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Tours/Santa Barbara/Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll

Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll

4.1(10)Santa Barbara1h 15min–1h 30min
VIATOR3.0(2)TRIPADVISOR4.4(8)
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
+7 photos
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll
Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll

At a glance

Duration
1h 15min–1h 30min
Price from
$10 / person
Location
Santa Barbara, United States
Rating
4.1 / 5 · 10 reviews
Languages
EN
Group
Private
Cancellation
See policy below
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
VoiceMap Audio Tours
Meeting point
Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.

Description

Are you looking for a way to see downtown Santa Barbara without joining a tour group? Explore at your own pace with this affordable walking tour. • Find out if Santa Barbara really is California’s answer to the French Riviera on this walking tour through the idyllic seaside city • Hear from producer Mindy Flanagan, who co-founded Tour Freely with her husband, Jerry • Do it all in 75 minutes or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just pop in your headphones and tap start. VoiceMap has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

Schedule & prices

Runs
Every day
Next available
Sun, Oct 11
Adult (ages 6+)
$10

Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.

From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 10.

Tour Options

Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll

Itinerary

Alameda Park
Pass by

Starting on the corner of Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden and Alameda Park, you’ll learn about Santa Barbara’s early roots.

Trinity Episcopal Church
Pass by

Pass by Trinity Episcopal Church and hear more about Santa Barbara's rich history.

Pass by

Pass by Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church and hear more about Santa Barbara's rich history.

Arlington Theatre
Pass by

c

Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Pass by

Take in some of Downtown’s most iconic landmarks including Hotel Californian, Lobero Theatre, Hotel Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Hill-Carrillo Adobe
Pass by

I’ll tell you about the Chumash natives who lived here more than 9,000 years ago, and the city’s dramatic transformation when Spanish explorers Juan Cabrillo and Sebastian Vizcaino arrived here in the 1500s.

Lobero Theatre
Pass by
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
Pass by

Appreciate one of the city’s most important historical sites, the El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park.

Santa Barbara Historical Museum
Pass by

Gaze at one of the city’s oldest structures, the Covarrubias Adobe, situated next to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

Pass by

Gaze at one of the city’s oldest structures, the Covarrubias Adobe, situated next to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

Pass by

Take in some of Downtown’s most iconic landmarks including Hotel Californian, Lobero Theatre, Hotel Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Moreton Bay Fig Tree
Pass by

Listen to the story of the 150-year-old Moreton Bay Fig Tree.

Funk Zone
Pass by

Hear how the Funk Zone got so funky and discover the city’s alluring Urban Wine Trail, covering over 20 wineries.

Pass by

Take in some of Downtown’s most iconic landmarks including Hotel Californian, Lobero Theatre, Hotel Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Pass by

I’ll tell you about the Chumash natives who lived here more than 9,000 years ago, and the city’s dramatic transformation when Spanish explorers Juan Cabrillo and Sebastian Vizcaino arrived here in the 1500s.

Pass by

Soak up the fresh wild air along West Beach.

Stearns Wharf
Pass by

As you wind your way across State Street to Stearns Wharf where our tour ends, I’ll tell you about the disastrous 1925 earthquake that destroyed the area, and how influential activists with a vision put policies in place to preserve the remarkable beauty of the historical downtown district.

What's included

Included
Lifetime access to this tour in English
VoiceMap app for Android and iOS
Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Not included
Smartphone and headphones
Food/Drink
Transportation

Traveller Ratings

Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor

4.1
10 reviews
5
7
4
0
3
1
2
1
1
1

How it compares in Santa Barbara

  • Starting price $10 is 89% below the typical $95 for tours of similar length in Santa Barbara

Excurgo comparison of 150 Viator tours, recalculated daily.

Important Information

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Please note: You won't be guided through any museums or other attractions mentioned en route. If you choose to enter and visit such places, you'll need to pay for it independently of this tour.

Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

0+ days before0% refund

Frequently asked questions

How long does this tour take?

Ultimate Guide to Santa Barbara: A GPS Self-Guided Urban Stroll lasts about 1h 15min–1h 30min. The itinerary has 17 stops.

How much does this tour cost?

Prices start at $10 per person for this Santa Barbara experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.

What days does this tour run?

According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day.

Can I cancel this tour for free?

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.

What languages is this tour offered in?

The experience is available in EN.

Is this a private or a group tour?

It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.

Will my booking be confirmed immediately?

Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.

Is this tour worth it?

Travellers rate it 4.1 out of 5 across 10 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by VoiceMap Audio Tours.

Reviews(10)

Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor

J
Julie_M
September 27, 2026 · via Viator
Couldn’t find the place...

Couldn’t find where to get tickets, which made no sense since it’s in public. No way to start the experience, so couldn’t listen to the history. Looked up the first few myself. Since they were churches we couldn’t get inside to view. Might have been good if I could’ve gotten access.

Operator response

Hi there, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your experience. Please note that the tour did not expect or require you to purchase any entrance tickets for the stops along the way. When you were having technical difficulties, did you contact VoiceMap support via email or telephone? We are contactable by both telephone and email, so if you have technical difficulties, please reach out to us so we can identify what is going wrong. Again, I'm sorry about the poor experience you had. Best, Rory

C
corazonm789
February 17, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Exploring Sta Barbara

I didn't know Sta Barbara is such a wonderful place to go, very relaxing and peaceful neighborhood, parks, etc. They were able to preserve the structure that shows history of the past. Thumbs up.

G
golfergg
June 19, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Cool technology that worked perfectly!

We got to wind our way down to the beach seeing the best of the town on the way. We shopped along our journey and had lunch on the urban wine trail. I highly recommend it whether you are a local or a visitor. Fun tour and learned so much!

T
T8236KKstevet
May 7, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Think before to comment.

The software and the iPhone don’t get along. The iPhone keeps refreshing loosing it place in the program. The end result, the whole experience was very frustrating. Would not do it again.

Operator response

Hi there, I'm sorry for your frustrating experience. Could you please send more information to support@voicemap.me so that we can help figure out what went wrong? The iPhone app did not have any bugs when you took the tour. Did you perhaps activate manual playback? If so, this would have interfered with the audio's sequencing. If you send us more information, we can look into this for you. Again, I'm sorry for your frustrating experience. Regards, Brent

M
melindasM8095NW
February 28, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Fun and informative

Super Fun Tour ​ Do it! I went with a friend and we both found the tour very engaging. We both left with a greater appreciation for the town and its cool history. We liked that GPS was our guide, so we could leisurely stop along the way for lunch and wherever we wanted…and we got all our steps in and more!. Great way to spend a few hours and learn about gorgeous Santa Barbara!

1 people found this helpful
B
bebediver
April 25, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Boring narrative

The layout is good, but the narration is dry and boring. I recommend taking a free walking tour instead.

1 people found this helpful
R
richardwU9335ZX
January 19, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Nice day in Santa Barbara

I enjoyed listening to the audio tour. It was very clear and was easy to listen to. The history was abundant. I had no clue. However I'm from San Luis Obispo, and our town is pronounced San Loois, Not San Loowy. A few other comments. When starting the tour, there is a public restroom in the park should be noted. It was very easy to follow the route.

C
csegobia
December 17, 2022 · via Tripadvisor
I learned so much about Santa Barbara; Great Audio Tour!

I enjoyed how the tour was laid out in such an easier to follow manner, and the history on the churches, theaters and other points of reference was enlightening and I learned so much about Santa Barbara, I did not know, and that you end at the scenic and happening Stearns Wharf was great!

1 people found this helpful
M
melindasM8095NW
December 17, 2022 · via Tripadvisor
Tour Freely in Santa Barbara

Very interesting and informative experience. The tour covers the town's history and takes you to many points of interest throughout. If a particular site bears more investigation, or you just need a break, it is easy to pause the tour and resume at any time. Definitely recommend it!

1 people found this helpful
$10/ person
4.1(10)
Duration1h 15min–1h 30min
LanguagesEN
ConfirmationInstant
Check availability on Viator →
Booked and paid on Viator.com
Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

No booking fees from Excurgo
Payment and confirmation are handled by Viator
Excurgo support

Excurgo earns a commission from Viator when you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.

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