Santa Barbara Electric Bike Tour: Channel Drive Views

Ride Mission gardens, courthouse view, Channel Drive & State Street Promenade on two wheels

A private guided electric bike tour of Santa Barbara led by a local guide who knows the city's history and hidden corners. You ride to the Old Mission Santa Barbara, climb the Courthouse tower for views of downtown and the coastline, pedal Channel Drive and the State Street Promenade (both off-limits to cars), and glide down to Butterfly Beach in Montecito. The electric bikes let you cover more ground in less time, and your guide shares stories about the Biltmore Hotel, Stearns Wharf, the biggest fig tree in America, and the neighborhoods where locals actually eat. Tours run at 10am or 2pm. The ride takes roughly two and a half hours, with about an hour and a half of actual pedaling between stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Old Mission Santa Barbara12m
2. Santa Barbara County Courthouse15m
3. Santa Barbara Waterfront10m
4. Montecito5m
5. Stearns Wharf2m

Explore Santa Barbara by electric bike

• Stop at Mission Rose Garden
• Climb courthouse tower for views
• Visit Santa Barbara Waterfront
• Learn history of old hotel theatre
• Ride Channel Drive to Butterfly Beach
• Cruise through downtown Montecito
• See Dolphin Fountain and Stearns Wharf
• View America's biggest fig tree
• Ride State Street Promenade
• Discover first European building history
• Hear story of man-made lake
• Bike along Santa Barbara waterfront path
• Learn about the Rainbow Arch
• Visit popular park and watch paragliders
• Explore tallest building stories

The experience

The tour starts on electric bikes that handle the hills without the effort, so you can focus on what your guide is pointing out instead of your legs. You'll ride up to the Old Mission Santa Barbara and look out over the ocean from the rose garden, then head downtown to the Courthouse, where you climb the tower for a 360-degree view of the city, the mountains and the coast. Your guide walks you through the building's architecture and the quirky facts locals know. From there you drop down to the waterfront to see Stearns Wharf and hear the history of the Potter Hotel and the residents of the castle on the hill.

The real advantage of bikes shows on Channel Drive, a route that winds along the coast but stays closed to cars. You pedal it instead. You glide down to Butterfly Beach in Montecito and learn about the Biltmore Hotel and Coral Casino, then cruise through downtown Montecito along Coast Village Road. Your guide knows the restaurants and ice cream spots that don't have signs and aren't on State Street, and will tell you which ones are worth stopping at. You'll also ride the State Street Promenade, another car-free stretch where you can actually move through downtown without dodging traffic.

Along the way you'll hear about the biggest fig tree in America and why it almost got cut down for a gas station, the Dolphin Fountain and its twin, the history of the oldest operating wooden wharf in California, and the stories of the first European building in Santa Barbara from the 1700s. Your guide covers the man-made lake and how it got its name, the Rainbow Arch and the controversy around it when it was built, and the tallest building downtown, including details about who lives there and what's on the roof. The ride includes sunscreen, bottled water, a helmet and the bike itself. Children from age one are welcome, and specialized infant seats are available.

What’s included

• The tour includes sunscreen, bottled water, a helmet and the use of an electric bike.
• your guide is a local who leads in English.
• specialized infant seats are available for children from age one.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guided tour of Santa Barbara at 10 amGuide in English · 10:00Tour in the morning

Guided tour of Santa Barbara at 2 pmGuide in English · 14:00Tour in the afternoon

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (17 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (6 to 16 years) · Child (3 to 5 years): free · Infant (1 to 2 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by American Riviera Bike Tours and Rentals

Is this one for you?Choose the 10am departure if you want the morning light on the Courthouse views and the waterfront before the afternoon crowds. Pick 2pm if that fits your schedule better. Either way, the electric bikes and the car-free routes (Channel Drive and the State Street Promenade) are what make this tour different from walking or driving the same streets.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 16 years); Child (3 to 5 years): free; Infant (1 to 2 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I ride an electric bike if I've never ridden one before?

Yes. Electric bikes on this tour are comfortable and designed to let you see more in less time without the strain of a regular bike. You'll have a moderate level of physical fitness to handle the route, which includes some hills and about an hour and a half of pedaling between stops, but the motor does the heavy lifting.

What's the difference between the 10am and 2pm tours?

Both tours follow the same route and last about two and a half hours. The 10am departure gets you started in the morning. The 2pm tour runs in the afternoon. Pick whichever fits your schedule.

Will we actually ride on Channel Drive?

Yes. Channel Drive is one of the main reasons to do this tour on a bike. It's a scenic coastal route that cars can't access. You pedal it and glide down to Butterfly Beach in Montecito, where your guide explains the history of the Biltmore Hotel and Coral Casino.

What happens at the Courthouse?

You climb the Courthouse tower and get a 360-degree view of downtown Santa Barbara, the coastline and the mountains. Your guide points out the architectural highlights and shares quirky facts about the building itself.

Are there stops to eat or drink during the tour?

The tour includes bottled water and sunscreen, but no meals. Your guide knows local restaurants and ice cream shops (some hidden off State Street with no signs), and can point you toward them or suggest where to stop, but eating is on your own time and budget.

How much actual riding is there?

Travel time riding between points of interest is approximately an hour and a half. The full tour is about two and a half hours, so you'll spend the rest of the time at stops like the Mission, the Courthouse tower, the waterfront and other landmarks while your guide tells the stories behind them.