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Santa Barbara: Downtown Wine & Food Walking Tour

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/22

Duration3h–4h

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Wine, Food & State Street: A Local's Route Through Downtown Santa Barbara

You walk through downtown Santa Barbara with a local host (not a scripted guide) for 3.5 hours, stopping for wine tastings, food, and stories about the city's landmarks and hidden corners. Wine, a second beverage, and all food tastings are included—enough for a light meal. Small groups keep the pace social and personal, and you begin and end on State Street so the rest of your day stays flexible.

3h–4h

Step-by-step itinerary

Downtown Santa Barbara food and drink tour

Meet on State Street
Walk through El Paseo courtyard
Enjoy guided wine tasting and grazing box
Pass by Casa de la Guerra with stories
Pass through Santa Barbara Courthouse area
Pause at Granada Theatre for history
Pass by Arlington Theatre with light stories
Walk through La Arcada Plaza arcades
Pass by El Presidio historic site
Weave on and off State Street
End tour on State Street

The Experience

The first thing you notice walking into El Paseo is how the light hits the courtyard—it's tucked just off State Street, hidden enough that you could miss it entirely if you weren't looking. That's where the tour starts, with a wine tasting (usually three or four pours) and a grazing box spread out just for your group. The space itself is part of the experience: charming pathways, local businesses, buildings dating back to the early 1920s. You're not standing in a classroom or a tasting room trying to look interested—you're in an actual neighborhood, and the wine is the reason to linger there.

From there, the route weaves through downtown Santa Barbara in a way that makes sense only if someone who lives here is walking you through it. You'll pass the Santa Barbara County Courthouse (one of the most photographed buildings in the city, and you may step inside if timing allows), catch the Granada Theatre and Arlington Theatre as you move between stops, and duck through hidden arcades and walkways most visitors never find—the kind of places where there's a famous window washer statue, a Benjamin Franklin sculpture, and apparently some turtles that have become local fixtures. The host isn't reading from a script; they're pointing out what matters and moving on, which means the pace stays social and easy instead of feeling like a history lesson. You'll also pass El Presidio and Casa de la Guerra, both tied to how Santa Barbara actually began, but again—light context, no heavy lifting.

The whole thing takes about three and a half hours and includes a curated wine tasting, one additional beverage (your choice, alcoholic or not), and enough food tastings to count as a real meal. Restaurants and specific tastings shift based on what's available that day, so you're never getting a canned experience. Groups stay small, which is the whole point—it's more like walking around with a knowledgeable friend than joining a tour. You start and end on State Street, so once it's over, you can keep the day going, grab another drink, or head wherever you're heading next without any fuss.

What’s included

Your tour includes a local host (more like a knowledgeable friend than a traditional guide), a curated wine tasting with typically 3–4 wines, one additional beverage of your choice, and all food tastings along the way—enough for a satisfying midday meal.
Local taxes are covered.
The tour runs about 3.5 hours and covers downtown Santa Barbara on foot, starting and ending on State Street.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Taste Santa Barbara Food Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to eat and drink your way through downtown Santa Barbara without planning the route, choosing the spots, or timing it yourself—the local host and fixed itinerary take all that off your hands, and small group sizes keep it feeling like a walk with a friend instead of a formal tour.