Top Santa Barbara Art & Culture

Ojai has a 100-year history of ceramics. Our studio, located a mile from the city center, is surrounded by nature, in the midst of a fruit orchard. We are the primary working studio for the great artists of the Ojai Valley. Visitors may watch potters work, and may "try their hand" at a range of techniques. After making their pottery, they may come back on another day to trim or glaze it, or they may pay a small fee for one of the potters to trim, glaze and high-fire the work. We will even ship the pieces anywhere in the country...

Walk right past the crowds on this food tour in Downtown Santa Barbara. Your guide leads the way as you pop into five to six tasting locations and one wine tasting room. Savor dishes and drinks locals have made a staple in their everyday lives, and learn about other places to eat and drink during your stay. If you have any food allergies or aversions or do not drink alcohol, please let us know in advance so we can do our best to accommodate.

Stroll through downtown Santa Barbara with a guide and small group to get the most out of your visit. You'll benefit from insightful commentary as you visit some of the top attractions, as well as some eateries you might not find on your own. Purchase food or drinks at the three historical cocktail bars and listen to the explanation of why each is significant. Traveling with a small group means you'll get plenty of attention from your guide.

Biking the seaside in Santa Barbara is always beautiful and having a guide brings it to life by adding context and stories about the development of this lovely waterfront. State Street just recently closed to automobiles, so now biking through downtown is more enjoyable and safe than ever. Your guide will not only provide entertaining stories about how the town and its buildings came to be, but also give you tips on the best restaurants, bars, and attractions to enjoy during the rest of your stay in Santa Barbara.

Indulge your passions for food, photography and fun during this 3-hour, small-group, culinary and picture-taking tour in Santa Barbara. Dig into some tasty food and drink during stops at three different local eateries, a microbrewery, two wineries and a distillery in the city’s artsy Funk Zone. As you snack and imbibe, you’ll get helpful tips to capture high-quality food photography using anything from a smartphone to a high-end digital SLR. This small-group trip, limited to 14 guests, includes a guide and all food and drink.

Explore Santa Barbara by electric bike, covering plenty of ground on a morning or afternoon excursion. Ride your easy-to-use beach cruiser to key landmarks such as State Street and the Santa Barbara Mission as your knowledgeable guide shares the city’s history during this Santa Barbara bike tour. Have your camera ready as you glide along the renowned Pacific coastline. Numbers are limited to five people, ensuring personalized attention and a small-group experience.

The seminar method, which is central to the mission of The Agora Foundation, is very different from the educational experience of most people. Tutors, who help to guide the discussion, do not lecture about the meaning of the texts; rather they ask probing questions which, after careful discussion, help to illuminate the power of the ideas that arise in the discussion. The great books of civilization, from the ancient Hindus and Greeks to the present, contain some of the best that has been thought and written about nature, human nature, and the divine. Whether it is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles or Aeschylus, The Bhagavad Gita, Aristotle’s Ethics, Dante’s Divine Comedy, or Darwin ’s The Origin of Species, such texts invite us to join in a great conversation about topics which transcend the particularities of the time and place in which these books were written.

Welcome to the city of Friendly Ghosts! A perfect way to end your evening is with a docent-led ghost tour. Our 1 hour and 30-minute walking tours have curated content from first-hand accounts. You'll hear stories from as far back as the Old Spanish Days and from the different cultures that have called Santa Barbara home. This tour is a traditional history and ghost/legend walking tour. Your guide has a diverse background as being once a tour guide on the Queen Mary and now a docent Old Mission Santa Barbara. This tour is organic and enchanted and not script-based. Each tour is unique and filled with imagination and at times encounters with visiting ghosts. Our ghosts do not come to stay...they return (many times during your tour) for a sentimental holiday. Are you ready to see a side of Santa Barbara that most visitors miss?

This authentic walking tour of the Funk Zone allows you to step into our hippest neighborhood with a local guide, to explore our hidden gem tasting rooms, as well as Santa Barbara's rich history which includes winemaking and art. This 2.5 hour tour includes: (2) Wine tastings at local winery tasting rooms that capture the spirit of this eclectic part of Santa Barbara (1) Gourmet Ice Cream tasting....made from scratch in Santa Barbara at our most famous ice cream shop and creamery -Fascinating historical insights about the artsy Funk Zone (full of murals and galleries), as well as our waterfront, wharf, the Channel Islands, and Santa Barbara's unique architecture *Tour meeting point is the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station 209 State Street, parking lot side of the ticket office.

Head for the Danish town of Solvang, nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley, for a food- and photography-focused tour. You'll make stops for multiple food and drink tastings (many traditional Danish treats) and listen to guided commentary. Your guide will also provide your small group with tips and pointers on how to get the best photos of your adventure.

Spend an afternoon immersing yourself in Santa Barbara's celebrated wine scene with this tour. Your guide will pick you up in the heart of town and take you to two wineries, where you'll get to taste locally produced wines. You'll then head to Los Olivios, where you'll have free time to explore on your own, before heading back to Santa Barbara.

An open-air, eco-friendly bicycle rickshaw (pedicab) ride with a knowledgeable, friendly driver is the perfect way to get to know Solvang for the first time, or find out things you never knew about your favorite little Danish town nestled into the Santa Ynez Valley!

Grapeline is California's top rated wine tour, with more than 3,000 5-star reviews across five California wine regions. Rather than having a rigid daily itinerary, Grapeline varies its tours to give guests a "best of" experience, accounting for guest requests, winery events, weather, and many other factors. Since 2002, Grapeline has committed to do one thing and one thing only - be the best wine tour company in the U.S.

For a foodie-friendly outing combining local history with California wine culture, you can enjoy the best of both with this Santa Barbara small-group tour. Start your midday adventure with convenient meet-up in the downtown area. With your guide leading the way, you can sip wine at two boutique tasting rooms, sample artisanal chocolates, and learn about the region's famed wine industry and top winemakers.

Our most popular tour and an experience you will never forget! This wine country tour will escort your party out of Santa Barbara and through the Los Padres National Forest into the Santa Ynez Valley. You will taste wine at three unique locations. You’ll also enjoy an olive oil tasting at a local farm which will enhance your experience of this unique agricultural area. Lunch is not included but can be enjoyed at one of the wineries.  The price includes door to door transportation, as well as all tasting fees. We start this tour between 11 a.m.-11:30 and drop back off between 4:30-5 p.m..  Please visit our website at www.captainjackstours.com to see additional tours. We offer horseback riding, sunset cruises and much more!

Grapeline is California's top rated wine tour, with more than 3,000 5-star reviews across five California wine regions. Rather than having a rigid daily itinerary, Grapeline varies its tours to give guests a "best of" experience, accounting for gust requests, winery events, weather, and many other factors. Since 2002, Grapeline has committed to do one thing and one thing only - be the best wine tour company in the U.S.

Even though there is a lot to see in Los Angeles, a excursion out of the city is also highly recommended. Enjoy a visit of Solvang; a city founded by Danish travellers who wanted to establish a Danish community! It gives you a brief view of Denmark and it is a truly incredible location. We will also enjoy a stop and visit to the city of Santa Barbara. This is also a unique coastal city with incredible views and beautiful panoramic views and it has a Mediterranean vibe.

This is a special 21 age and over wine, snack and a ghost tour pairing for Viator. The tour includes snacks and an amazing tasting of the famous wine of the Grassini family. The ghost tour consists of your experienced guide talking you on a historical and mystical ghost tour of the historic Spanish Presidio area including Chinatown and the Wild West areas of Santa Barbara.

Savor the best of historic Santa Barbara on a 3.5-hour culinary walking tour through the heart of this scenic, seaside city. Meet local chefs and artisans as you explore alongside your local guide, and get an insider’s take on the vibrant gourmet scene. Sample locally-made wines, handcrafted chocolate and gourmet cheese at a series of six tasting stops that include a public market, wineries and boutiques. Learn a bit of local history as you trace the relaxed course, which blends essential landmarks with hidden gems and local favorites.

Explore California’s gorgeous coast on a scenic kayak tour. With a knowledgeable, experienced guide leading the way, bring the whole family and navigate Santa Barbara’s picturesque waterfront. Learn about the region's history and wildlife, admire the rugged coastal mountains, and watch for pelicans and egrets, dolphins and sea lions. You may even see a family of gray whales on its annual migration.