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Weekend Amblers: Red Tile Walking (Ambling) Tour (Registration Opens August 25)

  • November 08, 2026
  • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Front of County Courthouse, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA
  • 25
  • 25 registrants

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  • If your membership expires before the event, we kindly ask that you do not register for this event.
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Red Tile Walking Tour - Historic Landmarks

There’s no denying that Santa Barbara’s skyline, peppered with white stucco walls and red-tiled roofs, provides the city with a striking backdrop of style and charm. And while the buildings may look similar to one another, each structure has its own unique story from past generations and highlights the evolution of downtown Santa Barbara.

For those who like fresh air and don’t mind a bit of walking, we recommend lacing up a pair of comfy shoes and taking a stroll downtown along the self-guided Red Tile Walking Tour*. The full tour includes 17 stops and 22 historic adobes dating from the 1700s through the 1800s and embodies the best of our city’s Spanish-style architecture. You’ll discover smooth, white-stucco walls, memorable red tile roofs, flower-bedecked courtyards, hidden passageways, notable restaurants, theaters, museums, and architecturally significant government buildings.

Route:

Start at the (1) Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a Spanish-Moorish architectural masterpiece with an 80 foot clock tower. The Courthouse was completed in 1929. The interior includes hand-painted ceilings, giant murals, rare art, imported tiles, and more.

Cross Anacapa Street to the elegant Spanish-style (2) Public Library.

Go west on Anapamu Street to the (3) Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the charming La Arcada Plaza, with bronze statuary and informational plaques on the buildings. Then head down State Street through the landscaped downtown.

At Carrillo Street, turn left to the (4) Hill-Carrillo Adobe which has the city’s first wooden floor inside. Some Adobes may require advanced reservation to go inside.

Walk back out to State Street, go south two blocks and enter the quaint (5) El Paseo complex through the mid- block arcade.

Continue through El Paseo to De la Guerra Street, and enter the charming courtyard of (6) Casa De la Guerra. Casa De la Guerra was constructed between 1819-1827 by the fifth Presidio comandante, José de la Guerra, who was among Santa Barbara’s wealthiest and most influential citizens.

Cross the street to see (7) Plaza De la Guerra, where the first city council met in 1850. Next to it stands both City Hall and the offices of the Santa Barbara News-Press.

Cross back and continue on De la Guerra Street toward Anacapa Street to the (8) Oreña Adobes, formerly owned by some of early Santa Barbara’s wealthy families.

Cross Anacapa Street to (9) Presidio Avenue - the oldest street in Santa Barbara. See the plaque commemorating the Guard’s House at the corner of Presidio Avenue and De la Guerra Street. Now go into the Presidio Gardens on the site of the Presidio parade grounds.

Leave as you came, and cross De la Guerra Street to the Santiago de la Guerra Adobe, one of the city’s oldest structures, and right next door, the (10) Lugo Adobe, nestled in a picturesque courtyard.

Continue to the corner of De la Guerra and Santa Barbara streets to visit the (11) Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Check hours first and enter through the museum front door.

Head around the corner down Santa Barbara Street, where you’ll find (12) Casa Covarrubias, and the adjoining Historic Adobe.

Retrace your steps, cross De la Guerra Street, and walk up Santa Barbara Street to the (13) Rochin Adobe, built with some of the bricks salvaged from the Presidio walls.

Just ahead, at the corner of Santa Barbara and Canon Perdido streets, you’ll find (14) El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. Turn left on Canon Perdido Street and take note of the reconstructed Presidio Chapel and Cañeda Adobe, named after the Presidio soldier to whom it was deeded when the Presidio became inactive.

On the other side of Canon Perdido Street, is (15) El Cuartel, the family residence of the soldier assigned to guard the western Presidio gate.

At the corner of Anacapa Street, you’ll find the Spanish- deco-style (16) Main Post Office.

Diagonally across Anacapa Street is the (17) Lobero Theatre.

Proceed up Anacapa Street and end your memorable tour back at the Courthouse. This pleasant downtown walk will introduce you to Santa Barbara’s most interesting historic landmarks in approximately 12 blocks. Numerous restaurants and shops can be found along the way. The Red Tile Walking Tour was originally developed by the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce. The County Courthouse is one of the architectural gems of Downtown Santa Barbara.

After the amble, please join us for coffee/snacks at Benchmark Eatery.

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