El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park

Great little museum! They did a great job of recreating the old presidio. They also had great exhibits on live in the Spanish colonial era.

Very interesting and informative. Pretty short. The presidio is NOT wheelchair accessible. Uneven terrain and there were bags blocking some doorways. Easy to step over but not passable with a wheelchair. There’s a paid parking lot next door, but it’s not too expensive (compared to others in SB)

It's a work in progress. Some interesting bits. There just isn't a lot to this place so it is a fairly quick tourist stop. Parking is street or paid commercial lots. There are restuarant options within a block of the entrance.

Arts and crafts for dia de los muertos. Great time with the familia.

Lovely historic site. Great place for a good walk and place to learn more about the history. Recommend for everyone visiting

Well interpreted Museum covering the history of the Spanish fortress for the Santa Barbara region during the period from the 1780s through to the 1940s

El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park is an informative place to explore the history of Santa Barbara. I was surprised to see the weaving loom, as it was used in the past here, and we also used a similar one in Thailand. It's still in excellent condition. Well done!

This is a must! This experience is by far one of the richest in history and culture! The visitor's center is the first place to stop and buy your admission to the self-guided tour. This is on the corner of Santa Barbara street and Canon Perdido right in Downtown Santa Barbara between Anacapa and Santa Barbara St. We found parking on Casa de la Guerra at. The visitor's center attendee was well-informed and calmly explained the tour to us. He pointed out all of the points of interest and have us a walking tour book. The booklet tells you everything you need to know. My kids got in free because they are under 16, and my admission was only $5! Well worth it! We also bought some souvenirs in the Visitor's Center. Park a couple blocks away and walk through, you will have memories to last a lifetime. I am so intrigued that I purchased several books on the Anza trail, the local Natives, and the Spanish, Mexican, and American history of this area! Enjoy!

Charming, Detailed, and Perfect for Families I absolutely adored my visit to El Presidio! While the big picture history of the last Spanish fortress is fascinating, it's the meticulous, small-scale details of daily life that truly make this place shine. It's an incredibly peaceful and beautifully maintained urban park. The walk through the reconstructed barracks and the Padre's Quarters offers a tangible sense of what colonial life was like, it's sparse, but authentic. My favorite stops were the Cocina (Kitchen), which is filled with period cutlery and traditional tools, and the lovely heritage gardens. Taking a quiet moment in the courtyard, surrounded by the adobe walls and a few citrus trees, felt like a genuine step back in time. The staff at the Visitor Center were so knowledgeable, and the exhibits on the Chumash people and the later Mexican and American periods gave a well-rounded view of Santa Barbara's complex history. It's a short, affordable, and incredibly rewarding stop. Kid-Friendly Note: The scale of the Presidio is perfect for little legs, and the sight of the historic cannons and the big courtyard kept my children engaged without feeling overwhelmed by a massive museum. Highly recommend this historical gem!

What a great place to come and visit. You get a glimpse of how it used to be back in the day during in Spanish times in this country. Bring the kids, it is fascinating.

El presidio Is located in downtown Santa Barbara among modern Spanish architecture. A quick trip through an important piece of California history. El Presidio was built in 1782 by Spain and is known as The Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara. It became one of the historical Landmark in California in 1958. The tour usually starts in the main building where the gift shop is located and the visitors can purchase the admission tickets. The ticket price is $5 for adult, there are different ticket prices for senior and children. They have a nice gift shop, you can buy some souvenirs to remember this nice place. We visited three main structures and they are located across the street from the main building.  The tour included;  the museum,  the chapel which was beautiful , El Cuariel or Guard's House, The kitchen / La cocina and the garden. It was nice to the connect to the history and to observe the architectural movement during that period of time

1 of 4 Spanish Forts constructed in California, it dates back to 1782 though only 2 parts of the original structure remain. It was once a square shaped plaza with an outer defensive wall made from mud, nowdays its integrated with new restaurants and developments. Timbers came from nearby forests and riverbed red clay was used for the roofing tiles. I love the accuracy of the reconstruction and it's courtesy to the past. It's very well-done and feels authentic, an example of this is the oak log ridgepole and rafters with saplings laid perpendicularly on top, very period accurate. The adobe brick construction and the natural uneven-ness of the walls are very appealing, the white is functional to protect the bricks from turning back into mud and is made from lime that was ground up from seashells. They did add glass windows in some areas and I wish it was more original, with just a piece of cowhide as an optional covering. The "El Cuartel" home was a former solders house and the oldest standing residence in all of California.

Day 1 of writing reviews with no discouragement: I don't know if it was combination of my breakup, my extreme mixed emotions because of "that time of the month" or what, but being here tonight in a candlelit chapel for a live performance while mourning love lost was beautifully haunting and sad. I was on some Lady Gaga "Alejandro" shit. Some Madonna "La Isla Bonita". Ace of Base 90s vibe. I was in my own music video, Yelp. Huhhhhhh....saying goodbye to that fool while reminiscing over everything we did, all while listening to an orchestra and looking up at Jesus (hoping he didn't see my thoughts...or at least the impure ones), I was all over the place. Let me mourn, Jesus. And as I really think about the chapel, it would be PERFECT for a music video. Old world charm meets new age. Candlelight and electric lights. The old paint, dust, cracked wood, nooks and crannies combined with city folk in nice clothes, fold out chairs to accommodate the crowds and nice instruments in the orchestra. Hard to explain, but it feels like a time portal almost. People congregating in the chapel as they always have...just a couple of hundreds of years later. I like this place and I like that the folk orchestra does concerts here. Next time I'll return not so sad.

Stumbled upon the El Presidio while getting coffee across the street. I did not pay the $5 admission but you are able to see the full building from outside. Awesome building to admire from the outside. There is a plaque outside that tell its story. Great site to see if you are a fan of historical buildings.

The old Presidio de Santa Barbara is right in the midst of their downtown. I love how they managed to preserve the presidio and save it as a Historic Park. You can walk the old perimeter and they have handy dandy signage and informational kiosks to orient you.

Come see Santa Barbara's roots here at the preserved Presidio complex. It's such a blessing to have this important site saved for all of us and for future generations. Admittedly, I've visited Santa Barbara several hundred time in the last 35 years that I've lived in the Southland. A few weeks ago was only the second time checking out the Presidio, which is a shame. Now that we've embraced the Passport 2 History program, exploring the Presidio became a must. Checking in at the Visitors Center / gift shop and paying the small fee also provides entrance to Casa de la Guerra, nearby. A very interesting display on the Japanese heritage in S.B. is located in the Visitor Center. We took the self-guided tour which includes several archeological sites. The chapel is well-restored and looking fresh. Informational writings help describe the significance of the various rooms, buildings, and outdoor spaces that served this outpost. One of four presidios in Alta California during the pre-U.S. era, we're fortunate for its preservation. Definitely a change of pace from strolling on State Street.

For many couples who may be planning their Santa Barbara wedding remotely, it helps to read reviews and see photos. I thought it might be helpful to offer a different perspective of El Presidio from a light and lines point through the eyes of a wedding photographer. For many years I lived downtown just up the road from El Presidio. I love capturing the Spanish architectural style that Santa Barbara is known for. We have been branded the American Riviera. There are so many beautiful spaces that capture this Spanish history of our gorgeous town, but not with as many historical ties as El Presidio. The story of El Presidio is engrained in Santa Barbara. One of the most interesting facts is that the old foundation crosses the street and can still be seen in the asphalt. As an artist who experiences spaces for their lines, composition and textures, El Presidio embraces Santa Barbara's Spanish energy. The aggressive texturing of the white walls and old wooden beams and branches of the exterior overhang give off rustic yet elegant backgrounds. Their attention to detail carries throughout from the rooms with thick beam tables to the stick fences. The intimacy of the space creates photos that feel like you're time traveling back to Santa Barbara's earliest years when it was just founded. The loft inside the church allows me to capture a unique perspective of the ceremony above the guest's heads and create a wider variety of angles. El Presidio's location in downtown Santa Barbara makes it a perfect spot to plan your dream reception anywhere. If you're looking to create incredible wedding photos that capture the heart of Santa Barbara's Spanish architecture, El Presidio's history and architecture are directly at the center. I love photographing here!

Not only a historical site, but a beautiful one. I skipped the $5 tour and opted to take pictures from the outside since the weather was nice and the woman at the front desk offered some background on the structure. You won't need more than 20 minutes here unless you want to do the self-guided tour or spend time browsing the gift shop.

While the history is significant the experience was underwhelming for us. Thankfully it is only $5 per person, so we did not feel like we were out too much. It also only took us a few minutes to see everything, so we did not lose too much time. As note this place has an interesting and important history. Visually though it is underwhelming. I would have been fine just reading about it. Do yourself a favor and walk around the exterior before deciding to pay for entrance. You can see quite a bit of it from the outside.

We always look for new things to do in Santa Barbara, other places to see, interesting activities. So, El Presidio Historic Park was on my list, it's one of the most written about attractions in the area. It's conveniently located, right off State Street, so it's easy to include it on your day trip. The tickets are very reasonable, just $5 per person and it's open daily from 10:30 am-4:30pm. It's a great deal, with this ticket you get to visit 3 historic sites within walking distance from each other. I liked it that once you buy your tickets, you get your map and info from the person working there (very nice, knowledgeable young man), you can start your self guided tour and visit at your own pace. We started with the main area, with its nice courtyard full of lemon trees, the small chapel. The place has so much history around and it's interesting to learn about California's beginnings. We slowly made our way to Casa de la Guerra and another small historic house across the way. This is a great place to bring kids, they have a lot to learn in a fun, interactive way. Try to choose a nice day since most of the time you'll spend outdoors in order to visit everything. We really enjoyed visiting El Presidio, it was relaxing, fun and a nice way to learn about the past. Great place to visit for a couple of hours if you're in the area. It's in the heart of downtown.

We had parked over at Cota and Santa Barbara St to drop off some film at Calumet and decided while we were in the area, we might as well walk over to State St to go to that Paseo Nuevo shopping center and kill some time. Walking down Santa Barbara St was a surprisingly pleasant experience. It was around 6pm on a Sunday night, and all the streets were completely deserted. It felt like we were completely alone, even though the hustle and bustle of State St was only a couple blocks away. Plenty of historic points of interest , all having plaques explaining the history of whatever it is you're looking at. Although we were there on a Sunday and not allowed to go inside and get an up close look at the artifacts which have been dug up in the area, it was still really interesting to walk around the outside courtyard area, peer into the windows, and sit by the fountains and relax in total silence, minus the birds and fountains. Much of the buildings have been restored or rebuilt from the damage that hundreds of years of earthquakes have done, so I have deducted one star for the almost Knott's Berry Farm feel of the whole place, but other than that a really great (and free!) historic point of interest which I will most likely be checking out again in the near future.

History comes alive! And unlike Frampton, it don't need no stinkin' vocoder. You can loiter around the grounds and look at old stuff. Check out the chapel and feel free to poke around in the rectory. Or if you're feeling truly adventurous, you can help accurately recreate a real and verifiable historic event. We chose the birth of God to a 14 year-old virgin and her 30 year-old construction worker husband. The good folks at the Presidio had us start by singing songs in different languages -- German and Swedish and Spanish and French, but NOT English -- because they wanted to be inclusive. Then we followed a donkey around town for about 90 minutes. Some kid named Joseph kept banging on restaurant doors asking for a place to crash with his pregnant old lady (Between you and me, word on the street is that Joseph ain't the real baby daddy). We were informed several times that there was simply no room at the inn for a lady in labor. Our funny little burro expressed his displeasure by taking a massive dump in front of a boutique shop on State Street. At that point, we all jaywalked back to the park grounds without being hit by a single car (a Festivus miracle!). Finally, the bastard son of the Creator of the Universe popped out in a makeshift barn. All the children in attendance celebrated by beating an innocent piñata with a stick, while the rest of us were plied with tamales and empanadas and hot chocolate. Exactly like it all went down in Bethlehem a couple thousand years ago, I am told.

As a member of Folk Orchestra Santa Barbara, I couldn't be more grateful to the Presidio for giving us an incredible space in which to perform. The venue itself is a beautiful, old building that has been kept up over the years. The configuration is ideal for an orchestral sound. The grounds surrounding the building are also very nice. The Presidio includes a larger area with other venues as well that are disconnected from each other due to the development of Santa Barbara after the 1800s. Unfortunately, I don't have much else to say because every time I have been there, it has served as a venue in which a group I am in has performed (many times with Folk Orchestra SB or subgroups of it and once with Gamelan Sinar Surya). If you have a chance to see a concert here, definitely take it.

El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara is a small slice of history that played a large role in shaping Santa Barbara and California. It was blessed by Padre Junipero Serra and founded April 21, 1782 as the fourth (and last) military fortress built by Spain in Alta California.The Presidio was the military headquarters and governmental center for the region including San Luis Obispo and the Pueblo of Los Angeles from 1782 to 1830. * Open 7 days a week except holidays: 10:30 am - 4:30 pm * Adults: $5; Seniors: $4; Children (under 16): Free * California State Parks Annual Day Use Pass is NOT accepted * Admission includes the Presidio Park and nearby Casa de la Guerra * Public parking lots are on Anacapa Street or use street parking * 30-minute self-guided tours are better with the free tour booklet * Guided tours are available for groups scheduled in advance * The 5.74-acre park spans four city blocks including the original 1782 Presidio * The Presidio predates the nearby Santa Barbara Mission by 4 years (1786) * El Cuartel, the soldiers' quarters is Santa Barbara's oldest building * It's also California's second oldest building * Chumash indigenous people did the actual construction * In 1821, Mexico's Independence from Spain began a period of decline * In 1846, Santa Barbara & the Presidio surrendered without a fight to the U.S. * The Visitor Center & Museum Shop is in a row of rooms called Cañedo Adobe * Padre's Quarters, Comandancia, Chapel, and Bell Tower are in the main building * Many of the restored areas include period furnishings and displays * Presidio Chapel is furnished in the style of the late 18th century * Located across Santa Barbara St is a reconstructed 2-story Northeast Corner * The original Front Gate was located near De la Guerra St. * The Presidio became a California Historical Landmark in 1958 * Since 1963, restoration led by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation * California designated the Presidio grounds a State Historic Park in 1966 * In 1973, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places * The State Park includes many other historical homes built after the Presdio including 1920s Santa Barbara School of the Arts, 1871 Cota-Knox House, 1830 Buenaventura Pico Adobe, 1856 Rochin adobe, and 1940s Jimmy's Oriental Gardens restaurant El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park isn't an impressive tourist attraction, but it is an important historical one. Since, it takes just 30-60 minutes to see what remains of the original complex, the Presidio is a quick chance to take in some history in Santa Barbara.

historical site the old church at el presidió historic park in Santa Barbara it was built in 1782. Definitely fake and reconstructed but is beautiful. I'm from Mexico and it took me back reminiscing of the structures in Mexico. The presidio is small enough you could be in and out in about 20 minutes. Right behind it there is a restaurant Zaytoon you must stop by to get a drink than you can ahead to the Santa Barbara mission which is 15 minutes away from there.

First off: it's very cool that parts of the Presidio have been preserved as a Historic Park... and are thus staffed and offered for public viewing.The Presidio, built in 1782, is one of only four built by the Spaniards to defend their Alta California territory back in the day (the others being Monterey, San Diego and San Francisco). Nonetheless, there are only a few remaining rooms and very few artifacts on display relative to the (very well preserved and heavily toured) Mission. With this in mind, I would really only recommend parking and paying the $5 entry fee here if you fall into one of the following categories: a. Visiting Santa Barbara with your 4th grader because s/he is writing a report on this Mission and Presidio. In which case you're already here and may as well see the Presidio while you're at it. Consider going to the Presidio first, cause it's way less impressive than the Mission. b. Serious Alta California history buff. In this case, rock on and more power to you. c. Having lunch/dinner across the street and have 10 minutes to kill. You may as well get some history to go with your meal. Good luck...

Im a big history nerd. Like real big. A couple of things about me: My friends say that I have a hard-on for history. I love California history. Its like dirty foreplay talk to me. So when my weekend plans got cancelled at the very last minute and I heard that we were going to Santa Barbara instead I got understandably excited! Oh, the mission! *Squeal*! What I wasn't aware of, though, was the fact that Santa Barbara has a presidio! Being from San Diego, Im well aware of presidios and missions. We have the first ones in California. But unlike San Diego, Santa Barbara actually has a presidio. It may be fake and reconstructed, but its there, and right in downtown SB nonetheless! It was the first established settlement in the town. Since this is the case, the actual area of the presidio is stretched over 4 blocks. like right in the middle of an intersection. Whats really cool about this place is that they have reconstructed rooms and signs that tell you of the uses. It may be small, but you can actually see what the presidio was used for. They even have gardens with vegetables and crops growing! It was really cool stopping by after lunch and doing a quick tour of history. No one was there so it felt like I had the whole place to myself. I didnt go into the church area because there was a wedding going on, but it looked interesting from the outside. This is a nice interesting place to stop for a quick attraction. Theres plenty to do in the area as it is right in the middle of town.

The site and history are great. It's the fact that they opened 20 minutes late that keeps me from giving them 5 stars.

The Presidio State Historic Park was cool. The Presidio was small enough that I was in-and-out in about 30 minutes. If I hadn't stopped to take funny photos with my friend, I'd probably have been done in 15. Much of the original buildings were destroyed, but it's being reconstructed. Some of it was being reconstructed during our visit, which wasn't very pretty, but I ain't complainin'. I found the church and padre's quarters most interesting. I think the Presidio park could be improved by adding plants and gardens, maybe like the San Juan Capistrano Mission. Only $2.50 with AAA discount! Sojourner Cafe is across the street -- check it out for lunch or dinner!

This is a beautiful historical site! Our food tour guide told us many weddings and events happen here and this structure is one of the longest structure to stand in Santa Barbara along with the Courthouse - they endured the earthquakes that happened in 1978. If you have the chance, definitely walk in and see the designs and architecture of the building.

I attended a wedding ceremony here and can only speak to that experience, but I really like El Presidio Chapel. It is a bit plain on the outside, but the inside is especially gorgeous as the chapel was reconstructed recently (in 2005 I believe.) In fact, the chapel is so gorgeous that it really doesn't require much decoration or extras to make it come alive. The acoustics were pretty spectacular as the music echoes through the site. The chapel was also well sized for small to medium sized events and it is also a fairly short walk from downtown which made it very convenient for many guests staying there.

I had my wedding here and it turned out better than I imagined. I fell in love with the beautiful old church. It's so simple and beautiful! We had the mariachis parade us to the casa de la Guerra reception, which was about a 5 minute walk and so much fun! I worked with Hattie for my event and she was great as well! Thank you for the very special day!!

Meh not worth the $5 per person fee. Confusing layout, boring self guided tour, save your money and just go to the court house.

Great glimpse into life into early California. Well worth the whopping $2.50 entry fee (with AAA, $5 without). Again another wedding prevented us from seeing the whole property. This state park is clearly under construction, hopefully making this a more desirable location for future visitors (we saw only one other couple in the Presidio aside from the wedding party).

Visit is well organized, this is a good quick discovery of an interesting history...

We thought it was worth coming here and checking out the property. They had an Asian festival going on so we got in for free. The backyard area looks like they're trying to fix it up. Be careful on these grounds, they're a little uneven. Don't forget to go across the street, there's another house over there that is part of the presidio.

To begin with I should mention that we got married during Old Spanish Days, which took this from being a great venue to the best ceremony venue ever. My husband and I are from New York and found it difficult to find a Catholic Church in Santa Barbra. To add to the difficulty, my husband is not Catholic himself. These limitations made it really hard to find a church for us to get married in, but since that's where I'd always imagined my wedding, we didn't give up. El Presidio ended up being the perfect venue for us. A rebuilt museum of the oldest Catholic church in Santa Barbara, El Presidio is no longer a traditional church so it allows non-denominational ceremonies of all kinds in a very Catholic setting. Rain, the coordinator at El Presidio, was very helpful in getting us all set up to walk down the aisle on one of the busiest weekends in Santa Barbra. There was a private parking lot for our wedding and great rooms for our wedding party to pass time before the ceremony. El Presidio is built in the traditional adobe style so even at the beginning of August there was no problem with us being overheated in the church during the ceremony. The venue itself required almost no additional decorations which was a great cost saver for us. We only added candles. Rain really knew all the tricks for elevating our ceremony to the next level, including ringing the traditional church bells as we exited the church for the first time as husband and wife. I highly recommend this venue for anyone looking for a traditional venue that is open to something a little funkier. Overall working with Rain and El Presidio was such a joy and allowed us to have the wedding ceremony I've always imagined.

Glad we visited here. The young woman inside the presidio told us a lot abut the site and clearly knew her stuff. Very delightful person. Enjoyed the self-guided tour and learned quite a bit of the history and its on-going renovations. Entrance fees not too expensive.

My daughter was married at the Presidio Chapel in May, 2015. The wedding was magical and we were all treated really well by Rain Longo(she coordinates special events in the Chapel). She was very patient, supportive and enthusiastic. The chapel itself made for an outstanding and very authentic venue. My daughter and bridesmaids were able to get ready in a beautiful adjoining room. The rental of the Chapel included use for 6 hours and it was very affordable. Thanks to all for making this special day so perfect. Thanks!!!!

Really enjoyed visiting here. Frank was very knowledgeable and patiently gave us a history lesson that was fun and interesting. There is a lot of great info for Santa Barbara and this is a great place to start.