Old Mission Santa Barbara

We visited the Old Mission Santa Barbara and really enjoyed it! The grounds were clean and well kept. Although we didn’t take the paid tour inside, walking around outside was still very pleasant and peaceful. The gift shop had lots of cute souvenirs to browse, and we especially liked strolling through the olive tree garden. It was a perfect sunny day for a visit!

This was on my must visits while in Santa Barbara. The history and amazing buildings. We came on in on Monday right in time for the last self guided tour. There was a padre there to ask questions which was more than I thought. We were able to view the gardens, church; cemetery and view some info inside what looks like a museum. The cemetery was very interesting. Mausoleums with turn of the century inhabitants. We went through the little gift store and then walked over to the olive tree area with the stations of the cross. I love seeing the pictures of when the building was first built. It’s amazing g to see that there was nothing else around but now homes and parking lots. Great view of the ocean.

The mission is impressive, but the $18.00 per person ticket price is steep in my opinion, this is the only mission where we’ve encountered such outrageous ticket prices. We visited because this is the last of the missions we needed to see to have visited them-all. The church and grounds are beautiful but we thought it was odd that in the missions historic rooms there was an exhibit about sea life but not about the mission? Mission La Purisima in Lompoc was so much better at explaining and experiencing the history of the mission and life at the mission, and it was free.

Stayed in Santa Barbara for a while right by the mission. Got the chance to not only bask in the beauty of the gardens and Santa Barbara weather, but enjoyed seeing local artists compete in a chalk art contest. I mean, I struggle to draw a stick figure so I was blown away by the talent. Also love seeing a community get locals together. Highly recommend stopping by and hoping you’re lucky enough to enjoy some local artists compete there as well!

My wife and I visited Old Mission Santa Barbara to start our anniversary celebration, and it was like stepping back in time. We came here over 30 years ago when we were dating, and the place still feels just as special. The rose garden out front is beautiful, full of vibrant colors, and the Spanish mission architecture is as impressive as ever—still standing tall and proud. There’s so much history here about Santa Barbara’s origins, which really brought back memories. The $17 entry fee felt a bit high, but if you’re into learning about the city’s past, it’s worth it. Free parking is a nice touch. Definitely a great spot to visit while in Santa Barbara.

A truly beautiful and peaceful place filled with rich history and stunning architecture. The gardens are especially lovely, with scenic views and a calm atmosphere. A perfect stop if you’re visiting Santa Barbara—definitely worth the $17 admission. Highly recommend taking your time to explore both inside and outside!

This Mission is mostly a big tourist trap...admission should be free free free...to any "CHURCH." So much of it is closed off to the patrons...the interior is very nice. The artwork inside is ok, but Catholic art creeps me out...but there was enough passible Christian art to render it enjoyable. I did enjoy the Chumish Indian integration and the landscape paintings of the place back in the day...As old as it is, it just didn't seem to be that old...too much money in Santa Barbara renders it like new. I liked the St Antonio Padua Mission better, but they were closed on Monday as we drove over from King City...bummer, but we've been there before.

Well I missed coming here early enough in the day to make it worthwhile to pay for the self guided tour. But I was able to walk about the exterior of the mission. We walked the side garden next to the enclosed parking lot, the rose garden across the front lawn, and the front plaza all for free. The small garden can be gotten to through the picnic table area. The garden is a pollinator garden filled with native plants and flowers. Plus it's certified and registered by the Monarch Watch as an official Monarch Waystation. Possibly when you visit, you may spot Monarch butterflies. Next to this garden through another gate is a circular walking path with columns depicting the events of Holy Week. Each column has a tiled mosaic illustrating a Holy Week event. Since the mission sits higher above the town, the view includes the Pacific Ocean. Now with all the houses built, the view is still there just a smaller sliver of the ocean can be seen. The mission was founded by Frances a Padre Lasuen ( Father Serra's successor) in December 1786 on feast day of Saint Barbara. In the plaza sits the Moorish fountain and laundry basin. The fountain was built in 1808 to serve as a laundry for the mission. The fountain is intact and currently works. It now has water lilies growing in it. The larger lavenderia (laundry basin) was built in 1818 and served as a community laundry. The Chumash lead the building of the 70 foot lonbasin. The clothes were scrubbed against the sloping side rocks and rinsed in the center basin. Note the south spout (farthest from the fountain) is a carved mountain lion head. That was carved by a Chumash artisan. One of the oldest known sculptures surviving to date in California. The bear's head on the north end is a replica. The fountain and basin are fenced off and folks are not allowed to get right up to it. Wise decision.

This gorgeous mission was one of the highlights of our recent trip to Santa Barbara. The self-guided tour is affordable ($17), and easy to follow and understand, with audio clips to play on your phone as you go. Definitely a must visit!

This mission was one of three that I saw on my trip and had the best experience here compared to the other missions. This one was also more expensive than the others. We took a self-guided tour and was able to explore the museum, church and cemetery. There is so much history here and was good overall experience. I dropped $68 for four people and we were here for about an hour which was much better than the Sea Center at Stearns Wharf.

Visited Mission Santa Barbara on a Wednesday in July. The mission itself wasn't too busy, and there was plenty of parking, which was free. Entry to get into the mission itself to do yourself guided tour ran myself and my wife $17 apiece. The mission is well preserved, and the church is absolutely stunning. The grounds around the mission are also all kept up very well. I didn't want to know that this mission is wheelchair accessible, which made it nice for my son being in his stroller. But there are parts of the mission that are not wheelchair accessible, but we may do.

My wife and I visited Old Mission Santa Barbara to start our anniversary celebration, and it was like stepping back in time. We came here over 30 years ago when we were dating, and the place still feels just as special. The rose garden out front is beautiful, full of vibrant colors, and the Spanish mission architecture is as impressive as ever--still standing tall and proud. There's so much history here about Santa Barbara's origins, which really brought back memories. The $17 entry fee felt a bit high, but if you're into learning about the city's past, it's worth it. Free parking is a nice touch. Definitely a great spot to visit while in Santa Barbara.

Came here for some local legend history and super happy I did. This is one of the oldest missions in California and the tour talks all about it. Thought it had a very good flow throughout the tour she lots of interesting information on the people that lived there. My fav part was seeing a wall that was one of the original walls when the church was built in 1790, had bits of straw in it which was cool. Would recommend

Being an educator in the state of California, we teach units introducing our students to the history of California's Missions. There are 21 missions that are built throughout the state. You have an opportunity to visit one if you live within any of the regions of California. While embarking upon a road trip to Santa Barbara, we stopped by Mission Santa Barbara. I absolutely enjoy visiting missions within the state and I wanted to see how this mission compares to missions that I've already visited. Upon entry to the property, you'll notice a large grassy area out front that provides a view of the ocean. They were getting ready to show a family friendly movie on the lawn, so people were securing a spot with their blankets. When you look toward the mission, you'll see the beautiful Spanish-inspired architecture that is prevalent at all of the California Missions. One thing that I found to be a bit unique was how they allow guests to explore the property. Most of the area is inaccessible to visitors as they don't want people to disturb the flora and fauna of the plants in the area. You also can't get close to the fountains out back. Also, when you buy a candle and write your message for a loved one, you aren't allowed to place it in the designated area yourself. They told us that since the area is prone to fires, that we are to place our candles out front and that they would carefully place them with the others at the end of the day. It felt a little impersonal to me as I'm used to placing my own candles at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Just like other missions, there is a grave yard where you can see where several people who've made contributions to the area are buried. Many are buried in tombs made of stone and some are in the mausoleum in the corner. There is more leniency to explore this area and you can get a little bit closer to read the tombs and pay your respects. There is a church for people to pray and spend time taking in the beautiful architecture of the building. You will also walk past several displays that have artifacts from when the mission was first built. Several painting also line the walls of the building. As you exit the small museum, you'll walk into the gift shop. They have snacks too, so you can grab a small treat before you leave. Mission Santa Barbara is absolutely beautiful. Its prime location makes it ideal for family to spend quality time in an area that's always hosting tourists who come from all over the world. I'm glad that we had the opportunity to visit another Mission in California. It just would have been ideal to be able to get up close and personal with some of the areas in which exploration was prohibited.

Truly one of the most beautiful and historical wonders of Santa Barbara. Growing up here in SB we had yearly tours through the Mission grounds in Elementary, Junior High, and High School. We were always amazed at the majesty and history of this special place. And now as an adult the Mission holds lots of fun memories of family and friends, with many picnics there beside the Rose Garden, and with that incredible view of the city. Still a favorite place to take out-of-towners, or for an escape from all the worries of the world. Also remember to take your camera. Picture perfect!

If you're ever in Santa Barbara you have to drop by the Mission. So much history so much to learn. They do offer military discount. Free parking. Museum tour.

I so enjoyed spending time at this mission today. Beautiful inside & out. It felt good to be inside & pray .

Beautiful and historic location, one of the great 21 California missions. We stopped here during a visit to Santa Barbara and enjoyed walking through grounds and gardens. The gift shop has many interesting items for sale as well. Recommended.

Nice grounds. There's a gift shop beside the ticket desk. There's also some nice artifacts with descriptions and kitchen that you can walk into. The cemetery and mausoleum is also open to the public. The church holds services and happened to be booked for a wedding so we hurried through while we had the opportunity. There's also public restrooms below the main doors close to the parking lot.

This was beautiful and we're so fortunate to have the opportunity to tour it! Take the time to see this when you're in the area and allow yourself at least an hour to tour the whole property. The displays and photos are well worth your time.

One of the most beautiful places to visit in Southern California is the Santa Barbara Mission. Please note this is not free admission for a self guided tour. General entry is 17 dollars for adults, 15 dollars for senior citizens/ military with ID, and 3 dollars for those who qualify for EBT/Snap. If you find yourself not wanting to go on the self guided tour feel free to walk the outside area or have a picnic in the park. There's a beautiful rose garden and benches to sit at. Parking is free and operates from 7am to 7pm. for those of you wanting to take special pictures ie prom/weddings a permit is required. For those just taking photos as long as they aren't professional it's allowed. No drones allowed :)

The giftshop , historical artifacts, the preservation of church . A must visit for Catholic devotees

Had a wonderful time at the Santa Barbara Mission. Amazing history and the property is beautiful! I highly recommend the tour and experience.

Super easy and convenient to purchase tickets on site. Parking was a breeze as we arrived for the first self-guided tour, mid week at 9:30 a.m. It was nice since it wasn't crowded (compared to the time we left). It's a one-way route. The garden is viewable but not accessible as it's closed off to the public. I thought the garden would be bloomed but perhaps June isn't the month to view the blooms. There were many rooms with displays about the history of the mission. I'm not into cemeteries or mausoleums but there is one off to the side. My favorite was the colorful chapel.

The Santa Barbara mission  is a National Historic Landmark. It is also known as "Queen of the Missions". It is also famous for the unique twin tower. Santa Barbara Mission was the 10th of the 21 Spanish colonial missions founded in California. The mission was consecrated December 16, 1786, by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, as a church for the chumash. The  Santa Barbara Mission is known for its Spanish Colonial architecture and the beautiful arches. There is a parking lot to the left of the mission which is spacious and has numerous parking spots. For the mission  general admission, the tickets was $15 each. Their gift shop is irresistible. They have wide variety of nice Merchandises,  and souvenirs. They also sell wines. The staff was very friendly and attentive. I enjoyed walking through history. The Historic Mausoleum is situated in the center of the cemetery at Old Mission Santa Barbara.  Since 1893, this simple structure has served as a final resting place for numerous Franciscan friars and a number of prominent citizens who were part of the history of Santa Barbara. The main church is such a magnificent piece of art, from the altar to the paintings and to the Sculptures. You can see the impact of the Chumash tribe on the decorative art throughout the church from wall to ceiling. The main church is located between the garden and the Mausoleum. There are many small museums inside the mission to walk you through that era. The mission is open every day from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM for tour, except during masses, weddings and funerals. We went twice to the Mission during our trip to Santa Barbara. The third time was with the Trolley tour. How lucky we were!! We really enjoyed spending time at the Chapel and walking around the mission. We saw a few food trucks during our visit, which was nice to get a drink or a quick snack

Loved visiting this beautiful mission that never closed down unlike the rest in California. I made a point of attending Sunday's 12:30 guided tour and we had a great guide who illuminated the complexities of history. Nothing is black or white but there are so many factors to consider. Highly recommend checking out if you can!

Beautiful historic mission. You should do the self guided tour- at your own place. Lovely gift shop... unique gifts and they sell snacks.. walk the gardens too- then head to the wharf for a delicious lunch!

I feel so lucky to live within walking distance of our beautiful Mission! This is definitely a tourist attraction, but a great place to bring your loved ones when they're visiting. Mission Santa Barbara has undergone many changes throughout history due to natural disasters, but still maintains its beautiful structure. The Mission has a museum, gift shop, masoleum, and several gardens. I love the rose garden which is located across the street. It's an area where people can have group gatherings and special events, but also an area to absorb nature and the beautiful roses screaming for your attention. Well they don't scream, but roses love attention, afterall they do have a conscience. They also offer guided tours inside the mission, the sacred garden, cemetery, and museum. Prices for adults are $15, youth (5-17) $10, and children under 4 years are free. More prices and discounts available on their website at santabarbaramission.org/tours Now that we are returning back to events, their newest one is coming up on May 12, 2022, and it's called "Bee Green!" This includes wine, beer, and appetizers in the Sacred Garden and a viewing of their new museum exhibit. Apparently this will be a summer series of events. Sounds like a great time to be had. Overall, a beautiful place to bookmark and explore if you're in the area!

We went to see the Sistine Chapel exhibit a few months ago located at the Mission. Just spectacular. These were prints made on a cloth type of material of various sections of the Sistine Chapel located in the Vatican in the full dimensions as the original. Ticket-$25 Locations of exhibit (no longer in SB). But see: https://chapelsistine.com/ After, we looked around the various Mission exhibits which were included in the entry price. We have been to this Mission several times over the years. We have been to all 21 Missions in CA, 4 in AZ, and 3 in TX.

I'm in love with this beautiful place, the museum and church are beautiful, I can take so many pictures, have a sit and enjoy the garden.

We were nearby and decided to stop at the mission. We opted out of visiting the interior grounds due to the entrance fee. I felt it was alot. It was still nice to see the exterior grounds and take a couple of pictures of the area. It is beautiful on the outside. If your in town you should at least see it from the outside. The nativity is still currently setup for the holidays.

Even better than our first visit. We were able to take the self guided tour and with the help of a volunteer docent enjoy seeing the spectacular chapel. Set aside a little time to visit this historic old California mission. Your whole family will enjoy it.

I stopped by for a lunch break and it suit my purpose well. There were tables by the walkway. However, I was surprised at the pricey entrance fee. I decided to skip the tour and use the exterior free grounds. The "gardens" people mention is more like a large lawn with rose borders. It is beautiful against the mountains. I have seen similar architecture with glorious grounds minus an entrance fee, hence the rating. BTW, on Sun. there is limited parking as they close off the main lot.

Absolutely gorgeous grounds! We didn't have time to go in but the park outside was stunning. You get an ocean view and a great park to have a picnic on. The rose gardens are gorg too. The building is well kept and there was ample parking even on a Sunday.

The views of Santa Barbara are worthy from here even if you don't pay to do the tour. There is a rose garden directly in front of the mission and the homes in the neighborhood are gorgeous to look at. This is one of the few Missions that charges a fee to go inside. It is $15/adult and right now they require you are fully masked throughout the tour. We like to visit Missions if they happen to be in the city we are visiting but you cannot take their history as truth. This particular Mission used choice words that made it seem like the Friars did the Chumash people a favor when we all know the Missions, Friars and Spaniards completely oppressed the native Californios. This is the reason why I give it 3 stars. Wish SB had a Chumash museum. Come here to take some photos but skip the tour.

Worth a visit if you have an hour in Santa Barbara. There is ample parking to the left of the mission and the audio tour is very good. They tour goes into great detail about the Cumash people and what role they played in mission life. The mission is one of the few remaining actively inhabited missions in California. Since cell service can be spotty up here, you will need to connect to the mission wifi to get access to the audio recordings of the tour. They have picnic tables to the left of the parking lot and you can also visit the stations of the cross in the garden.

This place is pretty cool to view the architect, learn about history of the church, or just hang out in the surrounding area. One thing though make sure that you come to this place outside the Sunday service time so you can enjoy all the area of the church.

First time visiting Santa Barbara Mission. In December the mission displayed the nativity scene. Free parking at the church. Didn't get a chance to visit the inside of the church, took pictures of the fountain and the outside of the church.

Beautiful mission! As a 4th grade teacher, I love visiting all the missions. This one is probably one of my favorites! The lady who got us set up with the tour was very friendly and helped us figure out the WiFi. Admission fees are very reasonable and everything goes back to helping maintain the mission. The mission self paced tour was laid out well. I loved going into the church itself. The cemetery was also cool to explore. I'm part of the De La Guerra family, so it was cool to see the resting spot of some relatives. After the tour, we spent time walking around the grounds. Everything is kept up very nicely. There is plenty of parking which makes the visit go that much more smoothly!

Rating it a 3 as the tour was much too pricy. Beautiful views though and a cool stop.

The California Missions are all special. We enjoy visiting all of them. Mission Santa Barbara is one of the lovelier ones. The grounds are immaculately maintained. The Church is large and beautiful. For a nominal fee, you can do the self guided tour with audio if you want to learn more about Mission Santa Barbara and its history. We like to attend mass when we visit. Then we explore the grounds on our own and take pics. One of the "Must See" spots to go in Santa Barbara.

Yelp 100 Challenge 2019 - # 79/100 Docking a star because they charge $12 to get into the church. Granting that you get to visit the mission with the fee, but still visiting churches should be free IMHO. Some people just want to visit the church and not go through the mission. Anyhow, parking was free.

Must visit in Santa Barbara. Nice to know history and connect the religious dots. Self guided tour cost $12 per adult and worth taking as it is not too costly. You get to see sacred garden, museum , graveyard and coffins inside. Obviously church too but that is accessible without ticket too.

I did not get a chance to visit the tour. However the exterior place is nice and awesome. I would say it's awesome for photos and there is nearby rose garden you can also visit which is walking distance.

This is good spot to visit if you are in the area. The rose garden is the best part. The mission itself and staff weren't very welcoming. It's disappointing as they should encourage people to know Christ with welcoming demeanor. The cost is $15 per person which is pricey in comparison to other missions that charge $6. If you really want to see mission grounds head over to La Purísima Mission State Historic Park or Santa Ynez mission. SB ushers need some training in welcoming all people to the mission.

Great variety of selections and low calorie yogurts are also available! They have incredible service!

Very well-curated, informative, and interesting tour. The one dissonant and unsettling aspect is that after listening to Pope Francis's beautiful Laudato Si, talking about the scale of the environmental crisis and the urgent need to reduce our waste, you exit through a three-room gift shop with junky trinkets and plastic throwaways. It is understandable that the gift shop helps bring in revenue, but it would be great to native plants seeds, organic food products, and other objects more aligned with the values expressed through the tour.

I suggest visiting this place if you come to Santa Barbara and are into history. The outside view is gorgeous! It's pretty limited in terms of what you can see unless you pay for a tour. We did a self guided tour for $12, you can pay more to have a tour guide. With the self tours, you walk through inside, see a garden, cemetery, and a small museum. Took 45 minutes to complete the whole thing, museum pretty small but great explanation of history of Santa Barbara and how it was founded. It's pretty close to the history museum and botanical gardens too! So great way to spend the day around the area! Free parking available too!

This was my husband and I's first time visiting Santa Barbara on 11/9/24 and we were on the SB Trolly Tour. Once we made it to the Mission, we were told we can get off the Trolly, stretch our legs, use the restroom if we needed to or go inside the gift shop to look around or purchase something. Once my husband and I walked in, a very tall Caucasian woman approached us and asked if we needed any help? We told her we were looking for the restrooms. She informed us they were downstairs and to the right of the gift shop. Once we finished doing that, we went back into the gift shop to see what they had and to possibly purchase some candy. The same tall Caucasian woman saw us walking around the shop, immediately stopped assisting customers that were at the register to ask us once again, "Can I help you?" She said it in a way as though she wanted to know why we were there. I told her we were on the tour. She said, "What Tour?" I said, "The Trolly Tour!" Then she was like, "Ooooh the Trolly Tour!" She said, "I just wanted to know if you needed any help! And I noticed your beautiful blouse as well and I hope I didn't offend you!" Right! Clean it up now! We were the only African Americans in the gift shop and she made sure she kept her eye on us! I did not see her run up to any other guest like she ran up to us. Following us around the store with her eyes. My husband and I are both retired Law Enforcement for California and he's a retired Vet and we didn't appreciate her making us feel as though we wanted to steal something out of that gift shop. We both knew she was racially profiling us. We ended up leaving out and not purchasing anything. We both felt very offended. We will never step foot in that shop again. And just think, it's supposed to be a religious gift shop as well.

I was confused about what the "self-guided tour" involved (audio guide?). But it's literally just the admission to be able to walk around the garden, cemetery, museum, church, etc. For $12, I think it was a tad pricey, especially relative to the other missions we had viewed. But in my opinion, it was the most beautiful! We spent a little over an hour doing the tour. We came around 10am on a Sunday. The girl who sold us our tickets really emphasized that we couldn't enter the church during the mass at 11, but the woman at the church entrance was inviting all the visitors in. If attending a Catholic mass is not commonplace for you, I definitely recommend trying to come before a mass. That way you get to see the church empty beforehand to take photos, as well as during the service if they will allow it!

Mission Santa Barbara is serene with a flow of positive energy everywhere you walk. It is an amazing building based on history and the divinity you feel walking through the chapel or the gardens.

I'm a history buff so enjoy visiting missions in California and this is certainly a spectacular one to spend a couple hours at. Guided and self guided tours are available. At the time of this writing a self-guided tour is $9 per adult. We came at noon on a Sunday just as the late morning mass was ending (yes, it is still an active church) so we started our self guided tour outside in the historic cemetery and mausoleum. We also went through the museum which is full of historic artifacts and information. Once inside the church I was impressed with the altar which reminded me of many old ones I have seen in South America. There are also some interesting sculptures to the rear of the church and several paintings created a couple hundred years ago hang on the walls (some darkened by years of soot). Very cool and a great place to spend a quiet moment of reflection or prayer. There is also a gift shop inside. Next to the parking lot is a nice little path amongst olive trees with the 14 stations of the cross. A worthwhile stop while in Santa Barbara which you can make as long or short as you want depending on your interest.

It's a beautiful mission if your in Santa Barbara. It has a park across the street were you can picnic. A beautiful garden also. They have artifacts that dates back to the 1700's and even a dinosaur fossil. It has a nice little gift shop and a campground across the street if you want to go camping. But definitely worth checking out.

Okay. First off, never in my Yelping life did I imagine I'd be reviewing a mission, so let's just take a moment and think about the time we live in. We had a short getaway to Santa Barbara and my boyfriend mentioned a beautiful mission he's visited years prior that he wanted to see with me. The moment I saw the gorgeous, rose colored church overlooking the huge front lawn, the cross and the view of the ocean, I knew I was in for a lot of good pictures! The view was breathtaking. The fountain with the lily pads were dreamy. The birds chirping, the breeze from the nearby ocean, the folks scattered around with family and friends near the botanical garden...we couldn't have chosen a more beautiful day to visit. We realized there's a gift shop that had someone at the front moderating the capacity inside. There was also hand sanitizer conveniently placed outside encouraging everyone to sanitize prior to entering the store. Now if you readers have been following me for a while, you'll know I am a sucker for trinkets and little collectibles. There was no way I was not leaving the store with something. If you see the photos you'll notice several different kinds of beautiful and elaborately designed crosses hanging on the walls. At this point, I thought of texting my mom tinder which one would catch her eye. Unfortunately, the reception was terrible (even when my boyfriend walked it outside to catch a signal), so I trusted my gut and chose the one I thought they'd like. I chose the beautiful mini nature stone design that is gray and blue with the bird painted on it that has a candle holder. Lo and behold, I get home and mom had her eye on that one too. I felt so happy! Also, I couldn't get enough of all those mosaic-inspired mirrors. Once I have my own place, I'll have one of those in one of the rooms. I also loved the jewelry. The store is small but filled with little goodies that are perfect for anyone to purchase something of their liking. I'll definitely be back. The service by the employees was very kind and efficient as well. In addition to the store, there is also a tiny walkway called the Olive Garden path which leads you to a beautiful mosaic-design of Jesus that is used for each summary in the brochure provided in the beginning of the short walk. There is an extension to the path that leads to another garden that is only open on Wednesdays that we unfortunately had to miss since we were there on a weekend. Next time! PARKING Available for free in the lot adjacent to the church

Historic landmark in the city of Santa Barbara! When we entered the beautiful Mission church and admired the art paintings, and the magnificent architectures, and sculptures of the church it was indeed a special place with a rich history. It's still an active parish church yet today and at the time of our short visit I guess we were fortunate that there was no service actively going on so we were able to walk freely inside almost up to the altar (the altar section is roped off). The unique altar was built by the native Chumash people. The church is not open for tours during its services. We just missed the last self-guided tour of the day (last tour was 4:15p) so I was bummed about not being able to see the Sacred Garden, Historic Cemetery and Mausoleum, as well as the museum. Self-guided tours and docent-accompanied tours are available at the Mission. There are small admission fees associated whether you go at your own pace or with a docent guide. As we were leaving the Mission grounds we heard the grand double bell toll from the towers and the priest came out to welcome parishioners. The grounds are well kept. There are plenty of parking available to the side of the Mission grounds. Review #1019

There is more to Santa Barbara than its pristine beaches that lined along PCH. On my recent trip up the California coast, I made a stop at Santa Barbara and visited the Mission. Unfortunately, I came after hours so I was unable to tour the inside. But coming after its closing have its own perks. There weren't that many tourist, and I found parking really close by. It is beautiful and peaceful here. Take the family and take a visit to the Mission Santa Barbara to learn more about California's history. The cost to visited went up over the years. Current price is $13. You can either opt to join the guided tour or do it at your own pace. Would highly recommend spending some time here if you are visiting Santa Barbara.

My family and I would always swing by here to look at this fascinating Old Mission of Santa Barbara. I've had a school project for this Mission back in Elementary and I would say that it was my favorite and the best project I've ever done in my life. The last time we had mass here was during the month of March and it was an outdoor mass. Was a beautiful and great mass outdoors. But tbh, it's better to be inside and have mass. We never had the chance because you needed a reservation, but I think now you don't need one. Too bad we had to leave on Saturday early in the morning. Would definitely come back here for mass indoors and touring the museum.