Unique Santa Barbara Area Weekly Walking Tours

Tour Unique Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Montecito, Cachuma and Coastal Areas

Saturday and Sundays 2-4 pm

Goleta

Rancho La Patera and Historic Stow House Tours
(photo from stowhouse website)

304 North Los Carneros Road, Goleta

$5/adults; free children 12 and younger

964-4407; http://www.stowhouse.com/

Sundays 10-noon

on the coast north of Goleta
Arroyo Hondo Preserve Docent Tours

Between Refugio State Beach and Gaviota State Park

(photo by Randy Leffingwell from Landtrust website)

Join docents on hike along creek and to lookout point with ocean and canyon views.
The 782-acre Arroyo Hondo Preserve is called the "Jewel of the Gaviota Coast.". 

Reservations required 567-1115; arroyohondo@sblandtrust.org  Free

Daily 9am -5 pm

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara
(photo of painting by B.J. Stapen; http://www.bjstapen.com/ )
Admission:  $8/adults - $6/seniors, children13-17,

active military with ID,

$4 children 2-12, under 2 free

682-4726; http://www.sbbg.org/

Daily 2pm; 10:30 am Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays

Santa Barbara County Courthouse Tours

 

1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara

begin in the Mural Room on second floor

Courthouse Garden Tours

10:30 am first & third Saturday of month

Meet under large Courthouse Arch on Anacapa Street

Free

Saturday (Sabado) Tour  10-noon
Historic Downtown Santa Barbara Art and Architecture Walking Tours
See the historic de la Guerra Adobe, El Paseo, The Hill-Carrillo Adobe
the Meridian Studios, Lobero Theatre and much much more.
Learn what created the stunning transformation and forever changed
Santa Barbara from ordinary to extraordinary.
Leaves from the centrally located de la Guerra Plaza

Sundays (Domingo) 10-noon

Central Library 40 E. Anapamu Street

Post 1925 Earthquake Architecture, Landscape Design and History of Santa Barbara

Both Tours Presented by the
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara

no baby strollers or dogs; rain cancels.

$10 general, free to children age 3-12 (must be accompanied by adult)

965-6307 or http://www.afsb.org/

Wednesdays-Saturdays through April 23rd

10 am - 1:30 pm

Madame Ganna Waleska's Lotusland

Montecito

Art Exhibit and Tour

"Gone," 25 paintings of extinct plants, recreated from historical descriptions by botanists.

Docent-guided tour.

$35 adults 19 +, $10 youth, $10 5-18, free children 4 and younger

reservations must 969-9990; reservation@lotusland.org

Saturday 10 am

Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park Docent Tour

Park entrance across from Sandyland and Ash avenues in Carpinteria

Docent-led tour provides history of the landmark's rescue and geology, flora and fauna

free 684-4060

Saturdays 10 am - noon

Cachuma Nature Walk

Meet at Cachuma Lake Nature Center

2265 Highway 154

Lake Cachuma naturalists and volunteers lead one-mile walk on Oak Canyon Trail

Free with $8 park admission/per vehicle
Also available are 2 hour Nature Lake Cruises approapriate for all ages including handicapped.

688-4515 or www.cachuma.com
Watch for the April 16th Annual Trout Derby April 9 & 11th

Last of Summer Events

Here are someof the last events of Summer

Music Academy of the West

Summer Festival Finale!

Saturday, August 14th at 8 pm, The Granada Theater. Tickets start at $10

The music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra has earned critical accolades and thrilled international audiences.  Peter Oundjian's probing musicality and engaging personality will be on full display as he returns to conduct the Music Academy's remarkably talented Fellows.

     BARBER                  Symphony No. 1 in One Movement, op. 9

     JANACEK                Taras Bulba

     TCHAIKOVSKY      Symphony No. 6 in B Minor. op. 74, "Patetique"

Tickets:  899-2222, http://www.granada.org/  969-8787

Concert in the Park Series

Thursday 8/12 and 8/19

Chase Palm Park, Great Meadow, Cabrillo Blvs.

great bands and musicians each week

FREE

Bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic.  Dogs welcome on leash.  No alcoholic beverages. 

info:  897-1946 or  http://parksandrecreation.com/

 

Family Movie Night at the Zoo

Wednesday Nights at 8:15 p.m. (gates open at 7 p.m.)

Bring blankets to sit on.  Food and beverages available to purchase or bring a picnic. 

$7.50 general admission, $6 seniors 60 and older and childrens 2-12. 

5 parking nonmembers.  free to members.

962-5339 or http://www.sbzoo.org/

Alice's Garden

Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens

Alice Keck Park donated this gorgeous property to the City Santa Barbara to be used as a public garden.

I remember it originally as the site of the El Mirasol Hotel where I attended several weddings many years ago.  The Park takes up an entire block from Michetorena to Santa Barbara Streets from Garden to Arrellaga Streets.

 the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens acts as landscape consultant for this beautiful park.

 Grant Castleberg, A.S.I.A. was selected to design the Park in 1976. Grant is a well known local Landscape Architect who also designed the City's gorgeous Shoreline Park.

Alice's Garden offers many nooks and crannies, including this lovely display of water lillies. Alice "intended for her garden to be a place for ordinary people  to take a nature-break for the soul, a brown bag picnic lunch, or a few moments of solitude."*

 "This enchanting garden has no playgrounds, no athletic fields, and none of the busyness of most city parks, yet year after year it is voted Santa Barbara's favorite".*

The landscape of Alice's Garden includes a Demonstration Garden for low-water using plants

There are wonderful pathways to explore the many secrets of Alice's Garden

Plants are labeled and there is a free 'take away' list on the property of over 250 species as a field guide for the casual visitor and a valuable tool for gardeners and horticulturalists 

A bench under a shade tree offers a respite from busy days...

a waterfall adds a magical element to the gardens bucolic pond...

The Pond filled with large Koi is an amazing magnet for birds, turtles, toddlers, and children of all ages...

Large tree specimens provide shelter for all....

can you just hear the frogs....?

Magical...

Lucky Ducks....!

The Garden offers a master plan along with a "take one" plant list and brochure outlining the many low water using plants which thrive at Alice's Garden.  Whenever we need to do some replanting in our garden...we take a walk in Alice's garden for inspiration.  Thank YOU Alice, Grant and the City of Santa Barbara for this Magical place!

By the way...many a birthday party, wedding and graduation photo op has taken place in this wonderful park.  Contact the City of Santa Barbara Parks Department for more information.

Alice's Garden, a gorgeous book written by Ann Castleberg, wife of the Landscape Architect, explores the Garden's History featuring Ralph Clevenger's magical photography of the Garden. Available at bookstores or http://www.sbbg.org/

Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens

Lions, Tigers and Giraffe's, Oh My......

The Santa Barbara Zoo is one our most magical local treasures!  The Zoo is located along East Beach in one of the most gorgeous spots in the Santa Barbara area.

Originally known as the Child's Estate, the grounds belonged to a Mrs. Childs who donated the property to the City of Santa Barbara to be maintained as a park. Legend has it that The Child's Estate was also a well know "hobo" camping ground (with Mrs. Child's permission).

On the top of the Meadow with 360 degree views stood the old estate residence. I was told that for a long time the residence was rented out to UCSB students, and was lost in the late 1950s to a fire.

new addition to the Zoo...a giraffe family

When I first saw the property is was being cleaned up by members of the Santa Barbara Junior Chamber of Commerce.  These were young business people of the community who took on the task of turning the property into a park, and eventually a zoological garden. Begun as an ad hoc community venture, it now thrives as a beautiful non-profit and a jewel in our community.

Accredited as a true Zoological Garden, the Santa Barbara Zoo has come a long way from it's origin.  People and animal  friendly this beautiful property attracts visitors including educators and animal lovers of all ages on a daily basis.  It is a popular place for birthdays for young and old.

A magical spot for weddings!

The Summer Zoo Camp is so popular that adults who grew up here send their children to attend camp at the Zoo.  Our family has many fond memories of birthdays and zoo camp for our son while he was growing up.

Young at heart or young, be sure to fit a visit to this magical spot into your trip to Santa Barbara.  For more information:  http://www.sbzoo.org/