeting Craig and felt the walking tour was very worthwhile. Good timing to grab breakfast and get lunch suggestions (and wine tasting coupons) as well. Cheers!Posted on TripadvisorJohn28 July 2025A great experience We did the waterfront tour with Craig.His knowledge and the photo book helped us learn far more than any guide book could.Thank you CraigPosted on Yelp
Josh D.16 June 2025Had an absolute blast on our tour. My date and I have lived in and around town for a while, but had never had an opportunity to hear about Santa Barbara's history. John was great - able to talk and direct at the same time. Incredibly engaging and thoughtful with his presentation of the material. Strongly recommend! Do it!Posted on Yelp
Wendy D.30 April 2025We highly recommend the Old Town tour given by John. John is very knowledgable, fun and friendly guide and you will learn a lot about the history of the downtown area by taking his tour. You will receive some very revealing information that gives you hidden insight to how Santa Barbara became the charming town that it is today. A highlight of the tour is visiting some of the architectural gems of the Santa Barbara architect Jeff Shelton and also visiting his quirky, charming studio...he is a City of Santa Barbara Treasure in the truest sense of the word. And the Old City Tour s a little journey worth taking.Posted on Yelp
Rudolph O.9 October 2024Wow! We joined John on the Old Town tour and enjoyed it so much! He is clearly passionate about Santa Barbara history and its people. We learned a lot and saw some beautiful scenery. Last year we went on the Funk Zone tour and enjoyed it as well. Would DEFINITELY recommend this as a fun few hours to spend in beautiful Santa Barbara!Posted on Yelp
Karen C.16 August 2024On a recent trip, my hubby, brother-in-law and I went on a great walking tour with John. He was so knowledgeable, nice and covered history that we had no idea about. Thanks John for helping make our trip extra special! Highly recommend these folks!Posted on Yelp
Mary Ann R.26 March 2024A great tour. John is so knowledgeable about Santa Barbara. I took the Funk Zone Tour and enjoyed learning about the history of that area. Highly recommended!Posted on Yelp
Aa B.19 March 2024Did the waterfront walking tour with Dave. He did a great job of interacting with everyone on the tour. He had great knowledge of the history and fables associated with Santa Barbara. We were in Sta. Barbara on a cruise. The starting and ending points (different locations) were an easy walk to the cruise tender location.
